Posted in General Ramblings

My OLDER sister Coco is visiting me right now.  Isn't she purty?

By the way, that is me on the left and her on the right in case y'all thought we were twinsies.  I commented that I look older than her in this picture and instead of gracefully saying, Oh no dear sister of mine, you look so young and youthful and here I look like an old hag.  But NO!  The brat, she just smugly looked at me and said Yup. 

Okay, we are totally laughing our heads off because she is sitting right next to me as I type this.  I contemplated paying her back by photoshopping her teeth a la Hee Haw style, but then I realized that she has photoshop too.  And probably more incriminating pictures than I have in my personal posession (possession? too lazy to look it up).

I am glad that my sister Coco is visiting with my cutesie wootsy niece Emily and funny little man Benjamin.  I have no idea what we're going to do this week, but I'm sure it will involve coffee, laughing, play with the kidlets and a whole lot of relaxing!

If you get a chance, stop by Coco and my other sister Lele's etsy store where they sell handmade jewelry:  lele+coco  Speaking of my New York City living sister Lele... we could tell some funny stories about her this week.  Hmmm... Maybe we will, maybe we won't.  She doesn't read my blog (I don't think)... but I think she might be able to whoop me... so we'll see.

Love,
Marshie

Posted in General Ramblings

Apparently, my draft post stunk because it was eaten up by the mysterious computer monster and I completely lost the whole thing.  I am sure that I had written all kinds of fun and witty stuff in there too.  boo hoo.

So from the mixed up files of my bad memory, I bring you the winners of the free tickets to Heart of the Matter's Virtual Homeschool Conference. 
Congrats go to Letitia, DeeDeeUK, Amada, Christy and Cammie!  (Can you believe I had to count that three times to make sure it was 5?!  What can I say?  I. need. more. coffee.)

I finally got around to posting my assignment for Hallie's super fun Through the Lens: Digital Photography 101 group.  It's not too late if you want to join the fun!  And you don't even have to have a fancy camera... my sister Coco has joined and she has a Kodak Easyshare that takes amazing pictures!  Speaking of Coco, she is coming to visit me next week!!!  Oh and she started a blog!  Wanna go over there and say hi? :-)

It is almost midnight and I still have 2 munchkins that are wide awake.  One little 3yo in particular is counting out loud right now...

one, two, fwee, foh, fiiive, sixteen, benineteen, fowteen, nineteen
I count fo you mommy!!!

Ummm... yeah... I think it's time to start some lessons with the little man.  It's a sad day when you counted better last year than you do now!  Whew, it's a good thing we don't have preschool testing or something around here.  I'd be in big trouble!  So what would they put him in?  Remedial counting? 

I wonder if he'd get extra credit for this talent:

The rest of the fam, we can't touch our nose with our tongue.  Weirdo.  I mean, unique child of many talents!

I also realized a while back that he knows ZERO songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider or Jesus Loves Me.  And wanna know why?  No, it's not because I'm completely neglectful of poor child number 3... It's really sad for me to admit this publicly... but whenever I try (or tried!) to sing a song to him, he'd reach up with his chubby little fingers and SQUEEZE MY LIPS SHUT.  And then he'd whisper "No sing, mommy."  So lest y'all have pity on this blonde boy, just remember, it's all his fault that he doesn't know any lullabies or even how to sing the ABC song!  Hmmm... I wonder if he's ever said "No sing, daddy" ???  I'll have to ask David about that when he gets back from work tonight.

Speaking of work, I got to go to work with him yesterday!!!  And why in the world would that be even remotely exciting?  Well, the kids went to a friend's house while David I slaved away HERE for a 25 hour layover.  I know, I know... it makes you want to cry a tear for me and for him, doesn't it?  How does he endure such difficult work?  It takes a special kind of person, let me tell you!!!

And lastly but not leastly, we got a new dog...  She's a white German Shepherd puppy!

Currently, her name is Snowball.  We're not too crazy about it though... it just doesn't roll of the tongue very well.  Dash really wants to name her "Cloudy."  And he really wants her middle name to be "With a Chance of Rain".  It's time to send in her papers so we really need to decide.  What do y'all think?  I believe the choices are Snowball, Snowflake, Cloudy and Avalanche.

Posted in General Ramblings

111 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

I got this quiz from my friend Amy.  Some of the questions were hilarious... I'm sure you'll know what I'm talking about when you get to it.  It's 100 questions but a very simple check the box format that takes no time at all.

In other news, it's hot here.  As in the kids swam in the stinky pond once again kind of hot.  Blech!  It could be 100 degrees and I still wouldn't swim in that thing.  Ick!  Okay, so it was just about 100 degrees today and it was not hard to resist jumping in there.  Talking about the weather is so boring.  So I'll stop now.

Posted in General Ramblings

So I got my hair cut... it was halfway down my back and now... it's not!

  

Okay, both pictures are incredibly dorky, look like mugshots (except a jail wouldn't have orange walls) and are VERY poor quality, but I got tired of my plain hair.  I do miss the ease of the ponytail but this is nice... for now... That's the good thing about hair-- it always grows back!

So what do you think of my swing cut?  See how it's shorter in the back but longer in the front?  Kinda like a reverse mullet! LOL  Just kidding.  Anyhow, back on the ranch...  I need the longer layers in front because my face is more on the round side and this minimizes the mongo forehead plus chubby... er, round face.

I'm done procrastinating now.  I guess I better get some work done around here.  If I don't talk to y'all again, have a GREAT weekend!

Posted in General Ramblings

So I was tagged by my dear friend Amy.  Amy, you know I'm your friend when I'd actually unlazy myself long enough to answer questions like these!

***

Favorite food? Korean food!  Dwaejibulgogi (spicy pork), Ojingobokum (spicy squid), kimchi (radish, cabbage, puchu, all kinds!), bulgogi (not spicy beef)...  My mouth is watering just thinking about it all...

Quirks about you? I am double jointed in my elbows so you can twist my arm really really far.  (This has oft been my answer to this type of question-- I'm not very creative.)

Any regrets in life? Some bad choices in life, but God's grace has been sufficient!

Favorite Blog recently? Very hard to pick!  But lately, I've been loving The Pioneer Woman Cooks! and Pioneer Woman Photography.  And I have to say that I've really been enjoying Lisa's blog.  She is so funny!

Something you can’t get enough of? Coffee.  (Yes, totally lame next to your reply Amy, but I didn't want to be a copycat.)

Worst job you've ever had? Secretary for the relocation department of Ernst & Young.  Yes, I am naming that company b/c I despised that job more than anything.  I was SO miserable, mainly b/c of my boss who'd show up late and then make us stay late because she never got around to actually working!  Plus, I was waaay underpaid, overworked, my feet hurt and did I mention that I really really really disliked my boss?  That's what happens when you call your boss enough times at their house asking if they are going to come in to work that day.  It was even worse than the job at a laundromat where I washed other people's laundry.  Yes, that bad!

But I'm not bitter.  I am SO over that point in my life.  Yup, la la la la la...

What job would you pay NOT to have? I wouldn't want to be one of those guys from that Verminator show.  Ewwww!!!

If you could be a fly on the wall, where?  In the cockpit of my husband's airplane.  I wonder what they really talk about up there during those 5 hour flights...  Okay, I pretty much want to know what he says about me... he tells me, but I want more details. :-)

Favorite Bible verse right now?  Three that go well together:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 
~James 1:5

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.  
~Isaiah 30:21

For this God is our God for ever and ever:  he will be our guide even unto death.
~Psalm 48:14

Guilty Pleasure? Starbuck's Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino

If you HAD to spend $1,000 on YOURSELF, how would you spend it? I have no idea!  I'm thinking family vacation... that's sounds really nice about now.

Favorite thing about your house? My dream master bathroom courtesy of a talented hubby and a useless extra master closet!  Now I have a big tub for a bubblebath... aahhhhhh...

Least favorite thing about your house? The laundry room space is very crowded... I can't even open the dryer door all the way without it banging into the wall in front of it.

One thing you are bad at? Golf... although I do have some super cute pink golf shoes!

One thing you're good at? Playing my flute.  And cooking (most of the time).

If you could change something about your circumstances, what? Absolutely nothing.  I love my life!

Who would you like to meet someday? That's a good question.  I have no idea.  I've never been one to get fixated on people.  But one day, I'll get to meet Jesus!!!

Who is your real life hero? My husband... and if he's busy, I've always got one of his sidekicks nearby...

What is the hardest part of your job?  Hard???  I've got this kid thing DOWN!  My kids came with mommy manuals... and so did my husband.  What?  You mean you didn't get manuals with yours?  Maybe you can check online for a manual... because it is SO EASY every single day.  I'm telling you, I sit on the couch and eat bon-bon's 24/7.  *snort*

When are you most relaxed? After the kids are in bed for the night... and asleep.

What stresses you out?   A messy house.

What can you not live without?  Coffee, high speed internet, my cell phone.

Why do you blog? It's an easy way to keep in touch with friends and family.  And I love that I can write about the kids and then forget about it, like a journal but faster since I can type and add pictures and video clips!

Who Am I Tagging?  If you want to participate, feel free to join in!  Let me know though because I'd l-o-v-e to read your answers.

Rules:
1. Answer the questions
2. Link back to whoever tagged you
3. Tag eight bloggers to do the same, 2 from each category.
New/ newer bloggers (since we want to share the love and send them traffic)
Bloggy friends
Bloggers you’d like to get to know better
Bloggers you don’t think will respond, but you hope will

Posted in General Ramblings

Since I still have a couple hours of Wednesday left, I thought I'd say hi to all of y'all and show you this picture.

I'm sure y'all have seen better, but to me eet ees beeeeeeautiful!!!  Look at the bokeh in that picture!  It's not twinkly or anything, but perty good for a first timer with a new camera. :-)

Well, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit all of y'all like I've been wanting.  Things have been super-dee-duper busy around these parts...  But I expect I'll have a little more time on my hands in the coming weeks to catch up and sit a spell.

If I don't talk to y'all again, have a wonderful holiday weekend!  Eat lots of BBQ or whatever it is that you do on weekends like this!

Love,
Marshiemellow

Posted in General Ramblings

Am I the only one who understands the title?  Y'know, the aye's have it?  Okay.  Nevermind.

My dear Kodak Easyshare camera was our first venture into the digital world of photography.  No more clicking up a whole roll of film and just wishing for at least one measly picture out of the entire roll to come out good!  Then we got a teeny tiny Sony camera with more! megapixels! and it was the size of a (fat) credit! card!  But we quickly learned that more megapixels does NOT equal more bueno in the quality department.

As I anxiously await the arrival of my big bad new camera, I am waxing nostalgic over the great colors and quality of my old steady Kodak.  Seriously, it is probably my favorite point and shoot digital of all time.  Here are a few pics of my boys that are straight out of the camera.  Tres bien, no?

See the eyes?  Instead of aye's?  Oh, nevermind.

Goodbye my dear Kodak.  I shall miss you.  And yet I know you will live on in the grubby little hands of my boys... I just hope you survive more than just a few weeks.

***

PS I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but Heart of the Matter has giveaway's every week.  Check out what's going on this week!

Posted in General Ramblings

TWO ice cream cakes!!!  Yupperino, I did get me some delicioso ice cream cakes for my birthday.  A decadent chocolate one from my friend Suzanne and a yummo cookies and cream one from David and my boys.  Mmmmm....

And if that weren't enough, I got to go on another date with the hubs tonight!  We actually doubled with another couple that we're really good friends with.  So the kids had fun with a babysitter and we got to go play unlimited bowling, lazertag, pool and arcade games.  Yeeeeehaw! 

I think we might even be inspired to do date night once a month.  As in a date that does not include *gasp* Sam's Club!  It's hard to believe.  I know. 

So do y'all do date nights?  If so, where do you go and how often?

And in other news, HOTM is having another giveaway-- this time it's Preschool Activities in a Bag.  They are also still accepting nominations for their BIG Mother's Day giveaway!  So don't delay, submit today!  You may just win if you'd but play.  These bad sad rhymes just should not stay... not in this post, there is no way!  Please make it stop, it's really horrid.  If you're still reading, you must be bore-d.

Okay, I'm really stopping now... it's hard, but I am...  You can thank me later.

Or not.

I'm going to be away from the blogosphere for the rest of the week.  So if you have any special news, happenings or whatever, feel free to drop me an e-mail!  I'll check back with all of y'all next week!

Love,
Marshiemellow

Posted in General Ramblings

One of our ports of call was Cozumel, Mexico.  We had snorkeled there before and were looking forward to doing it again.  (Okay, for some odd reason that sounds kinda bad, huh?... it must be a post-midnight craziness that is taking over my brain...hehe).  Since it was very very very windy, we opted to rent a jeep and drive around the island instead.

There is really not much to the island of Cozumel.  If you drive it, you only need to do it once.  In your entire life.  But the one time that you do drive it, please remember to put on sunscreen.  If not, you will have this odd sunburn on the top half of your face.  Or if you are a crazy shirtless man, you will have a hilarious souvenir of a seatbelt tan-line to show the kids when you get home!  Too bad I don't have a picture of that.

We did make two stops on our whirlwind tour of the 28 mile wide and 10 mile long island.  First stop, the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio.  I'm such a party pooper.  I really didn't like it there.  It just couldn't compete with our visits to Tulum and Chichen-Itza on our honeymoon back in the old days!  But we made the best of it and explored.

We saw lots of iguanas.  Do you see it?

I also had my husband for entertainment.  He always makes me laugh.



After passing many an iguana, we loaded up and kept on driving.  We found this really neat rock outcropping with wicked waves.


I couldn't resist this dorky picture of us.  See how WINDY it is?!  (Aren't you impressed with the italics in that word? Pretty clever, huh?  I know you're impressed.)  That's also the face you make when you're eating hair and trying to not fall to your death.  Right past that edge is a 150 foot drop with the waves hammering against it.  Okay, I lied.  It's really only a 15 foot drop.  But the waves, they really were the kind that would totally crack your skull!

(I'm totally resisting the gone with the wind jokes here.  You can thank me later.)

So we left, returned the jeep and got back on the boat ship.  (They hate it when you call it a boat.) 
 

Posted in General Ramblings

This will be the first post of a few posts about the very recent (as in we got back on Sunday) Caribbean cruise vacation that David and I took.  Sans kidlets. 

We left on Sunday and by Tuesday we wished we would have brought the boys along.  Every part of life is just so much more FUN with them around!  So we learned our lesson that 2-3 days is enough time to refresh and reconnect with each other... any more than that and we are bored, lonely bumpkins (the details of which I shall spare you).

Okay, on to our adventures!

***

David and I were walking down a street on Grand Cayman when we saw this:

Just three steps later we saw this:



RUN, CHICKENS, RUN!!!  You SO do not want to go through that side door right there!  Although the idea of freshly fried chicken is quite appealing to me right about now...  Man, KFC's really are everywhere!

Posted in General Ramblings

Touch Typing online

I love to type.  I learned how to type without looking at the keys while I was in college.  Not on purpose, though.  It just happened after my first few last minute (literally) research papers were due.

After getting married and moving to the land-of-no-jobs (aka Cleveland) for a girl with a history degree and no real working experience (unless you count a laundromat attendant, flute lessons or tutoring), I had a 3 year stint as a secretary.  Hated every second of it, too.

But one thing about the most-horrid-job-ever, is that I love to type.  It's relaxing and the clickety click of the keys is somehow comforting.  I suppose it's because I can immediately see the fruits of my labor and it requires ZERO thought.  So I type and my mind wanders and I type and I think about what's for dinner or what the weather is like outside.

Take the test and let me know how you did!  And if you beat me, I will do my best to resist the very strong urge to take the test over and over again until I come out on top...

Posted in General Ramblings

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