Just Another Day

Yesterday was like any other day. Hotter than ever living hell here in Arizona, kids screaming and babbling since finding their voices, barking orders about what they want for breakfast, me drinking my coffee, enjoying my zen moment with my milky dark friend.

 

Yesterday was like any other day. I fought to take a shower because the kids felt the need to scream and carry on that I was locking them outside of a door they did not need to be behind (because this is what happens when they get behind said door)

and they (the Squids) also decided that the recycling bin is a great box that carries cool sounding toys and they unloaded that along my kitchen floor.

Yesterday was like any other day. My delusional father psycho dialed me (definition: called more than once in a single day or within a few short hours with no reason other than his own) all day to which I ignored his calls as usual.

However, while yesterday was like any other adult day I did have breakfast and lunch made for me on behalf of DH (which I totally enjoyed!!), I got a box of chocolates, cupcakes from my sister (who doesn’t stinking love cupcakes??!!), a great E-card from a dear friend, and some cool balloons.

While I really wanted a damn parade and clowns (even though they are WAY creepy), getting older is not as fun as it used to be as a kid. But I really enjoyed taking a day all to myself to do what I wanted (for the most part) and spend time with the ones I love.

No expensive gifts, no party hats, no huge cakes, no strippers…damn….just a fantastic day to celebrate my age, since I really do like my age….so glad to not be in the “kid” category anymore. Plus one of the best and most heartwarming cards from my best friend who professed his love and wealth of love to me as he always does. And I got three smiling little faces who had no idea what the day was (with the exception of Big G) but were happy to share in the experience of losing their little minds slapping balloons and eating cupcakes.

Life is about the little things.

How did you or how will you celebrate your birthday this year!?

All in the Winning Name

You placed your votes on the winning soap company name for me.
To which I am eternally grateful.
The Winner:
~~~~~~~~~~~~*DRUMROLL~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is Sudsations!
However, because I researched the name this time around I cannot use it!
I am sad about this! I found names in the trademark database and URL’s that carry the Sudsation name. Bummed!
But, the second runner up is Faith, Soap, and Love.

Now my contestants that submitted names should be getting their soaps in the mail shortly (I had to have an “incident” with the post office. I hear they “color code” envelopes. R E T A R D E D!) and my winners will receive a Three pack!

So Miss Tamara and Miss Carol
Let me know what your soaps of liking are and I will be sure to get those three packs out to you to enjoy for being such awesome sports with the name game!

For everyone that helped vote for a name thank you so much! I had a lot of fun with this because I relinquished all control (which is hard to do for someone who is OCD and a total control freak) to you all to name my soap company! Now I get to create my boutique with the great name!

Thank you again ladies!!
Oh, be sure to go check out Jayne @ Misplaced City Girl who is holding a giveaway of a three pack of my soaps as well. Plus she gave me a brutally honest and kick ass review!

I am Karie, I am a Phoenix

I have a few posts here lately where I referenced my HUGE and seriously I mean HUGE accomplishment of completing my college education. Some people are like “Yeah whatever, good for you” while others I can see are my cheering fans, armed will bullhorns and pom poms (yeah…you know who you are!! Muwah!).

So here is the deal. A lot of people, moms especially, who, like me, did not have the opportunity to attend a traditional four year college right out of the high school gate. I was awarded a scholarship to the University of Arizona for academics. Quite the honor actually, the scholarship was for high honors in academics and I was only one of a small handful of students to receive the award (I had to maintain a 3.50 GPA in college to keep the scholarship). I was even accepted to Columbia University as well, another high honor. But each instance yielded a problem as an 18 year old kid….MONEY! My folks did not have any and I for sure did not have any making a meager $4.35 an hour for minimum wage back in the day. Plus my part time hours really did not provide any sort of paycheck, except one that did help me pay for gas for my car and my personal necessities and meals when working.

I suffered. Not knowing any different other than I had such a high amount of envy for those who did get to go to a traditional four year college. Those who got to enjoy the “college” experience and lifestyle. I went straight into the work force, I moved out of state, away from the comforts of my family. I had to grow up and not enjoy the young lifestyle everyone else was enjoying.

Not so bad actually since I met a LOT and I mean a LOT of business contacts in my young life, plus a very strong work ethic and impressive resume for my age. When I was 20 I bought my first house and was a finance manager for a large Dodge dealership in Albuquerque. By the time I was 25 I had bought another house with DH in Mesa, sold the house in Albuquerque (which meant we were NEVER going back…WAHOO), and I was working as a loan officer in mortgage firm in north Scottsdale. I had Big G by this time so pretty impressive to continue to work with a new baby. In 2004, the same year we bought and sold our houses DH graduated from college. He had done the whole college experience at UNM and was a fraternity brother alumni (Sigma Chi). But he did the experience like a lot of other kids who had a full paid opportunity by mom and dad…..partied. In 2000 he went back to school for his IT degree, completed in 2004 after moving, taking some time off for personal reasons, etc. So in 2005 I felt my time had come. We agreed when he was done I could go back. And so I did.

I called the University of Phoenix, just like he did and applied. Not knowing your application is accepted immediately I was in! In September of 2005 I began my classes online.

Let me clarify that online is not the easiest way to go to class. I truly thought at the time, online was going to be a breeze. I even sold DH on the idea. Little did I know that THREE LONG HARD years and two kids later what an undertaking going to school, and online school would be.

I had to post to my class 4 out of 7 days a week. This is really harder than it sound when you are working or even at home with kids. Homework. At least two papers a week, one individual and one team paper. Nights, dinners, weekends were sacrificed for the good of my work team to complete a team paper before Monday and to complete my own personal paper.

I had to on some days and nights force myself to log on to class. The days and nights that I wanted to blog. I wanted to sit and read a REAL book and not some boring text book on research and statistics. I had to neglect my home that much longer so that I could log into class, work on my homework, post to discussion questions, and participate with my learning team. Online gave me the option to not log in I felt like it, to avoid class, I did not “physically” have to be present.

But I did.
I went to class almost every night to ensure I had plenty of participation. I did all of my papers. Painstakingly. Reading all my text books, Google was my friend, DH’s old text books were a savior to help in sticky situations. I did it. Three years, eight months, and four days, a twin pregnancy, a mental break down (that’s another post), and a career later I finally finished my college education. A college education I thought I would never receive. A high honor of my personal sacrifice, the sacrifice of my family, my home, my livelihood. I did it.

I was proud to say on my graduation day that, “I am a Phoenix.”

I used to be afraid to say that I went to the University of Phoenix, but now I am proud. I sport my degree like a big fat piece of bling! I had to cram as much information into five weeks as other students did into 18 weeks at a standard university. I was forced to work with people who were not always pleasant, but because of the UoP structure I had to finish assignments with them, stick it out, work through any conflicts and disagreements.

I now sit here today looking into my horizon of (student loans) my future. I have met one of my thousands and millions of goals and dreams. My next…..my Jurisdoctorate. To be awarded my doctorate degree. To add Esquire, to my name suffix. To practice law in the way I know how to practice law, with my finance experience, contracts, and to uphold the law. I know I can do it, I will do it, I will not let anything stop me or get in my way. I will not use excuses. I did not use excuses before, even though I had plenty. I did not let anything get in my way, even though I did have stuff to get in my way (twin pregnancy, work, married life, kids, myself).

Any of you that have considered going back to school but say, “I’m too old”, “I don’t have the money”, “I don’t have the time” these are excuses. I was afraid. I was terrified. But I conquered my fear in the first class and from then on smooth sailing. Sure I have lots of student loans, but who cares. Can you really put a price on an education? I know I can’t.

Go out and do it. Research what program, what school works for you. Do not let your fears or your self get in the way of what you really want. Talk to an academic advisor, I can give you the name of mine. She was fantastic! She called me with every class telling me how much closer I was to completion and rooting me on through the process.

Just know that goals and dreams can come true and don’t limit yourself to just a single dream or goal, make lots of them, small and large, and don’t let anyone tell you dreams don’t come true.

Honey Kix Giveaway

As I said before school is nearing…..did I mention school starts soon?! Man am I ready for school to start! I can tell you the one thing that really helps Big G is a good breakfast in the morning. A tasty breakfast that I know will fill him up and keep him satisfied until lunch is a great start to any day and helps the little guy focus and stay on task at school. Otherwise…the kid is all over the place mentally, I mean he already is as a kindergartener….but seriously….I need not torture his teachers more. Plus breakfast is the most important meal of the day and helps to regulate your daily and overall blood sugar and well being.

Well the folks over at My Blog Spark must know that we love food in this house, and breakfast is a biggie!

I am not a big cereal fan, I eat Honey Bunches of Oats and Cheerios….es todo (that’s all). But I have to say that Honey Kix is a new favorite! I love a sweet cereal without seeming like a kids cereal that has a TON of sugar and I feel all amped. I mean the last thing we need in this house….is sugar! So a bowl of Honey Kix, a banana or an apple and milk….
Good. To. Go.
Everyone is fed and the day is off to a great start.


So a lucky reader gets to enjoy a box of Honey Kix, just in time for school mornings!!

Breakfast can be a hassle, so take the hassle out of the morning with cereal and a cereal kids, and adults alike will enjoy. Not to mention all the cool stuff that comes with the Honey Kix, courtesy again of the folks @ My Blog Spark and General Mills.

Here are the winning items of this giveaway, and my Big G….LOVES IT!!

  • Free Box of Honey Kix
  • Honey Kix breakfast bowl
  • Travel bowl with freezer safe insulated bottom, 2 pieces (breakfast on the go!)
  • Honey Kix storage container, so your breakfast is stashed in a fashionable tupperware container (and not the gawdy box!)
  • Honey Pot (DH was loving this! We looked everywhere to find one…low and behold…one comes in the mail….prayers answered about honey problem)
So seriously who wouldn’t want to enter this totally cool giveaway! I mean I was absolutely stoked when these items arrived…..I ran over and got the box of cereal to munch on while blogging…..I know shame on me.

Here are the deets:

  • Leave me a comment and tell me how much of a PAIN breakfast (or sometimes a lack thereof) and mornings are before school and your email address for the winnings.
Additional entries:
  • Follow this blog (or tell me you do)
  • Technorati fave me (or tell me you have)
  • Stumble my blog (or tell me you have)
  • Follow me on Twitter (or tell me you do)
  • Tweet this giveaway
  • Fan the Fish on Facebook!
  • Blog about this giveaway, come and tell me you did
Good luck!
CONTEST ENDS AUGUST 5TH 2009 @ 10AM ARIZONA TIME

PINGO Giveaway

With the fall school season right around the corner moms and dads will be sending kids back to school. For the poor college student calling home is a necessity, especially if they are not attending school in the same city, which would require a toll call or if they are not wireless yet. Or for folks like DH and I who are looking to backpack across Europe in the future and if our phones are not international calling will also be a pain. Calling cards are a great item for these situations. I know personally I have not used a calling card in some time, due to being wireless but definitely a great tool!
Here is the skinny on PINGO:

So a lucky reader will be able to enter to win a PINGO calling card to use as you wish!

 

Easy peasy entry:

Leave me a comment and tell me where you would call
and or who would get the most use out of PINGO.
Please leave me an email address…no email, no prize.

CONTEST ENDS AUGUST 1ST 2009@ 10AM ARIZONA TIME.

Pardon My Spam

Alright, so I wanted to get this out of the way while I had the time and gumption….I will have these posts up and out of the way so then I can focus on my fantastic content! I agreed to do some great giveaways and I have been busy with the kids, enjoying my own personal time blog hopping and emailing friends that I have neglected these PR folks. Not like it truly matters….I mean I know I am a guppy in the ocean, but I am loyal. So bear with the spam posts as I need to get them handled and DONE!

But hey…you may enjoy them too!

My Most Reliable Appliance

My appliances have caused me a great amount of grief lately. Truly I begin to despise them as they throw a kink into my absolutely (perfect) functioning, chore completing world. Especially since I fired the maid, chef, and laundromat for the next 16 or more years requiring I do these tasks on my own.
Okay, really I did not fire them….but man I wish I had help like that on some days.

So my appliances must truly hate me. The first appliance to go was the washer. Easy fix, we bought new ones courtesy of a large “donation” from DH’s boss a few years ago, I got a fancy front loader and matching dryer. (see my abundance of laundry in my utility room….it looks much more organized now….HA!)

LOVE IT!!

The next appliance to take dump was the water heater….when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with the twins. Yeah, that was fun. Prego with water gushing everywhere and the water wasn’t mine….needless to say when you are as HUGE as I was where even the XL maternity clothes were not fitting and you see gushing water….you wish it were yours and prayed for mercy. So a trip to the Home Depot later and voila! New water heater.

Another appliance to slowly make an exit was a MUCH needed appliance in any HOTTER THAN HELL household….the air conditioner. My A/C unit was as old as the house, which is as young as me….not energy efficient, always running, never cooling…. I’m seeing a pattern. Anyway. We replaced that bad boy last September and I have been in heaven since. I have to wear a light sweater at times.

LOVE IT!

So again I had an appliance take another dump……again……I was fuming with frustration. Seriously I never have problems with appliances. The washer again began to act up….luckily I had my wits about me to research the error code to find that the problem was a clogged boot. Yes, on the bottom of front loaders is a lint boot that catches everything. I do mean everything. The smell was ripe! I mean I have smelled rotting flesh that smelled fresher than the stench emulating from that washer. Candles were lit and doors opened to air the shit ass stench! P YOU

In fact this is what was pulled out from the washer and let me tell you what they are: a bra underwire (clearly mine unless someone is wearing this for moobs in this house), two dimes, a penny, a one dollar piece, a house key that was trashed already and a breast feeding pad. One of those you use to soak up your let down so you don’t walk around looking like a wet cow all day. That was the NASTIEST thing I had ever seen. Took some investigation, but N.A.S.T.Y!

Now on Monday night we finally had our first “monsoon” for the summer. Just like sex though, hot, wet, quick, and after it leaves, sometimes a bit disappointing. So the old summer storm rolled in bringing lots of thunder, rain, lightning. Well the lightning I suppose caused a problem for some folks. Namely me. You see I have this appliance that washes dishes for me….so I do not have to stand over a sink ruining my beautiful hands.

Yes, that appliance. The appliance that if died again would be the bane of my existence! I hate dishes, laundry I can handle. Dishes, I CANNOT! Not sure on the reasoning, probably all the nasty food issues and yuck. But I am not a dishes girl. So this appliance failed to work, resulting in a service call. The guy came out, charged $69 and voila, fixed. He pulled the panel off, reset it, bam, works again. DH was not happy with this but as I suggested….not like he was going to dig around in the old dishwasher.

So this post brings me to the only reliable appliance I own in my house. This appliance needs no batteries. No switches. No need to turn off or on. I am always so thankful this appliance is there when I need it most.

(picture courtesy of Eden Fantasys)

The Dirty Truth

I was so inspired today by my friend Mel and her post. Her words hit home with me and I found the irony in the everyday application, the simple truth.

We as parents go on and on and on about how we want out children to tell us the truth. We scold with no mercy at a fibbing child “Tell me the truth…DON’T LIE TO ME” when we have clearly caught them in a devious act and then they deny their blatant actions. As a parent teaching our children the honor, integrity, and moral fiber of being a truthful individual is a worthy trait, and with time the truth can be told without hurt or pain, as a constructive tool.

But we teach these morals, these sound ethics as a high functioning human being and we ourselves cannot bear to share, tell, or speak the truth. We tell white lies, half truths, bold faced lies, half arsed lies, we omit pertinent information, I mean there is a whole web page that lists every type of lie possible! So why do we as parents instill such noble qualities only to fail ourselves? To fail our children by telling lies, by failing to share the truth, by lying to ourselves?

I for one am a HUGE advocate for the truth. Clearly displayed by my incident with my in laws in the last month. But I am not remorseful, maybe for my presentation…..but not for my honesty. Not for my feelings. NOT for the truth. I hate lying to my kids about even the simplest myths such as Santa, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, because I know that in time the truth will be revealed. I question the reason for these mythical beings, what is the purpose? Big G so badly wants to be a super hero, I had to burst his bubble and explain they don’t exist. A man in a blue suit with a cape….Mr. Perfect, does not exist. DH was borderline furious with me, but I felt necessary because I did not want my son to be deluded to thinking perfection is attainable, that perfection exists, that someone walks this Earth that can do no wrong. Again, some may disagree, but if NO ONE told Big G that super heroes don’t exist….how long would he believe in such people left only for the writing in a comic book, a fantasy.

Again I question why parents hide the truth? Why they lie? I have spoken to Big G about the financial situation with DH and I. *GASP!! I know right. Well children do need to be aware that money is an object and money is required for somethings and at times not enough money is made or readily available for luxuries. I have spoken to Big G about other issues that parents may feel is breaching a line. Which I feel that line is not breached. I think we have been conditioned by many generations of family secrets, lies, and half truths or cover-ups that we learn the same behavior. We learn the fine art of not telling the whole story or claiming that the information is not suitable for children.

Well, I think this is hogwash. I wish I had been told as a child that my dad drank and was an alcoholic rather than “Daddy had a bad day” as he is puking full ball into a toilet. I wish I was told the truth of my mothers actions at a point in my life so that I did not grow up with such an enormous amount of resentment towards her, I wish my in-laws would not cover up a very tragic incident with my husband’s niece that makes me feel uncomfortable around her and not want me children around her for their safety.

I sit down with Big G and with the twins (who look at me like I am nuts, but one day they will get it, so might as well start now) and tell them what they need to know about this family. About where their parents came from, about the adversity we face, the troubles that lie ahead, that if you lie you will only create bigger problems and what is a mole hill of an issue will soon spiral into a mountain that cannot be covered up or cleaned up.

Yes, the truth hurts. But the lies to cover up the dirty truth are even more harsh. People are led to believe in a falsehood, in something that does not exist, that will not exist, and the pain in the let down and the revelation of the truth that was disguised by ugly lies is even more painful. I would hate to be lied to for years, months, even moments, about something when although the truth is painful, the truth be known. I would rather have someone tell me that I AM (well rather was) the fat chick! That my pregnancy and eating while breastfeeding led me to balloon up to the porker I was, and now after conditioning and exercising I am feeling more comfortable in my skin. Yes, my feelings would be hurt, but I was more hurt by the ones I loved that they did not tell me how bad I was.

I just do not understand why the truth is such a difficult topic, why the truth is so hard to be spoken and shared. Why as parents we beat the nobility of truth into our children, but we fail to be completely truthful with our children.

Blase Blah Blah Blase

Yeah can you so tell I am feeling a funk again. Must be because I have a million things going on at once and I am so behind on my ‘To Do’ List. Seriously, I even have an ELECTRONIC to do list on my sidebar here on Vista……..you see.I have some checked off but not all, some personal some blog, some I do not even have listed. Plus some days of my life really are not blog worthy and I refuse to bore anyone with how mundane and snooze filled my life can be. Granted, twins keep you on your toes, but who wants to hear about Big G and the twins sword fighting, all day, with spatulas. Funny stuff, but not always blog worthy. And I refuse to stoop to the blog or V-Log level of “Lets talk about MJ” or “Lets talk about Jon and Kate’s divorce” or “How we are going on strike for a month from PR.”
Seriously?!

I have no one to answer to but myself. If my fabulous bloggy friends would like me to answer to you….TOO BAD! You know it, heck I have no expectations about your life and what goes on, that is your business and if you want to share GREAT, if not GREAT TOO!

Anyway back to my million things, the one of my million things that I did not share in all my blase blah blah crap is that I graduated college this year. Yeah, I did the “I’m going to grow up first and not blow shit tons of money on college and not finish in my 20’s. I am going to grow up and work and then blow shit tons of money on college and finish….before I’m 40!” I am on that plan…still on that plan. Have to take my LSAT’s build a portfolio, yeah lots to do if you want to argue for a living. So I finished college and tomorrow is my big day!

I am participating in the commencement ceremonies at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale where I will be walking with like 1000 other people! Cool huh?! Yeah I am stoked, but been so busy to get really stoked about it….which sucks! I mean I should be like every other college grad out getting hammered………….and passing out puking. ICK, gosh I used to be that stupid, now I am a lame old fart who has a few and just passes out before 10pm. WOOT, I am such the life of the party! WOO WOO! No really, so I am excited and wanted to share with you all in case you care, or are super curious, or want to poke fun at me, because I have a fear I will trip and fall flat on my fat face tomorrow! So here is the linky for the commencements, the ceremony begins at 10:30am Arizona (Pacific Daylight Time) time. So please feel free to watch the ceremony, cheer me on through your virtual portal and laugh with me when I fall on my face, and then leave me a comment hoping I am okay!

Online Poster Printing Canvas Print Giveaway

I wanted to get all the UPrinting and UPrinting Subsidiaries (Online Poster Printing) up and at ’em for theses giveaway since school is upon us, not to mention BlogHer next week, SITScation and TypeAMomCon and we want to show off all those AWESOME summer memories! So you saw the sticker giveaway….now UPrinting is offering a 16X20″ Rolled Canvas Print as a giveaway!!

I have some great photos of my gnomes playing in the water at the Splash Pad from Sunday that this happens to be the only photo of the three of them playing in and around the water. I wish I had a better action photo but I am at least happy I have the three of them in the same frame at this age. They are just so busy!

Plus having a family photo right now of the three of them would at best be challenging and I love these types of photos, candid and real where the kids aren’t staged and uncomfortable.

With that said what is your favorite summer photo?

That is the only question you have to answer in this giveaway! What candid, high resolution photo would you put on a 16″X 20″ canvas poster print and show off to your family and friends?
Be sure to leave me that comment along with your email address so we know how to get a hold of you for your winnings! So go leave your comment love about your favorite summer photo, the winning entrant will be awarded with the coupon code for the free canvas print by July 31, 2009.

Oh, don’t forget to read about the deets from UPrinting and their disclaimers:

About Online Poster Printing
Online Poster Printing specializes in printing high-quality posters using premium materials. We offer a money back guarantee on all our products, such as photo canvas prints, vinyl banners, wall stickers, and rolled or mounted poster prints.

Disclaimers:

Giveaway is open to US/CAN residents. Shipping of prizes is not included and must be paid by winner. Online Poster Printing reserves the right not to print obscene or offensive materials.

All designs submitted in the form of a giveaway may be used by Online Poster Printing for online marketing and promotional uses. The designs will be used solely as examples and will not be printed or commercially distributed.