Time to Partay.......

Well this week didn't start out that great, but it's turning out well. I spread the word about Hannah's accident and could feel people praying for us...she was better almost immediately. I won't go into detail about the stuff that was oozing from the wounds, but I've been assured it's a good thing to have the stuff coming OUT rather than staying IN! So she's fine. Meanwhile I did a very fun July 4th Corporate Picnic last year and they've called me back to do it again...along with a WEDDING their neighbors want to have on the same day in the back yard. Um, that may be...a lot. But I'm always up to a challenge when it comes to parties!! I love this job, and am thankful every day I walk into this little shop and think "This is mine." Other parts of my life can be so hard, but this little place is such a blessing. Now if I get to make money at it too, that's just an added bonus!!

Cat Scratch Fever

After a day with absolutely zero customers I get home to find out Hannah was seriously attacked today by the babysitters cat. Seriously. She has a fever and her legs look like she was whipped. I emailed pics of it to my mom who's a nurse, she told me what to look for through the night so I just put her to bed. She wanted Dave so I called him and he came right over, and I sat outside on my front step crying because my kids don't deserve the life he and I have given them. Fortunately I've been abundantly blessed with family, church, awesome friends, and somehow enough money every month that the kids and I don't really want for anything. So you know what my plea for today is you guys? Go find a single mom on your block and make her smile. Anything. See if hubby can change her oil for her. See if she needs her gutters cleaned. See if she needs her kids watched for an hour so she can go to Starbucks all by herself. Then next time there's a chore that needs done around your house that hubby hasn't done, imagine if he wasn't there to do it. Imagine being home with the kids alone all day...and 5 oclock never comes. The cavalry isn't coming. There's no backup. Begin every day and end every day in bed alone. When you're done imagining that go kiss your husband that you hated 10 minutes ago and shed a tear over your kids who don't know what it's like to have to have mommy call daddy and ask him to come over. IT'S BEEN OVER 4 YEARS AND ON DAYS LIKE TODAY I FEEL LIKE IT'S N E V E R GONNA GET ANY EASIER

Weddings, and things

Some pics of the wedding I did last weekend. It was so fun! As of right now I don't have another one til August, and I'm meeting with that bride next week. Yay!

The Sun!!!!!!!!!

Yeah so I know it's 50 today, BUT we got a glimpse over the weekend didn't we?! Of course with the sun--which I L O V E--comes the concern over yet another debate for us mommies (because I love to stir up debates!) over the toxicity of sunscreens. Some naturopaths actually advise against sunscreen, even the natural ones (did you guys know that?!) because even the "good ingredients" can block our skin's own natural absorption of vitamin D. Our bodies are SUPPOSED to be exposed to the sun! But there's no arguing the dangers of skin cancer either. So what's a mom to do? Research! Here's what I found: throw your sunscreen away if it has: Octyl Methoxycinnamate (also known as OMC), Dioxybenzone, or Oxybenzone. There are other bad guys too, look it up when you get an hour:) Look for sunscreen that does contain: green tea, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide. These "good ingredients" nurture your skin from the inside, so it's moisturized and absorbs vitamin D (most of us in the midwest have vitamin D deficiencies because we spend so much of the year indoors). So do your homework, comb the healthfood stores, probably spend more money than you would on sunscreen... but then ENJOY! Beach here I come... (crap it IS ONLY 50 HERE TODAY...)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Garage Sales and Cartoon Characters

First of all let it be noted that I have a love/hate relationship with Spongebob. The storylines are hilarious but the voice REALLY grates sometimes! Same with Dora; we've pretty much "outgrown" her in our house-- say the 10 and 7 year olds, until an episode comes on they haven't seen before and then they force themselves to forgive her for targeting preschoolers. (Don't tell their friends). Anway this weekend is the Kouts town garage sale, a day when cheapies and their families (of which I am the queen!!) come to search for wares they don't need--that will most likely end up in next years garage sale! Alas that's the fun of it, and we're all quilty. I am perhaps most guilty of all, in that I am taking advantage of the hordes this weekend by shamelessly showing off Spongebob and Dora IN PERSON out in front of my store. I've hooked up with a husband/wife team in Wheatfield who do kids parties for a living, and it should be a HOOT. But if you come and see my "big kids" talking to Dora, again, promise n o t t o t e l l t h e i r f r i e n d s :)

Ah, To Be 10 and Stay Up All Night

THis past Friday was Parkview Elementary's annual Friday Night Live, the all night lock in for 4-5th graders. The theme was Night at the Museum, and we (the grown-ups) transported the gym into a museum of native american artifacts, a real working volcano, totem poles, and Mr. Dum-dum from the movie. It was a hoot...and EXHAUSTING. And...I have 3 more to do between Sky and Hannah. I may never recover.

" I D O N ' T K N O W !!!!!!!!!"

The older I get the dumber I get... or it's just that today's children get smarter faster. Yeah, that's what I'm goin' with. :) Skylar had a fourth grade book report due Thursday, her last one of the year, and we finished a day early and put it in the backpack to go to school. Yay! Except she informed me 2 DAYS LATER, in the morning on her way out the door, that she lost the book report and her teacher wanted to know if I knew where it was. What?! No I don't know where it is and...um...why should I?! Then we were at the drive up ATM the other night and my brilliant Hannah sees the Braille numbers on the buttons. "Mom, why do they put Braille on the numbers of a drive through ATM if blind people can't drive?" What?! I don't have the energy at the end of the day to come up with Q U E S T I O N S, let alone A N S W E R S !! Someone smarter than I can take over this ride please, I'd like to get off of it for awhile...