$1.50 buys...

Here are, in my opinion, the two greatest things you can buy at Wal-Mart for the bargain barrel price of only $1.50. The first being TWO POUNDS of animal crackers/cookies. They're a good tasty treat and decently low in sugar. That huge honkin' bag lasts about two months at our house. And number two, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I know you are all fans. One of those suckers lasts at least two months, I would say. I like to use it until the very end, until it's disintegrating, crumbling, and unable to fulfill it's magical promises of cleaning. And you also get two of them. They say good things travel in pairs...

P.S. I apparently need some more lessons from Colleen on how to space my pictures appropriately. It's hard to get this done while the bean is napping. I'm just stoked I even know how to upload them. Cool.

maybe we should buy stock in Kraft....

dipping my pizza in ranch is delicious.. but its also SO fun to play with..
and lick off my fingers

Buy more Ranch!!!
How do I get this bottle open?!

In case you wanted to floss...

the box is hidden in Jim's top drawer of his nightstand because Kate keeps taking it out of the bathroom, unraveling it and telling us she is flossing.

why why WHY!

i was at the gym last night and went in to take a shower.. the showers are so pretty and nice at Life Time.. but then I almost threw up. There was a HUGE wad of black hair on the shower floor and a bandaid on the shelf.... WHY do people do this? Why would you think its ok to just take off your bandaid and leave it in the shower.. why would you comb your hair and whatever and leave a nasty ball of hair.. that is obviously way to big to fit down the drain.. now people have to shower with it and then some poor girl who works there has to come and clean it up with her hands! ick ick!
my stomach hurts now.

Consignment Sales

Hi Ladies,
I thought I would post the consignment sale dates that I know of so far. I think there are a couple more that I don't have dates for yet but as soon as I get them I will post them too.

Take 2- Sept 12-15th. Located one block north of 90th and Maple.
Ava Bella-Sept 20-23rd. Located at the Holiday Inn Central 3321 S. 72nd St.
Omaha Parent's of Multiples sale-Oct 6th (Sat) from 10-2. Located at UNO in Sapp Fieldhouse.
Reruns R Fun-Sept 21-28th. Located 84th and Brentwood.

Okay, there you go! I know I am missing one...it is the one that is located at the soccer center out on Giles street. I can't think of what it is called. As soon as I get the info on it I will pass it on.

Thank you Jami and your magic booger eater

I would like to post a consumer report/thank you letter to Jami Carey.
I have a cold/sinus thingy. I am stuffed up... really stuffed up.
Monday night I was very stuffed up and I don't sleep good when I have to breathe out of my mouth all night and it was a bad night of sleep.
Jami told me about this great stuff called Vicks Sinex. IT ROCKS!
I sprayed some in my nose and within a minute my snot packed nose was clear and I could breathe and it lasted all night! I don't know how it eats the boogers...it burned a little when I sprayed it in there so maybe that is the boogers being eaten. who knows. i am not a nurse.
Everyone needs to run to Walgreens now and buy some. I just wish we could use it on little kids.. not until they are 6yr old.

Spotlight

Yeah, so I had my 4 minutes in the spotlight and yes, I'm a dork....but I thought you'd get a laugh.. Some critiques of myself. I say UM way too much, and what's with the screwed up facial expressions. And does anyone else notice how she doesn't really seem to be listening to my responses? Especially since she then asks me the questions I've already answered. Oh and LOVE the I don't know answers. Yuck!

www.mamasource.presskit247.com Click Media Coverage and I'm the top interview!

Oh, and why didn't I tuck my hair back? Would love any comments you have!!!

A Small Tribute to Trip Dog.

Last summer, whenever we walked Trip, our little next-door neighbor Blake (now three) would always shout, "That's Trip!" On our Christmas card, it said "To Trip's family" as that's what Blake calls us. He always waves frantically to me saying "Hi Jami! Hi Antono-nia!" whenever we're outside. Jay came in laughing last night after mowing and said that Blake waved at him and said, "Hi Trip!" Now that's a fine man to be mistaken for, Jay. Fine indeed.

(Trip is currently vacationing at Grandma and Grandpa Rossitto's house and is unable for comment at this time.)

Born Free? Born "I'm out 24 bucks" is more like it!

Attention all of my friends of childbearing age...I'm here to tell you a little story about those "Born Free" bottles. My girlfriend from San Francisco sent me an e-mail a few months ago about our Avent bottles containing the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) in its plastic (#7 on the bottom). BPA in a high enough dose can mimic hormones and can cause all sorts of problems: low sperm count, prostate and breast cancer, ADHD, yadda, yadda, yadda. I refused to give into the hype and told Jay, "I'm not getting worked up about this. If BPA were really that harmful, there would be word about it on the news and they'd be pulling the bottles from the market." Sure enough, THAT NIGHT on the World News, they had a report on BPA in baby bottles, and how there is legislation to try make it illegal for bottles to be made with it.

Crap.

So I sent Jay off to get these stupid "Born Free" BPA-free bottles from Whole Foods. Just wanted you to know that I like that they're supposedly more safe for Antonia, but they suuuuuck! AND, they were like, twenty-four bucks (with tax) for two bottles. They have some dumb thing that screws in under the nipple that's a total pain in the ass to unscrew and clean (supposed to help with gas...okey dokey), the nipple is almost impossible to unscrew, in part probably because you have to screw it on so tight in the first place so IT DOESN'T CAUSE YOUR KITCHEN TO HAVE A FOUR INCH FLOOD OF MILK BECAUSE THE DAMN BOTTLE LEAKS SO MUCH WHEN YOU SHAKE IT!!!! Yep, they totally suck. And, not to mention, they look like five-year-old bottles that someone had previously peed in. Nice. Avent my old friend, I miss you.

Where is it?

Ever have a morning where you are trying to put on your bra.. and you are reaching behind your back trying to put the little hook through the eye... and its just not working.. you try a couple more times... then you take it off and check to make sure that the hooks didn't mysteriously fall off when you washed them (even though you are suppose to hand wash them, but who really hand washes their bras anyways) but the hooks are still there so you try it again... and then you think that maybe you will start wearing sports bras or maybe you will look for those training bras that hook in the front bc Lord know I could fit into those JUST FINE..
yeah.. it was one of those mornings.

Pay it Forward

Has anyone ever been in the drive through line and told the person at the counter you want to pay for the person's food behind you? My mom did it once a couple months ago.. I think it is so cool. I think I am going to do it. I was reading in Real Simple to do it in the grocery store as well. If someone gets behind you in line and they only have one thing, offer to let them go in front of you and tell the cashier to put the item on your bill.. How nice. :) I think it would make me cry. :)

On "The Big Idea" tonight...

I saw this on "The Big Idea" tonight (the show I am completely addicted to on CNBC.) and I was literally saying "yeah....YEAH...oh my gosh, YEAH!!!" (get your mind out of the gutter, I wasn't saying like that!) I was saying it because why didn't anyone this of this before? This gal, Kerry O'Brien has made MILLIONS on (you're not ready...) underwear called "commando c.y.a.", and nipple stickers called "low beams" (which is hilarious!), and silicone inserts for your bra to give you lift called "cleavage cupcakes" and even inserts to make you a cup-size bigger called "takeouts". She said these are more "today" than things we had in the past. Even the names are more "now". And that she was having repeat customers not because they were insecure about themselves in regards to the cleavage cupcakes or the takeouts, but because they thought if it as making themselves better, like putting on makeup. Clever!
I was cracking up. But what I most loved was the Commando underwear - no seams, no elastic, no lines! This is serious. Better then a thong...which is what caught my attention. Yesterday I wore white pants to work and even though I wore a flesh colored string thong, you could still see some lines, from the elastic, and where it meets up near my hip. What else could I do with those white pants but go underwearless (which I WON'T/CAN'T do! ...sorry Jami.) So imagine my surprise when I see this show tonight. You have to check out this website. I am so intrigued to just try a pair! Let me know your thoughts...and WHY couldn't I have thought of this!?! I would be RICH - cash money yo!
http://www.herlook.com/

oh yeah

1. Whenever I see some water in a bowl or something and the table gets knocked and it makes those little ripples.. i ALWAYS think of Jurassic Park.. do you remember that scene?
2. I love when Kate comes into the bathroom and talks with me while I am going to the bathroom sometimes.. I do not like it when she gets a hold of the dental floss.. then we get cavities.. its a mess.

A small tribute to Jay, RN

So you know how Jill wrote about loving to be around people who she could learn from? I don't want to toot my own horn, but beep, beep. If that's the case, wanting to learn, you should come read the paper with us some night.

Northern Ireland has been at civil war for the last forty years? Really? Jay can tell you about it.

Global warming isn't entirely due to our awful treatment of the ozone layer, and in fact, the earth naturally warms and cools itself in cycles, a few hundred years at a time? Who knew? Jay did.

Young America jumped too crazy, too fast on the sub-prime housing market, and now 4% of them are being foreclosed on, and this, in essence, is affecting Britain's economy as well? Who would of thunk it? Jay. That's who.

I'm kidding around just a little. He talks about this stuff totally unassuming and not "hoitey toitey" at all. I honestly had to close my gaping jaw as it hung open in awe as he told me about that Northern Ireland bit. It's just cool to learn stuff I would otherwise have no idea about. All I'm saying is the boy likes his CNN. And I like him. :)

Oh no, I didn't !!

Look at the new high chair/shopping cart cover I got for Antonia! (Huge props out to Erica for suggesting e-bay, by the way.) It should be here any day now. Gone are the days of plopping her carseat into the shopping cart, only to make room for five items, and here are the days of accompanying me for the huge, honkin' month's-worth-of-groceries trips to Wal-mart! And no more Bumbo seat taking up two-third's of our table when we're out to dinner. For-real high chair, here she comes!! Swings in the park? Your germs are no match for our super cool cover!

P.S. Yes, I probably paid a stupid amount, but she'll get a few years out of it, so totally worth it in my mind. And, it has three pockets. Three. AND a toy loop. Feel like throwing your toy into the produce section? Not so fast My Dear, as the handy dandy toy loop is here to save the day. Too fabulous. Business cards? I have them. (I like to share the love...)

Moron..

Has everyone read this story or probably heard it on the news? This guy sent his girlfriend flowers and is now suing 1800flowers bc they sent a thank you note to his house and his wife found out...... He said on the Today show this has caused him mental anguish bc lots of people are calling him now and talking bad about him behind his back and this is all the flower companies fault.. please go read this.. I was listening to this on the Today show this morning getting SO mad while I was driving.. what an idiot and what a waste of time and money!
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20247816/

The Hills

Did anyone else besides Nici and Jess watch the Hills season premier tonight! Love this show.. Can you believe Spencer and Heidi! He is such a loser.. what was the store he was buying her ring in and where did he get all that money! Arg!

I'm late! I'm late!

First off, I heart you guys all so much. You are the bestest friends and each and everyone of you inspire me everyday and have made me a stronger woman. I learn from each of you and it has been so fun reading all of your posts.. I think we should each do 10 more.. if not more than that!
I think since I am tardy I shall do 20.. I know you are all heaving a big sigh of relief as I am so interesting and you are all dying to know more about me.. hehe. totally kidding.

1. My family and friends are the most important things to me. It has been a LONG time since I have gone a day with out talking to my mom and Jim and I make it a point to say "I love you" to each other many times a day and everytime we hang up the phone.. for the most part. :)
2. The sweetest sound to me right now is hearing Kate talk. Ecspecially when she says things like " Hold me Mommy" or when I drove out of the garage this morning and didn't realize my passenger side mirror was so close to the garage door and I busted the mirror off and Kate says " Mommy bonked car!" nice Jill.....
3. I pick my nose everyday. Just once usually to get some of the big ones out that a kleenex can't get. Don't judge!!! Has anyone ever noticed that after you have been outside a lot the boogers get harder and crustier?
4. I love popping zits.. Ok I am done talking about gross things.. for a minute
5. I am not a fan of cleaning either. Every once in a while I will get into a mood to clean, but not usually. but of couse.. I love it when things are clean and organized.
6. I love the water. There is something so relaxing about it. Whether I am listening to it, seeing it, or out on it. Jim and I have a goal that the next house we move into will be a house on a lake.. maybe Ginger Cove.. years from now!
7. I love to travel, but after a week am always ready to come home. I always get ideas in my head that I could just move anywhere, but I know I would miss my family too much.
8. I love to learn. I like having useful and pointless information stored in my brain. I would love to go back to school and get my Masters... some day.. maybe. For the time being I love reading and talking to really smart people and picking their brain.
9. I like to make people proud of me. I am the third in my family, but there is a big gap inbetween my older brother and me and I have all the tendencies of a first born. I love to please my parents and people in general. I hate getting in trouble and I like to make people happy.
10. I think communication is the hardest part of being married. I think it is amazing how the longer you are together the more you start to think the other person knows what you are thinking. It is something Jim and I both have to be conscience about every day to make out marriage strong and still have to remind each other amongst life and kids and the hecticness.
11. I have huge wish to be really artsy and creative. I would pay big money to be able to paint or draw or sing or take pictures like Colleen and other prof. photographers.
12. I also have a huge desire to have a really cool backyard/landscape/garden. I am planting a garden next summer people! I will give you all tomatoes from my garden! (bc jim and I don't like them. :)
13. I also have a huge desire to finish reading the WHOLE bible. Jim and I started to when I was pregnant and both have gotten distracted since she was born.. I am still stuck in the Old Testament, but have found these cool study guides at Parables that take you through each book and ask questions as you read. I love it!
14. As I am on that topic, I want to be closer and closer to God. I want Jim and I to continue to pray together and have Him be the center of our marriage.
15. I love watching movies and love even more watching movies in bed.. with popcorn.
16. I really want to do a vacation with all our friends.. renting a beach house in North Carolina and having a clam bake on the beach.. something like that.
17. I love reading/getting magazines. Its relaxing.. but man they take up a lot of room in your mailbox! :)
18. I have to second.. or maybe third the laughing point others have made. It is one of my favorite things to do. I love laughing with people, making others laugh and having a good time. It makes me happy.
19. I am silly and I know I can be immature at times. But I don't care and you need to have silliness in life so you don't get too stressed and take things too seriously. Of course I am professional and serious when I need to be.. but you get the point. :)
20. I don't like math too much and I HATE when people use military time.. sheesh! ( I just did payroll this morning and hate when people use military time on their time slips.. you are NOT in the army people! It is confusing!@$@#$@

Ok. I am done and this post is probably going to take everyone an hour to read.. sorry about that. I just got to typing and thinking and.. there you go.

Wanna sign it?

While we're waiting on Jill's reply...Thought I'd fill you in on what we've been up to today......look at my baby! Good ole boys...jumping off the couch one minute, breaking their foot the next. He has to have this on for 4 weeks...GO FIGURE..we're going on vacation the day after tomorrow!!!

Erica's Turn

Okay, here goes...

1. I love my bubba (that is Cory) more and more every day. He is my best friend, my companion, my rock.

2. I can't even put into words the love I have for my babies, Eliana and Anessa.

3. I miss Anessa so much it hurts, and I would give anything to have one more chance to hold her in my arms and look into her eyes.

4. A lot of people think I am crazy, but I LOVE to workout. The harder the workout the better! Bring it on!!

5. One of my goals is to run a marathon someday....maybe start with a half!!

6. I jumped out of a plane at 9,000ft in the air. It was amazing, but I HATE heights and would NEVER to that again!!

7. I love a clean house!

8. My family and friends mean the world to me and I would not be who I am without them.

9. I have an obsession with the Soap Opera, General Hospital, I DVR it everyday, and never miss an episode!

10. I have been saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; lest any man should boast."

There you have it, the 10 things in my life that I love, hate and I couldn't live without...that was hard. I have like 8 more I could list right now!