Christmas morning is all about OUR kiddos

Christmas morning I was awaken by my cell phone at 6:58. It was a text from my ex that read "Hey we're at the hospital and are not gettin the kids today. I will call them later, Merry Christmas". My kids got to stay and have Christmas with us. T called it a Christmas miracle.
The kids came in our room just minutes later. I informed Ryder of the news and they were set to get the morning started ASAP.


At 7:00am all three kiddos jammed out to the fireplace to open their stockings. Mazie was confused on why Santa didn't eat all 3 cookies she left out for him. "Hey mommy Santa left one cookie with a bite taken, why didn't he finish his milk?" Why? Why? Why? typical 4 year old.
The boys were so good at shopping and picking out the perfect gifts for their family. They even wrapped them *wink*

Mazie got her PILLOW PET from her big brother Ryder she was so excited too!

Yes my beautiful 4 year old daughter insisted on wearing her Iron Man costume to bed Christmas eve. I think she would wear it everyday if she could. She did however get a new Iron Man mask for Christmas :)

Mazie loved her gift from Isaiah. It looks just like her doggy Moto who lives at her Gramma and Papa's house. T and Isaiah picked it out so she wouldn't miss Moto so much when she is away.

Isaiah opening his gift from me.... Its a beyblade arena along with beyblades. The kids were completely spoiled this year for Christmas. T made it a goal to make their Christmas very special.

Oh did I mention how special he made my Christmas? Oh yeah I wrote a post about it, but here is one of the many pics T took of my reaction to his very thoughtful gift. The Sunny dvd 6pack!

*Ryder and Mazie were blessed with a even Bigger surprise that day. Their little sister was born! Emery May born on Christmas day. Hey that totally rhymes :) She looks just like her big brother too, well they have the exact same nose.*

How was your Christmas with your kidlets?

A day in Paradise

The day after Christmas we loaded up the Suburban, packed a lunch and headed up to Mt. Rainer for some sledding/tubing and fun play in the snow. The location was Paradise... No really that is what its called here at Mt. Rainer and its pure beauty!

Ryder and Isaiah were ready for some fun in the snow!

Mazie was ready too, she had to have the big sled which was as long as her whole body. Perfect! Wow, this little girl is a flippin dare devil. She likes to go head first down the hill.

Yes that white stuff is snow... I believe my daughter had to at least eaten a pound of snow the whole time we were there. No worries there was no yellow snow in site *wink*

Sweet T had a blast too... I swear he is a kid at heart. We recorded tons of footage on my new Flip. I hope to post some videos soon, but until then looky at the purdy pictures.

I only went down the big hill once with Mazie, after our major wipe out I threw in the towel. My shoulder is still sore... Mazie got a face full of snow, that didn't stop her whatsoever.

After that Fiasco she went down with T the rest of the time.

Then we started getting cold, hungry.......

And sleepy....

They slept the whole 2 hour drive back home.

We are so ready to go back on another snow adventure, maybe we will go this weekend.

Sunny 6 pack!

Wow what a Holiday that was!
I came down with a bad case of the tummy flu just days before Christmas. So instead of a 3day Holiday weekend, I had a 4 day weekend. I of course was much better just in time for Christmas Eve. This was a blessing since I had lots of cooking/baking to get done before we had our families over that evening.
I made Sweet n Sour Meatballs, Mini Quiche Tartlets, Pumpkin Pie, Sugar cookies and my yummy Chili Dip. T and I took all the kids and went to Church with my family. After we all went back to our house, where T’s family joined us for our Christmas Eve gathering. I served all the goodies I mentioned above, they were literally inhaled. We had this get together mainly for Ryder and Mazie since they were going to be absent at the family gathering on Christmas (dad’s year).
After all the company left and the kiddos were tucked in bed T insisted I open one of his gifts he had for me. I got a little nervous since T had the camera ready in hand.
I had no clue what it could of been...
Much to my surprise it was the Sunny dvd 6 pack. Oh yes my friends it was legendary! T took about six pictures of me opening the gift. Lets just say the photos and my facial expressions are priceless. This gift put a perma smile on my face, and made me giddy. This gift made my Christmas magical in so many ways. I love this show and the comedy is phenomenal. If you have never watched or heard of "Its always Sunny in Philadelphia" let me tell you my friends you are totally missing out. I told T that I don't need cable anymore, I am happy with seasons 1-5 of my favorites (Mac, Dennis, Charlie, Dee and Frank).

My other really cool gift T spoiled me with was a new Mino HD flip.

Yes mine looks exactly like this one.
T even hooked me up with a tripod for my flip, a 50$ gift card to VS, earrings, and my favorite perfume (sexy little things) from VS, oh and socks.
So in the past two days I have made 23 videos. I asked for a Flip a few months ago and I pretty much gave up hope on it and forgot that I even mentioned wanting one. Mr. T didn't forget *wink* I am so happy and lucky to have such a thoughtful man in my life. He really knows how to make holidays special and super fun for everyone. I will have to write a whole other post to explain how special and memorable he made our kids Christmas too.

I also was very spoiled by the kids this Christmas. I got a beautiful necklace from Ryder and Mazie, and pink comfy slippers and earrings from Isaiah. I really felt special this Christmas and I have my wonderful family to thank.

What is your favorite gift?

Weezy is back!

After a long day of bonding time with my kitchen and a few special deliveries of Christmas goodies to friends it was nice to relax and watch SNL. Tim and I watch SNL every Saturday night, and this past Saturday one of our favorites performed.






Oh yes Weezy is back! He killed this performance of his new song “6foot, 7foot”.
T and I loved it from the first beat! Yeah Eminem performed too, but he did a song that has been over played on the radio, boo been there done that. Weezy on the other hand, came out and jammed a tune that has never been heard or performed before. He likes to keep it fresh and that is how he rolls. For being in prison for the past year you think he had plenty of time to write lyrics… The best part is…Lil Wayne doesn’t write his rhymes, he free styles it. I am sure after he does that someone writes it down for him.LOL

So I just had to write a post about one of my favorite rappers out there. Thank you Weezy F baby for keeping it real and fresh for all us fans out here. Talented and well dressed… Gee I wonder where my kids get the skinny jeans and vans fashion from? Yeah they are fans of his too J especially my 4yr daughter. *She loves rap and hip hop*
Needless to say T and I have been jamming this tune since Sunday, and believe me you can’t help but dance. If you don’t like to dance then just bob your head to the amazing beats and smile!

Santa Claus is coming to town... oh yeah!

Merry Christmas

Ryder and Mazie's Santa visit 2010

Last Saturday prior to the Nutcracker extravaganza, the kids and I went to visit Santa. For the past 5yrs Ryder and Mazie have visited the same Santa at the Log Cabin Museum in downtown Port Orchard, Wa. This year it was a different Santa but the kids didn’t seem to notice or care. The Log Cabin Museum does this every weekend up until Christmas, its donation only and the best part is you get to take your own photos. As many photos as your heart desires. The kids were excited to see their picture from last year posted on their wall of fame *giggle* The folks that run the museum always manage to include mom in the pictures also. Santa insisted I sit on his lap (one thigh vacant), I told him um no don’t think your skinny leg will hold this momma. He was so persistent, so I just faked it using every mussel in my legs to hold myself up so I didn’t put any of my weight on this frail ol’ Santa.
Mazie asked Santa for Beyblades, yes my daughter likes to play with boy toys. Don’t get me wrong she likes the girly stuff too *wink*. I don’t think Santa even knew what beyblades were and the way my 4 year old says beyblades comes out sounding like baybaids or something like that.
Ryder asked Santa for a remote control car and legos. I think it’s pretty awesome my 9 year old still believes in Santa. It makes it still fun for us parents to play along. I for one think that is the best part about Christmas as an adult, is the whole playing along with the fantasy of Santa and his 9 reindeer. I believed in Santa until I was in 4th grade. I was about 9 or 10 years old when my big sister decided to ruin it for me. I remember Christmas not being as fun as it was when I did believe in Santa. So I am enjoying the fun with my children now.

The Nutcracker experience....

Mazie with her Rat King cookie.

Mazie and Mommy after the ballet.

This last Saturday I had the joy and pleasure of going to see The Nutcracker with my daughter and her Grandma. My daughter Mazie Lue is 4 years old and it was her first time going to see the Nutcracker. Mazie wore her fancy Christmas dress along with her fancy Coat and hat, her new Christmas tree earrings and her Ruby necklace her Papa gave her for her 4th birthday. Her Grandma and I have been waiting for this day since the day we found out I was having a little girl. Grandma always talked about getting Mazie (her only Granddaughter) a Christmas fancy coat, she went and found the perfect one for Mazie at a little shop in Port Townsend,Wa. So then Papa went out and bought us three girls’ tickets to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle.

It was a wonderful magical event; my favorite parts were the amazing orchestra, the talented ballet dancers and the beautiful costumes. Mazie’s favorite part was during intermission when she enjoyed her Rat King sugar cookie. I was amazed how good Mazie was for the whole performance, which was a surprise since my 4 year old has the shortest attention span. Mazie loved it! She told me this morning she had a dream about the Nutcracker, I asked “was it a good dream?” and she said “Yes! It was very good”. So I’m thinking this will be a great memory for us all. Apparently my Grandma Stephanie took my sister and me when we were younger, and I have no memory of that. So I am wishing and hoping that my daughter will remember this day forever.

The Nutcracker for sure put me in the Christmas spirit!

Christmas Card Preview!

This year I have decided to design and order my Holiday cards online. This was the way to go, why didn't I think of this years ago. I didn't even have to leave my home. My favorite part about my Holiday cards is they are post card style. Love it! It took me forever to pick out the pictures.

So what do you think?

Dancing Bears for baby....

A gift for baby….

My ex-husband and his wife are having a baby whom is due in a few weeks. My kids are so very excited to have a baby brother or sister (they didn’t find out the gender dagnabbit). So I figured since I LOVE to shop online and I LOVE babies, I would get the baby a really special gift.

I am sure some of you are asking yourself who would ever buy a baby onesie that says “Grateful Dead” and has weird dancing bears on it? Guilty! Yep, I would and I did. My ex was born in the wrong era instead of ‘82 you’d think he was really born in ’52. He is a classic kinda guy and is a dead head fan 101%. So I thought this would be perfect for his new little one and it could be for either gender too. So for all you dead heads out there making babies buybuybaby.com is the site you must visit.

I have to confess I am a Grateful Dead fan too, and a hippie at heart for sure! *wink*

The Christmas Song...

Okay so I just totally fell in LOVE with the Harry Connick Jr version of the Christmas song. It is my fav Christmas carol and hearing him or the Great Nat King Cole sing this wonderful tune just makes my heart melt like butter. It really gets me in the mood… Not that kinda of “mood” but maybe? *wink* It gets me in the mood for the Holidays! Yeah I know right. I have a much better view on life today then I did in my last post. Geez I thought I was going to change into the Grinch or Scrooge. *bah humbug* Then I was saved by the Christmas music and I finally set a date to do all of my Christmas goodies. I am in the works to get a few girl friends to come over and join me. *hint*

I think I will be okay this Holiday season as long as I keep Harry or Nat’s LEGENDARY voices singing :


Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping on your nose, Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like Eskimos. Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe, Help to make the season bright. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, Will find it hard to sleep tonight. They know that Santa's on his way; He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh. And every mother's child is going to spy, To see if reindeer really know how to fly. And so I'm offering this simple phrase, To kids from one to ninety-two, Although its been said many times, many ways, A very Merry Christmas to you

Can you just hear it now? Yep, its stuck in my head too, so HA you have no choice but to join me now.

What is you favorite Christmas song?

Ps. I have many other fav’s and the one I always sing (karaoke style) at the office X-mas parties is Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by: Brenda Lee *love it*

It's beginging to look a lot like Christmas!

ITS BEGINGING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS…

Usually, but this year I feel as if I am not in the Holiday spirit. We got our beautiful tree up last Saturday, the lights are up on the house, my whole collection of snowmen décor is set out in their usual places and I have been listening to Christmas music as much as I can. So what is my deal anyway?

Maybe I need to start baking some Christmas goodies, maybe I should watch some classic Christmas movies, or maybe I just need to go shopping! Either way I got to get out of this funk some how and some way. The good news is I now have this Christmas song stuck in my head.

Any other suggestions?

November 22, 1980

I was born November 22nd 1980 in Agana, Guam. I was born during a tropical storm at 3:16pm. My mom says she fell in love instantly when she saw my BIG dimples. I am the only one of her 4 children with these and I am the 2nd born. As a little girl my mom always made my birthday so special. Every 6 years my birthday will fall on Thanksgiving, I hated having it on the holiday when I was younger. I remember my 9th birthday being on Thanksgiving, my mom said they are having a parade just for you. Yeah right! As I got older and my 21st birthday fell on Thanksgiving I started not to mind at all. We now celebrate my birthday on Thanksgiving since that is when all the fam get together. My mom always makes my favorite Strawberry cake to have along with her yummy pies.

This birthday was a big one for me. Yep I am now the big three oh or some say the dirty thirty. My wonderful friend Jae threw me a awesome party on Saturday. All my favorite people came to celebrate. We watched the UFC fights and then my favorite Karaoke. I sang a few songs but I only remember one, sorry Maria *wink* I felt so special and loved, I never had anyone throw me a party before for my birthday. After a nice long night of singing and dancing and shots! My fav for the night was the Barbie shot, yum! I wasn’t saying that yesterday during my recovery.lol

Today on my 30th I woke up to snow, it has been snowing all day here. I am NOT a fan of snow. Don’t get me wrong I like to play in it, look at it and stay inside snuggled up. I just can’t stand to drive in it. I even have a Jeep with 4wheel drive… I get the biggest anxiety attacks when I have to drive in it. EEEEK! Other then that it is very beautiful.

I am thankful and blessed that I made it to 30 and I am so excited to be done with my 20’s, they were fun but I’ve heard thirty’s are even better. So instead of sulking about getting older I am embracing it. I left the tears to my son, he cried because I was turning thirty *wink* I told him “hey buddy someday you’ll turn thirty. It happens to all of us, And when you turn thirty I will be 51”. That is when I’ll start the tears. :)

My son-Part 1

To celebrate my son's ninth birthday I decided to write this story~

The day I went into labor with my son:
I was waken by the first contraction, I knew it was the real deal since it was way stronger then a braxton hicks. It was 5:30am on Saturday November 17th (2001). All day I did my regular activities since my contractions where not 5 minutes apart. They were more like 8 and I was having back labor. For those of you who have experienced back labor you know how unbearable it is. Ouchy!
We finally arrived to the hospital at 3:30am Sunday November 18th. They got me strait to a room and hooked my belly up with the monitors. As soon as the nurse hooked me up to that, she notices right away that the baby’s heart was going down every time I had a contraction. She didn’t make it a big deal and went on talking about her double shift she was currently working. What?!? She broke my water as she checked me and said I was dilated to a one. What? A one and I have been in labor for almost 24 hrs. Dear lord!
About 2 hrs later they gave me my epidural, and I was only at a two. But I finally got to rest and sleep for once…..
Then I was awakened by my nurse who was telling me her shift was over and I would be getting a new nurse. Whatev! Fell back to sleep…. I was awaken again by my new nurse (guardian angel is more like it) she introduced herself and proceeded to check the monitor strip. She then calmly told me the baby was in distress. I really didn’t understand since I was half asleep. She put an oxygen mask on me and said she was calling my doctor. He got there in 15mins; thank god he lives close to the birthing center.
He took one look at the monitor strip and said get her ready for a c-section.
That is when I freaked!!! "No" I cried, "I don’t want a c-section!" I cried some more and more. I was so scared, and on top of that I had heartburn from hell. They prepped me for the surgery. They told us only one person could go in the OR with me. I wanted my mommy of course, but Miles came in with me since it was his baby too.lol
The nurse told our family they were going to start the C-section at 9:15am. They wheeled me past my family as I was taken to the OR.
As soon as I got there the babies heart went WAY down. That is when everything got crazy. They started my c-section right away. As soon as they took the baby out, I heard no cry, I kept asking is it a boy? Nobody would answer me, they were all were tending to my son whom was not breathing. They bagged him (baby CPR) and took him away to the nursery where he was put in an oxygen bubble. Of course I made his daddy go with him. This whole situation put me in shock, they had to sedate me and strap my arms down. Apparently I was trying to help them get my baby out. Everything happen so fast, my son was born at 9:12am on Sunday November 18th 2001. He was 8lbs 11oz and 22in. I didn’t get to see my son until I could wiggle my toes, gosh that was frustrating since I was numb from my chest down. It took me hours to move my big toe, and then I was off to the nursery to see my baby for the first time. He was still in the oxygen bubble; he had wires, IV’s and monitors all over him. He was perfect and had the best kissable lips. I couldn’t hold him; all I could do was touch him.
So after 9 long months of having my son with me at all times, we were separated for the first time.

To be continued….

Country Road take me home....

Its April! But the March Madness is still in the air. This weekend I will be taking care of my son (he just had his tonsils and adenoids out) along with lots of cooking and baking for the Easter dinner I am hosting at my house this Sunday for my kids, my big guy, my siblings, nieces and nephew. My favorite thing to do be hostess for my loved ones :) There is however a certain game happening tomorrow evening... That is where the March Madness comes into play a part of my busy weekend at home. Oh yeah! Duke vs West Virginia...
You see I have never been into the whole college basketball/March Madness hoopla... Until I filled out my very own NCAA Tournament Bracket a few weeks ago to play along in a "friendly" game with co-workers. So tomorrow's game has turned into a huge deal for me...
Go W. Virginia!!!
One thing to know about me is I am a freak when it comes to lyrics to songs, it doesn't matter what type of music either. When I hear just a word that is in the chorus of a tune, bam I start singing it. I could be on that game show the singing bee, I so could and I so would too. So this is the song I sang for Tim and Mazie last Saturday when I found out W. Virginia beat Kentucky...

Country roads, take me homeTo the place, I be-longWest virginia, mountain mommaTake me home, country roads

On that note Have a Happy Easter and GO W. VIRGINIA!!!
Smooches,
Andrea

Friday fun: Survey???

1. Do you like Bleu cheese dressing? Love it! Especially on my turkey burgers.
2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? Yes... :(
3. Do you own a gun? Nope and never plan to either.
4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite? Yuck, I can't stand that stuff, even as a kid.
5. Do you get nervous before a doctor appointment? Depends on what I am being seen for.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Only Turkey or Chicken are aloud in my house.
7. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water and Green Tea w/lemon
9. Can you do push ups? yes...
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? All my jewelry from my kids
11. Favorite Hobby? Cooking
12. Do you have A.D.D? ? Oh yeah!
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Neither, I got 20/20 baby!
14. Middle name? Lynn
15. What are you thinking about at this moment? How hungry I am...
16. Name 2 or 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, Green Tea and Coors light
17. Current worry: too many to narrow down to one.
18. Current hate right now? always being stuck in the middle... (coming from a middle child)
19. Favorite place to be? Home with my babies
20. How did you bring in the New Year? Had a kid friendly party with my friends and their kids at my house.
21. Where would you like to go right now? At home with Tim and Mazie.
22. People who will complete this: I did!
23. Do you own slippers? Yes, but I don't know where they are and if I did I wouldn't wear them. I like to be barefoot!
24. What color shirt are you wearing? Black and White
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Never have?
26. What are you doing right now? "Working"
27. Would you be a pirate? Heck yes!
28. What songs do you sing in the shower? Usually Phil Collins tunes... Love him!
29. Favorite Girl's Name? Mazie Lue
30. Favorite boy's name? Ryder Ion
31. What's in your pocket right now? candy for my son when I pick him up after work and keys.
32. Last thing that made you laugh? A cake on the Ellen show...
33. What vehicle do you drive? Jeep Liberty, working on changing that soon I hope, we just got a Chevy Suburban so no use for 2 suv's.
34. Worst injury you've ever had? broke my fingers.
35. Do you love where you live? I love my house its a perfect fit and Puyallup/South Hill has grown on me and I really enjoy living here.
36. How many TVs do you have in your home? 5... 2 of them are never used, they just kinda sit there looking cool.
Where is number 37?

Only in Washington...

*This photo was taking today in Seabeck, Washington*

Only in Washington you get nothing but spring weather in February/March. Only in Washington you were thinking how on Saturday it was 60 degrees out beautiful and sunny. Only in Washington your boyfriend gets a sun burn yesterday on the golf course. Then the very next day it SNOWS and then for your hour lunch break the sun comes out and its looking like spring again, only to get a afternoon of more SNOW!!! Only in Washington...

I am taking yet another break from my blog, at least for this week. I am keeping all my writing time for journal and writing a disposition for my attorney (whom I meet this Wednesday) eek. Wow, who knew it would take this much work to write about this crazy roller coaster I have been dealing with the past 6 months? What a drag! It will be well worth the time and effort I put in to this in the end. Maybe one of these days in the future I will post all of my journal and possibly make it into a story...With much happy endings I can only hope for at this moment. *fingers crossed*
My story and journey is long, emotional and exhausting, but it has proved to me how strong I really can be.
Today both my babies are sick with the tummy buggy.*sad tears*
I would give anything to be home taking care of them and giving them all the mommy TLC they need and more. It has to be one of the hardest things to deal with or just one more to add to my list of hard times. I have expressed my passion to be home more with my kids, so it is slowly in the works!
How is the weather in your neck of the woods?
Smooches,
Andrea

Flowers for me?

I have been going through hard times lately...

No worries I won't go into detail about it just yet, that story or should I say novel will be for another day and another time, trust me.

Its people like Tim in my life that can bring my smile out. I was having a very rough, emotional day on Wednesday and much to my surprise Timothy met me after work. When I arrived to our meeting spot he had the biggest smile on his face, he told me he had butterflies *blush*. When I got in the car he greeted me with a bouquet of my favorite flowers. He took me to one of my favorite restaurants, Harbor Monsoon. We sipped on hot tea, talked and had my favorite Honey Walnut Prawns along with fried rice, and steamed veggies yum!

It was just what I needed after the day I had, Beautiful flowers,yummy food, and a handsome smile.

Smooches,

Andrea

Party planning!

Party Planning is my favorite...
Last month I put on a big birthday bash for my Mumsy's 53rd birthday. It was just spactacular to do for her since she had not had a birthday party since she was a little girl. It was a Rock Band partay! We mingled, ate a yummy variety of foods, played ROCK BAND, games, took tons of pictures and devoured my homemade cheese cake. I gave my mumsy a new much needed camera for her birthday. My mumsy use to be into photography when I was a little girl. She took classes at the Community College in Bremerton when I was 3 years old. I was her model for her photos and her art work. She always called me her ham, cause I loved the camera. I couldn’t afford to get her a fancy dancy camera like the one she had back in the 80’s, but this one will do for now while she enjoys her many travels and adventures.
A quote from the party girl: "Thanks again for having it. Lots of fun was had. Folks still talking about it."-Denise Jackson

This month I am planning three parties, two baby showers and one Sensaria party.
The first shower will be for my baby girl Dani (no she is not a baby, its just my nickname for her) her shower is this Thursday evening. Poor girl showed up a week early for her shower. Last Thursday as I am leaving the dentist with my kids, I get a text from her saying: "There isn't a table reserved and where are you?". Hahaha I had to giggle, poor sweet pregnant girl forgot when her own shower was. When I called her out on it (nicely) she responded "Oh I am so stupid" and I said "No your just pregnant". Her shower is going to be pretty low key, its pretty much co-workers here at Multicare. I will be hosting it at Moctezuma’s in Gig Harbor, which is a popular meeting place for us employee’s in the Family Practice department.

My Sensaria party is on St. Patrick’s day, I am calling it a Working Women's Wednesday partay. So you can only guess what the theme is? Yes my home is all decorated with green shamrocks, teddy bear leprechauns with their pot of gold, a fancy table cloth and I am all stocked up with festive St. Patty’s day cups and plates. The menu for the evening will be Corn beef, cabbage, red potatoes, Irish soda bread and beer, gotta have the green beer or at least some Guinness. We will enjoy all this Irish delight along with foot scrubs, facials and trying out all the spa products Sensaria has to offer. My best friend Brittany is a new consultant for Sensaria and I am hosting a party for her to help build her clientele. If you are interested in Sensaria please catch Brittany Hunter on her blog https://securemail2.multicare.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.brittanysdance.blogspot.com/ or on her Sensaria website https://securemail2.multicare.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sensaria.com/brittanyhunter


The second baby shower is going to be huge! This one is for my long time friend Courtney, she is expecting TWINS!!! A boy and a girl so this will be super exciting. I will be planning the games and decorations along with my long time girlfriends Charlyne and Jennifer. Here is a little story about us four friends. We all met in 2nd grade (1988) in Girl Scouts, we were cute little Brownies. I will have to post a story on that along with some awesome pictures to bring us all way back in time. I am excited and honored to be a part of this party planning.

To be continued on the out come of these upcoming parties….

Smooches,
Andrea
***What are some of your favorite shower games to play?

Getting to know you

2010 Girlfriend Survey: The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

What time did you get up this morning?

6:05am
Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds
What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Avatar
What is your favorite TV show?
Big love
What do you usually have for breakfast?
Yogurt or Cottage Cheese w/bananas

What is your middle name?
Lynn
What food do you dislike?
Italian sausage and Indian
What is your favorite CD at moment?

My old school mix cd I made
What kind of car do you drive?
Jeep Liberty
Favorite sandwich?
Egg Salad

What characteristic do you despise?

Disloyal

Favorite item of clothing?
My leggings
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
GREECE!!!
Favorite brand of clothing?
Fox racing brand

Where would you retire to?
Arizona (I fell in love with AZ when I visited at age 16)

What was your most memorable birthday?
My 21st cause I just had my first baby 4 days prior and it was thanksgiving and we were stuck at the hospital.
Favorite sport to watch?
Basketball- LeBron James, need I say more?
When is your birthday?
November 22, 1980--- Yes I will be turning the big three oh this year and celebrating in VEGAS BABY!

Are you a morning person or a night person?
My mumsy always called me her night owl.
What is your shoe size?
10-11 depends on the shoe

Pets?
Not at this time but looking into it. Both my kids are animal lovers!!!

Any new and exciting news you 'd like to share with us?
In the works of planning our trip to California in July... Disneyland here we come!
What did you want to be when you were little?
Neonatal nurse and a mommy (got one of those goals down)
What is your favorite candy?
Starburst or Twix- But really I am not much of a candy girl.

What is your favorite flower?
Pink Daisies I guess, there is too many to choose from. I love flowers and plants, gardening is my therapy. Did I also mention Horticulture was my favorite class?

What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?

March 17th I am hosting a Sensaria party for My Best Friend Brittany.
April 10th Blacked Eyed Pea concert with my boys.
July 10th-17th one week vacation.
What's your full name?
Andrea Lynn Mannon
Maiden name:Jackson
What are you listening to right now?
The Ellen Show- Everyday at 11 George or I turn our lobby T.V. channel to her show. All we can hear is cheering, music , her wonderful voice and TONS of laughter.

What was the last thing you ate?
A dough nut... I know not the healthiest but it sure was yummy.
Do you wish on stars?
Nope
If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Hot Pink
How is the weather right now?
cloudy

What is your natural hair color?
Honey/Blondie

Favorite soft drink?
Raspberry Ice Tea
Favorite restaurant?
Anthony's- I heart Seafood!
Samurai's- is my new fav, Tim just took me there last Saturday and we enjoyed some yummy Sake and delightful entertainment watching our chef make our dinner.

Favorite color of nail polish?
Holy Pink Pagoda
What was your favorite toy as a child?
My baby dolls
Pogo ball
Hot wheels
Summer or winter?
In the summertime when the weather is high, you can chase right up and touch the sky
Hugs or kisses?
Both

Chocolate or Vanilla?
chocolate

Coffee or tea?
Tea (I have a big cup of Green Tea w/Lemon every morning)

Your big goal or dream for next five years?
Get back into shape and do lots of traveling

When was the last time you cried?
Monday

What is under your bed?
A sub woofer (My boyfriend is into speakers and sound systems major)
What did you do last night?
Made a yummy Chicken pot pie for dinner and hung out with my love bugs.

What are you afraid of?
Snakes, spiders and heights

Salty or sweet?
Salty

How many keys on your key ring?
Two

How many years at your current job?
Three years in May!

Favorite day of the week?
Thursday

How many towns have you lived in?
1. Port Orchard
2.Tacoma
3.Bonneylake
4. Puyallup (Current)
Do you make friends easily?
You betcha, but by the look of my followers NO.

This was something my mumsy sent me this morning and as I was filling it out I figured it could be something to post on my blog to let some of you know random info about me. Hope you enjoyed and I would love to read your answers to these random questions too.

Smooches,

Andrea

My letter...

To whom it may concern,

I am writing you today to share my experience with your retail store. I have struggled since I reached 5'8" at age 13 to find jeans/pants long enough to fit me. So when I discovered in 2005 that your store "Tall Girl" was a new addition to the Tacoma Mall here in Washington I was excited to take a look inside. My first experience in your store was great, Tall Girl was really truly for girls like me who have a 38" inseam. I purchased slacks for work, tights, sweat pants and jeans at your store. I even had family and friends give me gift cards for your store. It was a place I could shop and not feel so abnormal about my size.

Much to my surprise when I went to shop there two Saturday's ago I was in total shock to see Tall Girl has closed down... I didn't know where to go? Old Navy? The Gap or Nordy's? Where do I go to find that perfect 38" fit? Your store was the one and only, a one of a kind. I know I can shop on line at Tall Girl, but its not the same. Just like any other girl in this world I like to try my jeans on and make sure they look good from every angle. I can't do that on line!

I really miss the store and hope one day all the other retail stores in the mall can catch on to something Tall Girl had going for them. There are Tall girls out here in this world and we like to try on our pants too.

Thank you for your time and I hope to hear back from you on any suggestions you may have for a 6'0" long legged girl like me.

Sincerely,
Andrea Mannon


So what do you think? I sent this letter to them yesterday afternoon, not sure what I want the out come to be? I guess I just want to be heard.
I did however get a catalog in the mail: Long tall sally. I figured okay this is Tall Girl's way of saying sorry we closed but here is a catalog. So I thumbed through it to see what they had to offer. Tons of cute clothes and I found a pair of skinny jeans that I really wanted... But NO the longest inseam they offer is 36". That just put me on a whole new mission!

To be continued......

Smooches,
Andrea

Tall Girl...

I am in much need for a shopping spree!
There is always a dilemma for me to shop for pants though... If you didn't know by now I am a super tall chick, with abnormally long legs.
What I mean by abnormal is exactly that... My inseam is 38", can you find that in your shopping mall? Well I never could either..
I always either searched and found 36" jeans (usually men's Levi's) or I would just have short pants that barely came to my ankle.
So I was extremely happy when capri pants came back in style... I work as a Medical Receptionist and I have to dress the part. So it is extremely difficult to find slacks that are long enough. So I own many of skirts, cause you can't go wrong with those... Unless they are skirts that go down to a average persons knees, those skirts look like mini skirts with these long legs.
So shopping for jeans, slacks and even sweats is a challenge for me big time... Until I found a store in the mall called "Tall Girl".
That store was made just for special gals like me! They only carry pants from 36"-38" inseam, I love it! The only down fall is they are very pricey. I won't mention the prices, I will just say I shop there once a year and only purchase one or two things at a time. So I figured it was that time of year for me to go get some pants... BTW they do have everything there from dresses, shirts, capri’s, maternity clothes, lounge wear and nylons.
When I was preggo with my two babies I had 2 pairs of maternity pants (Jeans and slacks) those were high waters on me… So what, tall women don’t get pregnant? So I was super excited to see they had maternity clothes too. One of the best parts is their nylons and tights they fit my legs perfect. In the past I would just wear thigh highs with my garter belt (super sexy) but regular nylons and tights (even if they say tall) never fit me.
So I think I will treat myself to a shopping spree at my store “Tall Girl” and get myself some leggings (the ones I have are capri’s on me-Target) and a new pair of slacks for work. I like going to that store cause its all tall girls shopping in there and even the employees are tall ladies 
I LOVE my height, it has so many advantages and my only disadvantage is what I was ranting about in this post. When you are 6’ like me and have a boyfriend who is
6’5”(He makes me feel short hehe) I have no shame in wearing heels and feeling comfy with my length.
If you’re a tall chick like me and have a hard time finding pants check out their site www.tallgirlshop.com

Didn't have a full size pic of me showing off my long legs but I will certainly post one soon.
Smooches,
Andrea *AKA Legs*

Empty nest... for now!

Tim and Isaiah are in Memphis safe and sound hanging out at the Double Tree Hotel. It has a indoor pool and Tim said it is really nice...but they don't have swim trunks and Tim's luggage is headed to Nashville without him. They are stuck in Memphis until tomorrow morning. So hopefully the weather will permit them to make it to Nashville safe and sound. I wish I could be there with them.

I said see ya later to Mazie and Ryder this morning before work. I got to have them for a extra night, they got to come with me to the airport late last night. It was nice cause then the boys got to say their goodbyes. Ryder wants to go visit Isaiah so bad, he really wants to go on a airplane ride too.
Now I am enjoying my time at work... When I get off today I will be joining my good friend Jeni and her hubby Jeff at a place called Waynes in Puyallup. Our friend Jill is doing a fundraiser there tonight from 5-7pm, she will be bar tending to help raise money for cancer research. All her tips and money made for the night will go to the charity, we are all going to support her (since she has never bar tended in her life). GO JILL!!!
So while I have a big empty house all to myself I am going to start going through my many boxes of pictures and start scrap booking again. I am also going to be planning a birthday party for my mumsy... Her Birthday is next Friday so that gives me about two weeks to get it all organized. I am giving her a ROCK BAND party, she is very excited about this event. I will keep you posted on how my planning goes and my scrap booking new beginnings...

Smooches,
Andrea

P.S. Still working on that upgrade :)

No good byes... how about see ya later gater....

This weekend I will soak up all of the love I can...
Rock out with my Band "The Troops" all I can....
Make yummy delicious foods all I can...

Come Sunday Ryder and Mazie will be with their dad for a week. (his wedding is next Saturday)
And Tim and Isaiah take off late Sunday night to head down to Tennessee...
My loves are all leaving me on the same day... So I will enjoy them all this weekend to the fullest!

Smooches,
Andrea

Tonight for dinner....

Tim's masterpiece in the works.... Pork Roast w/veggies.

All I got to say is WOW!
Today I gave Tim a task, I figured since he is out of work at this time he wouldn't mind doing me a favor or two.So I asked him to make dinner? Now for those of you that don't know I do all the cooking of dinners in the house. Today was different, since I work full time and didn't have time to get things started this morning before work, I thought of a great idea!?! So I sent Tim a quick text "Hey babe can you do me a favor?" I didn't wait for a respond back I just went
to the favor "Can you put the pork roast in the crock pot add 2 cups of water, cut up carrots, celery, onion and potato's and add to the pot, set the crock pot on high and I will take care of the rest when I get home".
His response was "Um I don't think I like that?" Okay I forgot to mention something, he is a very picky eater. So he tends to say he won't like something if he has A) Never had it in his life or B) doesn't like the looks or sound of it. I suggested to have Isaiah help prepare the food for the crock pot, I figured he would enjoy helping out with dinner too.

So I give him a call on my lunch break... He was telling me how he was cleaning the house and how he has to clean up after everyone.... blah, blah, blah. I had to giggle because he sounded just like a mom or should I say Mr. Mom...
I am so proud of him for keeping his composure while he is out of work. His son Isaiah has been visiting from Tennessee since January 14th. Isaiah is a home school student and his wonderful mother (Jana-sugar,spice and a little bit of life) sent a whole lesson plan for him to work on with his dad during his visit.
On Friday's Tim takes care of Mazie Lue also, he makes the kids pancakes,gives Mazie baths and even does her hair.The first Friday that he had both kids they had a "Pajama day", Ryder and I got home from work and school and they were all still chillin in their PJ's. He says he is really enjoying this time at home (stay at home daddy).
I am so proud of Tim and all the things he is learning from spending so much time with his son and my daughter...

So tonight we will feast on the dinner he prepared in the crock pot.... He is going to be so proud of himself!
If it all turns out well, I may lose my job as the chef in the house.... Yeah right, Tim loves my cookin way too much!
Smooches,
Andrea

Let me upgrade ya...

*Isaiah and Ryder at Sk8 town* 1/26/2010

Ready for a Blog upgrade?
Yep, that is the cause of the long pause... I decided to change up my blog and turn it into something more useful.
I will still do updates on the family and such but I am going to have more of a main topic that I will stick to. So until I get to that blog makeover, I will fill you in on how the week went.

Sunday afternoon we took the kids to see Avatar in 3D! It was L-E-D-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y.... I am a big fan, it was full of action, romance and morals. *Would not recommend taking a busy 3 year old girl along* The movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes long.
We want to go see it again!
Tuesday evening Tim and Isaiah met me after work and we went out to Port Orchard. Ryder met us at the Sk8 town for his school skate party. The boys had a blast! Ryder introduced Isaiah to his buddies from school and they all skated, fell and laughed together. It was just pure classic entertainment... I think they had more fun falling then skating, but by the last half hour they were jammin on those skates. The boys want to go skating again, so I'm thinking before Isaiah goes back to Tennessee we will go for another round, this time Tim and I will skate too!

Thursday evening was Ryder's very first basketball game ever. He did great, for being a newbie. He had a crowd of fans in the stands to watch and cheer him and his team on. Grandparents, an auntie, a cousin, little sis and two uncles. Thanks for all your support guys!

Tonight will just be a nice relaxing movie night, with a little Rock Band and maybe a dart gun WAR!
Stay tuned for the NEW makeover.... Hoping to get some tips from a friend who is attending a conference next week. Go Jana!
Smooches,
Andrea

A day to remember.... Repost from 2010

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wow the power in those words still amaze me...
Now that I am 29 years old and a mother of two I have come to realize on this day how far we have come. Back in 1976 when my parents met in Key West Florida and fell in love. They married 4 months later, it had only been legal for 11 years (1967) when they married. Since my father is black and my mother is white... They still got the stares and the glares from people. Being a interracial married couple down south must have been hard. Well that didn't stop them... They moved to Guam (my mother was stationed there NAVY) and had two girls (My sister and I). As a little girl I remember the stares from people at the store, in the car and pretty much everywhere we went. We would ask "Mommy why are they staring at us?" her response was always "cause they think you are pretty". Wow did that give us big EGO's. Thanks Ma you always made us feel special! Growing up bi-racial had its up's and downs... I remember thinking to myself why can't I have white girl hair ( I had a blonde afro)? Or answering all the questions people had about me or my family. The one that I will never forget was in 2nd grade (1988) I was drawing a picture of my family at Girl Scouts. A little girl sitting next to me said "YOUR MEAN!" glaring at me and I just looked at her wondering why she said that (I was extremely shy as a kid) then she said "Your coloring your Dad like that?". Being 8 years old I was very puzzled about this accusation. I looked at my family photo that I was so proud to draw/color and see my Mom, my sisters (both white w/blonde hair) and my Daddy brown just as he was. I couldn't understand how that made me mean? Thank goodness the little girls mother (the Scout leader) knew her daughter so well and chimed in and said "Charlyne be nice"! Hi Char, yes she ended up being my best friend for the past 20 years. Love you girl! I have heard it all in my school days, most people had no clue I was bi-racial. If I was ever made fun of for it, that is when Char (yes the little girl from girl scouts) stepped in. She became my body guard and if anyone gave me crap she was there to give them a rude wake up call.
As an adult I have learned I am under cover or how you say in disguise. My children are only a quarter black and they are beautiful... I have been teaching my son as he is getting older about our history on my black side. He is very interested in this now. When he was little he did not quite understand where I was coming from when I would tell him I was half black and half white, even when he was around my Dad. It just goes to show that children do not see color! I love that I can read to my son about MLK Jr and teach him how far we have come.
When people stare me down now I just tell myself ok "they either are wondering what I am or wondering how tall I am?" I only respect the people who don't stare and actually ask. I am a bi-racial woman and that is what I consider myself. Now if they would only give me that option when filling out paperwork or going to the social security office (they make you choose one).
Now that it is 2010 and the world is a melting pot it pretty much makes this statement a joke that we can all laugh at or shake our heads in shame.

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."


How does this special day make you feel?

What is new?

Just that time to do a little updating on what is new....


Lets see, Ryder started playing basketball for the first time. So we have been busy going to Monday and Thursday evening practices. His Daddy (Miles) and his Uncle (Trent) are his coaches. We are only three weeks into it and I am thinking my son is not too interested with this here sport. We will see how the season goes, they should be starting games real soon.


Ryder is excelling in reading, he has improved so much from October. So I have high hopes he will reach his reading goal by the end of the school year and be just fine. His most recent hobby at home is playing Xbox 360 and Rock band (he jams out on the guitar). That is one of his most favorite items he got for Christmas.



Mazie Lue is still doing her ballet/Tap combo class every Saturday. She will be getting fitted for her costume tomorrow. Her first recital is in June, I can't wait!
As for pre-school it is in the works... She started out in September and it was put to a holt in October when her Dad was laid off work. I gave Mazie her very first hair cut last month... I had no intentions to do it but once I had her hair all flat ironed and strait (my Mazie Lue has a head full of curls) it was not only to her lower back but the ends were very dry and frizzy. So mommy with the support of Auntie Alisa trimmed Mazie's hair, well does 2 inches count as a trim? I didn't want to do it but it had to be done and I'd rather it be me than someone else. Mazie loves her hair strait, she just wants to wear it down.

Last Thursday we got a visit from Isaiah, he is here for a visit from Clarksville, TN. So our weekend was full of excitement, rough play, dart gun wars and video games. I was busy cooking and baking in the kitchen all weekend. Not complaining I love to cook especially with my little helper Mazie Lue by my side, It was great therapy too!
So for the weeks to come we have many of adventures underway and I can't wait to share them with you all.

Smooches,
Andrea

My sissy bear......

Alisa and I June 2009

My big sister...
Boy do we have some stories to tell.
My sister and I can always talk about the horriable things she use to do to me and just laugh it off.
Growing up I always looked up to her, well until I was about 14 and was taller than her. Don't get me wrong my sister isstill considered tall 5'9" (pssst I think she shrank too) but when she hangs out with me she feels average with her height.
Lately I have been going through some crudd and my BIG sissy has been there for me so much.
She was just recently living with me through the holidays (Nov-Dec) while she was waiting for her new place to be ready.
I loved having her company during that time. We got so much closer too... She even started to build a relationship with my T.
Those two got along very well, its was actully starting to backfire on me. I realized that those two are so much alike. I think it has to do with them both being the oldest of four. So I had plenty of flash backs of being a kid who was picked on... Gosh my sister and T picked on me so much, I know they both were joking but geez.
So now my sissy moved in to her own place after Christmas and I miss you so much. Now I find myself going to visit her more than I ever did before.
Although we fought a lot, when we were getting along we had the best times together.
My most favorite thing we did together was DANCE. We had dance compititions all the time. Don't get me started on when we got our Kareokee machine for Christmas (thanks grandpa). Now here we are raising kids of our own. She is now 31 and I am 29, my sister has become one of my best friends. She is the one I can call at 1:30 in the morning and say hey I'm coming over and she is there everytime.
We may have had our ups and downs but I am so very blessed to have a big sissy that I can count on, vent to and just cry on her shoulder.
Smooches,
Andrea**** the middle sister****

Is that a baby bump?

The un-written rules for women.....
Apparently some females need some education on this matter.
I am here to educate you on this on behalf of my friends and co-workers out there...
So we all know the number one un-written girl rule and that is.... Never date, or have a relationship or mess around with your friends exes.
The other MAJOR un-written girl rule which is never really mentioned or talked about mainly cause its a no brainier or just plan rude if you do ask... would be the question yeah you know that question that you want to ask but you just don't...
ARE YOU PREGNANT?
Now listen up ladies... If you think or are even wondering if someone is preggers or looks preggers keep it to yourself. If they want you to know they will tell you. Please do not just randomly go up to someone and ask that totally rude question. I am not talking about your sister or friend coming to you and saying: something to make you question this matter. I am talking about the many shapes and sizes of woman. If a girl has a bit of tummy/belly going on it is NOT okay to ask her if she is preggers. Nor is it okay to assume that she is and bring it up in conversation with the person. You know why? It hurts, its rude and someone who may be comfortable with their size may not feel so comfy after that. Or if someone is already feeling down about their weight and then they got to hear that question just puts them down even more about how they feel about them selves.
It happened to me just back in September I was standing in line with my boyfriend and our kids (2 boys and 1 girl) the guy working the line asked me "will this be for 5 in a half (pointing to my tummy)?" I was offended right away. First of all no just 5 buddy and gee thanks for pointing out the 5 pounds I gained this summer. RUDE! My story does not compare to others, at least a bone headed man asked me.
I have girlfriends who get this question asked by other woman. What? It just boggles my mind to think of other woman asking other females this un-written rule. One of my good friends was asked this question today by a co-worker when she was telling me about it I could see the pain and tears in her eyes. She is already struggling with her weight and self esteem. So being asked this question by another female today sure did send her over the edge.
So this topic was brought to my attention once again and I figured I would post a blog about it.
So ladies just remember those un-written rules and if you are not sure about what is okay to ask. Maybe ask yourself how you would feel if someone asked you? I have seen this very question ruin my girls days just cause one person has to know or ask something that is really non of their biz-ness.
Smooches,
Andrea
I would like to know of any other "un-written" rules I did not mention that should be?