My new hair

I've had the basic hairstyle for much too long. So I decided to do something about it. Before...

...and after!

My new best friend

I know it's been awhile since I've posted but I've been busy hanging out with my new celebrity friends.

Celebrity friends? Yup, even in the sticks of New Mexico we know people. Famous people.

Or rather...

I know someone who met someone who's famous. Therefore that only gives me 2 degrees of separation from Ree Drummond.

Who?

Pioneer Woman.

**crickets**

Check out her website. She's so totally fun and fabulous. She wrote a cookbook and my friend Amy went to her booksigning in Phoenix.

That makes me famous.

She's my new best friend.

Thanksgiving Fun

We spent Thanksgiving in Alamogordo at Aaron's grandmother's house. Most of the grandkids and greatgrandkids were there. We had a great meal and had lots of fun playing games and watching football. On Friday, several of the cousins played a round of golf.

I opted not to golf and instead, went to the International Space Hall of Fame.

Here is a picture of my lattice topped pumpkin pie. I know I'm bragging on myself (hey, it's my blog) but I thought it came out great. I have it on good authority that it tasted great too. I didn't eat it, I don't care for pumpkin pie.

Some of the fabulous characters in the family.

Are you surprised that one of them belongs to me??????
Here lies "HAM" the first chimp in space.

I don't even want to guess what she is thinking. I don't want to know, ignorance is bliss. I'll deal with the missile crisis when it arises.

Basketball Season Has Begun

4 years old!!!

I know it's a week late, but here's my birthday tribute to my middle child....Kylee Renee.

Happy Birthday Kylee!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

For Kylee and Krysten's very first trick or treating ever, we went to Sierra Vista to visit our cousins. The little girls were so excited about it. We went on Post (Ft. Huachuca) and it was great. Kylee caught on really fast and was running from house to house. Krysten refused to carry her candy bucket, but loved ringing door bells!

Princess Ariel

Princess Snow White

Sista Princessa (I know it's not really Spanish, but it rhymes!)

...and their mom.

*** no, I didn't forget Tracey...she went to her dad's for Halloween***

The most wonderful time of the year.

It's the day that Aaron looks forward to all year.

His birthday?

Our anniversary?

Our kids birthdays?

Christmas?

No, no, no, and no.

It's the day he gets to build the first fire of the season.

Pumpkin Pickin'

Welcome to the Mesilla Valley Maze Enjoying their very first cotton candy.

Roasted corn...mmm...yummy.

Carrying her pumpkin back to the hay wagon.

Krysten Monet

Kylee ReneeMommy and her little girls.

Hot Stuff

Crying.

Red eyes.

Sweating.

Upset stomach.

That's how I found Tracey this evening when we picked her up at Surge (youth group) tonight.

No, it's not the H1N1 flu. She was the winner of the Salsa eating contest tonight. She ate an entire bowl of hot sauce.

Her prize? A jar of Louisiana Hot Sauce.

Yup, that's my girl. We are so proud.

This is the jar that Tracey took for the contest. I never found out how hot it was, but judging from the title...HOLY COW!!!!

R.I.P. Phillip

Phillip has gone to swim in the great fishbowl in the sky.

He was very loved and will be sorely missed.

Carnival Dreams

There was a carnival in town this past weekend.

Do I really need to say more? We all can picture them in our heads. Set up in any ole' available dirt lot, carnies with bad hair, bad teeth, and bad body odor. Over priced rides.

This particular one was pretty rinky dink. Half the rides were inflatable.

Anyway, I gave in to the pressure and took the kids to the carnival.

Despite my attitude toward the rejected carnival, the little ones had lots of fun.

And so did Tracey. She won a goldfish.

Meet Philip.

Budding Artists

My house is their canvas. I'm just glad they didn't draw on my freshly painted wall right behind them.

I just had an epiphany.

We predestined Krysten to draw on every available surface. Her middle name is "Monet".

Maybe I can sell that piece of wood for millions...

Honesty Pays

Recently I ordered a pair of tennis shoes from Foot Locker. I never received them and when I called Customer Service, they told me the shoes had been returned. (I won't even go into delivery service to our house.) So I the kind lady sent me another pair. I got that pair in a few days and all things were right in my world.

Then I received a box from UPS...another pair of the same exacty pair of shoes. (I'm guessing they were the original pair.) What the heck? Two pair of ridiculously expensive shoes? The second pair being totally free? Score!

But wait...there's that pesky conscience again. I knew the right thing to do would be to call and return the shoes. Maybe they will say to go ahead and keep the shoes, since you know, it'd be such a hassle and all to send them back.

When I called Customer Service again the lady was surprised at my honesty. She said she would send me a mailing label to return them (so much for charity). Then she told me that FootLocker would send me a giftcard for being honest.

Well, that's a pleasant surprise. Thank you.

Yesterday I received my gift card in the mail.

What??? My honesty is only worth $10???? Those shoes were $115!!!!

***Despite the fact that the gift card is only $10, I am happy that I returned the shoes. I would never have been able to wear them and it would've eaten at my conscience.***

Things Every Mom Should Know

I was reading in my latest issue of Parents Magazine and came across an article that really hit home with me. It is "39 Things Every Mom Should Know", September 2009. It lists some things that, well...every mom should know. So I'm going to give you some of my favorites.

1. Don't make birthday parties a big deal.

2. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing.

3. Just throw away the poopy underwear.

4. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

5. Don't forget about board games. You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad. And Clue rocks.

6. Know this: That stain won't come out. And it's okay. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)

7. Embrace their quirks.

8. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?

9. Teach them to pump on the swings, ASAP.

10. Get used to the word zerrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal for most of us. At least you can feel fancy because it's German.

11. Buy kids deodorant before they need it.

12. Teach your children to make their own breakfast.

13. Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet.

14. Remember: clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.

15. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You don't want them to feel stress when ordering at the restaurant.

16. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.

17. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.

18. Just say "No" to any toy or doll that comes withpackets that have to be mixed with water.
19. Teach them to like cool music.

20. Don't buy the most expensive school-picture package. It's a waste of money.

21. Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?


Some of these I already do and this article made me feel less guilty about not doing them. Especially birthday parties. I always feel the need to have a big fancy shmancy party just because all my kids' friends do. Some of these things I am guilty of-- like being obsessive about not sleeping in their clothes and not playing enough board games with them.

Go Broncos!!

Here are a few pictures of the action from the 7th grade volleyball game tonight.

Adrenaline Junkie

I'm really at a loss for words for this post.

Friendly Surprise

Yesterday was Tracey's first volleyball game at La Plata in Silver City. (No, I didn't take pictures, but I will soon!)

Tracey got a surprise when she saw one of the girls on the visiting team (Safford). It was one of her good friends, Rae who had moved to Safford last year.

I thought it was pretty neat for them to see eachother so I took a picture of the two of them after the game.

BTW, Tracey's team won.

Spelling Bee winners do NOT end up to be car salesmen!

Everyone is familiar with the "Cash For Clunkers" promotion. But here in Silver City we have a lesser known program, known as "Cash For Clukers".

** My apologies on picture quality. Tracey took it with my phone as we sped by the dealership. I so totally did not want to look like an idiot by actually stopping to look at this cluker!**

Smokey Bear

We've all heard of Smokey Bear right? Well, I don't know if many of you know where Smokey Bear originally came from, but he was found in the mountains near Capitan, NM. He was rescued by firefighters during a fire when he was found clinging to a tree with severely burned paws. He was treated for his burns and eventually went to live in the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Smokey lived to the ripe old age of 26 and died in 1976. His remains were returned to Capitan and he's buried in the Smokey Bear Historical Park.

We stayed the night in Capitan while we were attending the Lincoln County Fair for Tracey's pig show. We even stayed at the Smokey Bear Motel. We then ate at the Smokey Bear Restaurant where Kylee ordered the Smokey Bear Burrito for breakfast (and then refused to eat it). So of course we couldn't miss visiting the Smokey Bear Historical Park before we came home.

Smokey Bear is buried in this spot.