February's top 5 :)

After I did the top 5 for Januray, I started February out by finding like ten things in the first week! I think these are the best of the month though. Enjoy!

1. Sephora Collection Light Up Compact Mirror.

I use this thing for just about everything regarding my face. It has lights built into it that turn on when you flip the mirror open! It's great for make up application while the lights in your bedroom are dim because you want the kids to continue sleeping, plucking AFTER the sun has gone down and for black head searches.

I give this product ***** out of 5 stars!

2.Make Up Forever Smoky Lash Mascara

I have (well, had) the worst problem with my mascara running under my eyes by the end of the day.... That was until I found this wonderful mascara! The gals on Pixiwoo use it all the time, so I got some and it's everything I could have hoped for! It stays in place, doesn't clump and dries rather quickly after application. 

 I give this 5 out of 5 stars too!!

3. Adele's sophomore album, 21.

This new album by Adele is full of emotion and a very wide vocal range that it makes you want to sing EVERY SONG OUT LOUD!! She is from the UK, is actually 21 years old and wrote this entire album based of the experiences from her last romantic relationship with some guy. HIS LOSS! Adele's first single off the album is called, "Rolling in the Deep" and if you look back a few blogs, I posted the official music video for it. Look her up on youtube, she is THAT good!

4. The Vampire Diaries

It's a spin off of the Twilight craze on the WB and their main audience has got to be 15-20 year olds, but I am addicted! I got season 1 as a gift on Itunes and can't seem to just watch one episode at a time... at least 2 episodes every time I watch the show on my laptop. It is about a girl named Elena (human) that falls in love with the mysterious and very hot Stephen (vampire). Stephen has a brother named Daemon (also vampire) and together they exist in a small town hiding the truth about themselves from their friends. Season one is getting goooooood! Elena just found out she was adopted AND that her birth mother actually was a vampire too!!! Ah!!!! Ok, ok. Just watch it and you will understand ;)

5. Caramel Apples from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

There is a location of this place at the Outlet Mall in Marysville/Tulalip! My favorite flavor is Tiger Butter. YUMS!! They have all flavors. Cheesecake, Snickers, Avalanche, S'more, Traditional and a few others. They run about $4.50 a piece, but they are worth every bite! Enjoy!

XOXO

In the Beginning, There Was....

......a new car.

...... a new job title.

......financial responsibility.

And the light at the end of a very long tunnel.

To some, the idea of taking on a new job and buying their first car might not seem major. I am here to tell you that it has been major for this girl!!

First thing is first, let's talk about the new ride :))

It's a 2004 Saturn Ion. Automatic, 4 door, 48k miles on it, suicide doors for the kiddos and it only costs me 30 dollars to fill! I got it on Monday night and let me tell you! I hope I don't have to buy another car for a very long time! The salesman was nice enough, but as you probably suspected... the experience left me feeling worn out and very anxious. The next day I had concerns, but am finally feeling excited about my purchase :) It runs well and the sound system in it is fabulous. Todd and Isabel like it because they get to use the remote to lock and unlock the car.... oh, and hit the red panic button sometimes from inside the house when mommy isn't looking.

Next, let's talk shop. Today was officially my last day of orientation on the new job and I am a tad nervous for my first day on my own section. I know the people I work with and the residents schedules, so that is a  HUGE help when planning the morning routine. Other than a few massive bumps this week, my co workers have been helpful, patient and very caring when teaching me the ropes and for that I am soooo thankful. Please be in prayer about this as the next few months have the potential to be very overwhelming!

Next, let's talk kids. As I write this, Isabel is screaming, "Todd get out of the poisonous water and onto the boat!!" She has planted herself on the big couch under some pillows with Conner and Todd is running around the couch looking for a "ladder" to climb into the boat on....... SO SWEET! I love their ages right now because imagination is the key to fun. Todd and Conner usually end up doing whatever Isabel says, but I don't think they mind because they get so excited!! My cup runeth over :)

Waiting for cupcakes to be done cooking....

Playing the play dough :)

As I said before, we have Conner over tonight for a sleep over.... It's the first in a while so this should be energetic. Sophie is progressing well in her pregnancy and since she and Grant have my brothers over for the night at their house, I invited Conner over here. The three musketeers are laughing and running around the house right now, so all is well :)

In other news, I have the next 3 days off!! Thank you sweet Lord for breaks!! We have lunch tomorrow with my best friend Alyssa and her son Gabe, a birthday gathering tomorrow night and then church and the Children's Museum in Everett on Sunday. The kids are in for some very much needed fun!! I'm excited!!

Chat soon ;)

XOXO 

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

This is it. My new favorite song :)) TAKE THAT!

Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me

Girlfriend has still got it :)

Well.

So today was my day off from the new position at Warm Beach and it has been great! This morning we went to a meeting at work, which wasn't so great but we will live, went to my grandparents house for a visit and then came home to look online at my options for purchasing a car.

Let's just say my mood was relaxed before I started looking online, now I am just anxious to go and look at these cars! I will very surely be bringing my dad with me to look so I don't get suckered into something horrid, but I am nervous! This will be my first vehicle purchase and I want something reliable, but not ghetto. Feel me?

Please be in prayer and I will post pics by Monday of what I decided to go with.

XOXO

What in the world...?

Well, it's happened. I have officially moved into a full time day shift position at Warm Beach and am loving it :)

The work can be tough, but I work with some of the best gals out there. I really appreciate all the support I have received from you ladies over the last year or so, its been wonderful. There will have to be some changes to my exercise time, but it has proven to work just fine these last two days. I am up to two full miles without taking a walking break, what a surprise! I find that running helps me work out my aggression and stress. Maybe feeling physically tired is more justifiable in my mind, than just being plain unhappy and stressed. Make sense? Anyways, things are going great! Praise God!

Now for the not so great news... My transmission on my car is going to need a complete work up :(( I took it in when I noticed I wasn't shifting out of 2nd gear without watching my RPM's shoot up into the 5 or 6's.. not good. I had the entire transmission replaced two years ago and didn't have it checked for maintenance after the first 1000 miles, oops. Now the entire 4th gear is burned up making it tough for the car to run in 3rd, 4th and even 5th gear. I found this out today. Maybe that's why I was able to run successfully after a long day at work... So now it's time to start looking for a newish used car, this also makes me stressed. God is faithful though, this could not have happened at a better time because I just got a pay raise at work!! Amen, I know things will be ok! Please be in prayer though, I would like to move out at the end of this year pending that I still have a nest egg to speak of.

So, after I passed my test my sister Sophie, Auntie Tammy and mom took me out to dinner!! We went to the restaurant in the Angel of the Winds Casino and it was yummy! I had the smoked seafood alfredo with the artichoke dip for an appetizer, both were delightful!

We had a great time!

Last week, Sophie and I treated Conner and Isabel to a movie day! We went to see Tangled and they loved it!! Conner has been found to be a movie talker and Isabel gets antsy after about the 1st hour, but we had a blast. I will say though, the movies have become super expensive. On a Monday matinée for two kids and two adults the total cost was 31 dollars! Maybe I haven't been to the movies in a while, but that seemed nuts to me. They had fun though, so it was well worth it.

Picking the candy for their kids meals :)

Lastly, my little Toddie is growing up so fast! His dad has been taking him to the skate park in Monroe and says Todd has skills :) He rides his bike all the way there and then is fearless! What a sweetheart he is. I love watching the interaction between my two kids. Isabel is the older, helpful and teach like sister, while Todd is the quiet, interested and very caring younger brother. They are the best part of my day!!

Sophie had a check up on Monday and everything is on schedule with the baby. Heart beat is strong and the morning sickness is waring off, so there is more excitement in the air here. What a praise report!

XOXO

Coming to you live from.....

Family dinner!! We are currently enjoying the weekly family time together and this week it is at Auntie Tammy's house. Tonight we are having fresh salad, pork strips and cheesy tater tots. Yums!

In other news, Sophie has a doctor's appointment on Monday. Nothing to worry about, just a routine ultrasound to look at the growth of little B Rizzle. My Auntie Kathy is in town and brought her son Sam with her, we are soo glad to see her. It has been too long! The weather has been horrible here today, but they weathered storm and made it over for the weekend!

Ok, so Lady Gaga has released her new single, "Born This Way," and it's awesome!! Very reminiscent of Madonna's, "Vogue" and I LOVE IT! Very Very danceable and absolutely perfect for my workouts in the morning! Well done Gaga, you have done it again!

In other news, I passed my test!!!!!! I passed last Saturday and then got hired on day shift at Warm Beach! Praise God the doors of opportunity just opened a little bit wider! I couldn't do any of this without the love of a mighty Father in heaven and the support from my family and co-workers. You know who you are, and to all of you I say THANK YOU! I start orientation on Monday and then will be doing that for two weeks before they let me out on the floor on my own.... BAH! Wish me luck!

XOXO