A Happy Family!

Good morning all.  I am so very excited this morning:)

I am starting to down size my business.  I have hit the big 40 and beyond, and my body is telling me it is time to do something different.

For those of you new to my blog, I have my own cleaning business.  I have loved the families and the sense of helping others for 13 years now.  I started this business with my oldest daughter who is autistic in mind.  I thought that someday she would be helping me and maybe have her own clients.  Reality had set in and this is not something she would enjoy doing, sue to her OCD's .  Don't get me wrong I have enjoyed it along the way.  I have watched my new families grow up and oh the little one's.  I have cried when the started kinder-garden, an have watched many of their little league games.  Yes I was the crazy lady cheering for the 4 year old picking clovers in the outfield waiting for that one ball hit to them.  I sometimes think that I was wanting my 4 children to stay young, and when the weren't I had my fill with the kids who parents I clean for.


I have let two of my families go and I plan on shutting my business down by the end of my oldest Senior year.  Yes I have a Senior, Junior and 2 sophomores.  We have been so very blessed that my husbands income keeps getting better and better.  The other day he tells me it's not that you have to work, but you have to work so I can keep you out of the shopping malls!  That is true.  I am one of those who spending and purchasing things give me a sense of gratification and it is only temporarily, so I fix that and go out shopping again. Really my husband will tell you that I am the one person that will come out of the dollar store with $50.00 worth of junk.

Today!  I am so excited for today.  I have the next two days off and today a friend is going to teach me how to cook.  We are making several meals and freezing them so that I can just pop them in the oven for my family for dinner.  My little one Hannah is excited too!  This morning when leaving for school she told me to have fun and that she cannot wait to actually have food in the house that she will eat:)

I am so very blessed to have people in my life that are kind and caring.  Karma is a biggy for me.  You know the circle what comes around goes around.  My very dear friend Jackie and I have made that our motto.  A knew one that we are taking on is surrounding ourselves with positive people.  Wow what a difference that has made.  We laugh and look at each other and Wonder why we let negative in.  I guess the old saying is true that misery needs company and we want no part of it.

I am off to learn how to cook!  Have a blessed day everyone.

"no one who truly wants to know Christ and opens up their heart to him will walk away empty-handed!!"

Foster remodel

 WOW!  When you replace your floors in a home you are living in, you pretty much have to pack and unpack your home.

Now softball has been in full swing and hubby and I had a window of 3 weeks to get our whole home floors done.  I was basically a general contractor.  I had to get 3 different quotes, only for our piece of mind. 

While waiting on quotes a neighbor post about her floors being replaced and insurance had covered it.  The light bulb flipped on and I called our insurance company.

  About 2 years ago we were in Chapel Hill NC for a football game and we came home to our kitchen flooded.  The ice maker line kept filling and running the whole time we were gone.  UGH!  Softball was still in full swing so hubby and I dried it and pulled everything away so we could go on with our crazy life.

Life went on and sure enough right under the freezer the hardwoods starts to buckle and turn black. 

The insurance company is paying for our floors to be replaced.  Heck Yea!  That one score for me.

I found a quote that worked out to allow us to hardwood the whole downstairs (excluding living room) WOO HOO!  another score for me.

Then the work started.  I had to pack up our dining room, my craft room and the kitchen.  I had so many boxes and newspaper everywhere.  My craft room was the tear jerker!  I am moving right along because I have compnay coming in from out of town in 2 weeks.  Making great progress on boxing things and my girl friend stops by and suggest that I paint the baseboards before they replace the wood floors. 

Off to home depot to buy trim paint.  I stayed up until 1:00 am most nights painting.  Life was still going on, ball practice, horse back riding, and to top it off I was planning a yard sale for the Charlotte Starz team fundraiser.

While I was going through my stuff for the yard sale (before floor quote) I was placing everything on the dinnig room table.  REALLY!

Pull car out of garage and start pilling things up in there, while taggin everything as I go.  Then!!!  My wounderful hubby suggested that seems how we were prepared to pay for the wood floors why don't we carpet the living room.

Yep you guessed it off the home depot I go.  Get a quote for the living room and Then!!!!  my wounderfull hubby suggested that he really would like all the carpet in the house to match.  Now I get a quote for the stairs and all rooms up stairs.  When getting a quote you have this 4 hour window that they come out to messure and then they take forever to finally leave.

So I am rolling right along.  I have the wood floors scheduled to be installed on Friday.  I am ready and they were here on time and so off towork I go.  Here are some of the pictures of the install and husband calling almost every hour wanting an update.

The picture above are from the old cabinet that held all my crafting stuff as you can tell that the whole thing fell apart while I was trying to move it away from the wall to paint the baseboards.  So I took it all apart and pilled it up ready for the dump.  I still have to pick the kids up from school so I loaded it up and took it to the the dump that afternoon.

This is what the wood floor looked like before.  YUCK!

Here's what the carpet looked like.  Under the cabinet looks really good right!

Packing up and getting ready for new Hardwoods.  The hardwoods there look pretty good!  I hated to tear them up.
Still packing.  Chairs are upstairs in son's room!

Now moving everything into living room

Here we go Wood has arived

Now time for the install, after of course I put the desk, filing cabinet and stove and refrigerator on craig's list.

OH did I mention the amount of DUST!  It was incredible and everywhere!

My husband went to Home depot and picked up 3 of these.  I had to dust every wall in the home!  Dust was everywhere.  And life, school, softball everything was still going on while we were working on this. 

Now almost done with the cleaning!  We have ordered new furniture for the office/craft room and this is where we are sitting to watch tv and put together new furniture.

 

The wood floors were installed on Friday.  I had the yard sale on that Saturday and hubby had recuriting video's for the girls that weekend, and I still had to get a couple more pieces from IKEA.

 

The carpet for the living room is scheduled to be installed on Monday between 11:00 am and 1:00pm.

 

Yep you guessed it more baseboards to paint.  I think I finished the baseboard around 1:00 am.  We argreed that hubby should get to bed at a reasonable time so that one of us is working with a level head. 

Now that the new carpet is installed hubby would like to replace the living room furniture.  Off to rooms to go we go!  With in 3 hours we had picked out new living room furniture and it was set for delivery on that Thursday.

Thursday was the day!   I had to order a new refrigerator and of course he wanted that to match the stove so now I bought a new stove.   Really those who know me, know how much I love to cook!  Not I have burnt the cardboard on frozen pizza with the new stove.  There are so many buttons I have a hard time just turning the right oven on top/bottom UGH!!!

 

They arrive on Thursday and guess what..... The carpet for the upstairs come in.  Oh yeah it was a solid 3 days of painting baseboards.  In the middle of all this my daughter would like to change the paint in her room.  We were up painting and around 11:00pm our friend the hubby of my friend stops by and grabs a paint brush and helps out a bunch.  Around 1:00am we are done.

Now the alarm clock goes off at 5:30 for me.  I get kids off to school and then carpet people arrive and then right behind them rooms to go arrives.  Two hours go by and in comes the new applicances.  I am so tired!

Here is the photos of the progress!

This is the half bath with all of my autisic childs stuffed animals.  Yes that is the shower and by the time I added all the boxes from the rooms upstairs you could not get in the bathroom and it was to the celling with boxes.

OH did I mention more dust!!!

new stove and frig are here.

Carpet is in and now all the beds I broke apart and everything boxed up is now unpacked.

Somehow I managed to get the house unpacked and Yes the Hubby had to go buy 2 new flat plan tvs for the kids room and wall mount those.

 

Now my company came in Friday evening.  It reminded us of the movie of risky business when they get the house all cleaned up after the wild house party.

 

We had a softball tournament this weekend and the weekend after that I had a last chance yard sale.   We both have been assuming the tunnel vision! 

 

Have a great week everyone.  I know we are going to slow down here at the Fosters!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Night

I have been busy with school ball this week and weekend.
I put on a benefit softball game, the post below tells everyone a little about it.  It went great and I had 2 weeks to pull it together.
Hopefully this will get bigger and bigger every year, and we can raise more money for the cause.
The girls were so great, they paired up with each other to create a gift basket for us to raffle off in between innings.  They were so proud of there baskets.  I hope that they learned how good it feels to make a difference for someone else, and have fun while doing it.

Now we have Senior night this week at our last home game.  I have created a couple of things to give to the girls.  We are also cooking out and having cake after the game.  I still have to run by Sams club and grab the stuff to grill out.  How I got stuck with this one is my inability to say NO.  I was really going to work on that this year.  I haven't gotten very far with that goal as you can see.

So this weekend I was a crafting, crafting, and crafting.  I found some flip flops at the dollar store and the band looked like I could turn them into laces of a softball.  I know scary how my brain works right. I painted the bands and then took a toothpick dipping it in red paint and painting every little grove.  Then I had to seal then and I used dimensional sealer.  They turned out great but I had to watch Transformers with my oldest last night and timed my painting of the red.  It took me an hour for just one pair.  It will be a while before I do that again.
Here is a picture of the flip flops.

Then I had a package of the canvas boxed frames.  So I found a print on pinterest and my hubby helped me create it in photo shop, and I printed them out on transfer paper and the ironed them on the canvas.  Well Hubby ironed them on because I burned 2.  Oh if you saw the mess ups and how I even got them done with out giving up, I will never know.  I painted the edges first and then hubby ironed them.  After all was done I found a better matching yellow paint color and had to repaint them all.  This time the print was on it and I had to be very careful not to mess it up.  Doing all this at 10:00 p.m.  Yes I worked on this stuff all day.
Here's a picture.

The picture frame I found at the dollar store while I was there to get the gift bags, and of course I had to pick one up for each girls.
I made my own gift tags and had my little one Freshman write a little something to each senior on a yellow 3x5 card and adhered it to the back side of the canvas.
Here is everything bagged and the gift tags ready to be tied:)

  Hope everyone has a great week!

Catching up!

Really, I have been truly slack with my blog!

So much has happened from the last time I wrote anything.  I am going to try to get you updated in this post.

Easter came and went.  Wow!  We all went to my sisters house.  Her oldest just had a baby and was coming home 2 days before.  I remember when I had my first, I did not leave the house for anything other than Dr.appointments.  I was so overwhelmed.  We thought that it would be easier on everybody if we just had dinner at my sisters.  Her daughter and husband are living with her, so we were all together and it was wonderful.  So proud of my sister.  She was the type that would not have anything at here house,"to much work" she would say.  One year she was asked to bring a salad and a pie for Christmas eve dinner, she walked into my house with  bagged salad and a frozen pie.  I laugh just thinking about that Christmas eve.  She has come a long way! She loves to throw a party and really goes all out when she does.

Easter!

Oh so little!

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter like our family did!

Hough softball steps up to bat for autism awareness

Hough softball steps up to bat for autism awareness
Click on link above.

Turning it blue for Autism

As most of you know My oldest is autistic.  This is something we do every April 2nd.

WE LOVE YOU KAITLYN:)

Here are a few of my new craft projects.....

This went out to all my kids teachers before spring break.  These little guys also go out to family and friends.  The printable came from another blogger. Thanks!

Now for my take on the red neck wine glass

I love that song Red Solo Cup.

 I have had to make 6 of these for family and friends already.  Hope to add this to the next craft sale.  Might just put a bow with a mini sharpie tied to it.

Today was a Monday for sure.  I stress out to go to my dentist appointment, only to find out it is next Monday.  Fine I jet to my clients house and get so wrapped up in organizing that I am there for 6 1/2 hours.  I get home and decided to cut the grass, only to find out that I have no gas, back out to get gas.  They are widening the road in front of our subdivision so it really wasn't quick.  I stopped by Home Depot and grabbed more potting soil.  

I cut the grass and planted our seedlings, picture tomorrow it is to dark out now for pictures.  Then I decide that we need to get the hot tub ready for the next season.  I am letting it drain over night only to clean it out tomorrow.

Kids are all farmed out for the next 2 days, and hubby is not feeling good and now I am sore I can barely move.  So frozen dinners tonight and on to watch basketball.  We are not even playing it it.  Carolina should have made it here for sure.

Posting pictures of hot tub and garden tomorrow.

Forever!

Ugh!  I was off to a good start with blogging and then life happened.
Wow!  We have been so busy at the Fosters compound.  Kaitlyn and I were in the craft show at Mallard Creek High School and soon to be in another big spring craft show at our local church.  I have been making all the tags for her jewelry.  Pretty soon I will have to get staples to make these.  That will take money out of Kaitlyn's pocket.  I just can't bring myself to do that just yet.  She is looking forward to the Easter Bunny!!

Yesterday Hannah and I egged a couple of our neighbors.  We have so much fun with this.  Egging someone is different then throwing raw eggs at peoples houses, You scatter 12 candy filled eggs in their front yard with a note that tells them they have been egged and what to do next, then ring the bell and run.

Then you leave this poem on a separate piece of paper.

Look at that! You've just been EGGED!

But do not be alarmed.

We came, we dropped,we ran away...

Your house, it was not harmed.

So what is this before you now?

Just an early spring surprise.

Be quick and look around your yard...

TWELVE EGGS lay in disguise.

A secret friend has just dropped by

To share some spring time cheer.

So now you're it!  It's now your turn

To EGG a house that's near.

Select a friend, or two or three...

Gather a dozen EGGS for each.

Be sly and hide them, knock and flee!

Leave this message at arm's reach.

Hang a poster at your door

And now your task's complete.

Days 'til Easter aren't much more...

Aren't surprises sweet!!

The kids love to do this still.  Thank goodness.  They have a mommy that loves doing all this stuff.  We have 2 more houses to do.  It rained to night so we will have to wait until tomorrow.

Hannah and I made our first raised garden bed.  We went to Home Depot and bought all the stuff that I had pinned earlier.  Hammered and laughed so hard that Hannah about peed her pants.  The staff at home depot were so helpful.  Kevin in the lumber department found out what I was doing and lead me straight to the right wood I needed.  Who knew that you are not supposed to use treated wood.  I guess the chemicals that is used can contaminate your veggies.  We now have our seeds in a starter tray, some nice stranger helped us with this.  She must have been a avid gardener, because she knew and shared with us which seeds and what type of soil to buy.  Dang it was like I had a sign on my (flat) chest, saying "I have no idea what I am doing."  Heck I will wear it again if this is how much help I get:) 

I even have the chicken wire at the top of the bed for the cucumbers and beans.  Maybe even a tomato plant. I swear guys it looks just like a bed.  Husband comes home from picking up our dancer girl, takes one look at it and responds with..."Um yeah that looks really getto."  Hannah and I look at each other and then inform him that when the veggies come in it wont matter how getto it looks, we are going to enjoy it.  Now I just have to wait for the homeowners police to come by and send me a lovely letter informing me to tear it down.

I had a blast last weekend with my mom.  My brother had a business trip and we went down to ATL to watch the kiddo's.  I love the Grant Park area.  The old homes most of them restored to simple elegance.  While I was their my nephew who is now 6 had a soccer game.  So cute.  He would run a little bit and then skip.  He kicked that ball really hard and somewhat far, and then looks over to the sidelines to see if my mom and I were watching.  SO CUTE.

We then decided to cut my brothers grass for him.  The neighbors are young and renters and don't take care of their yard, so we decided to cut their back yard.  It was so tall that we had to use one of those push mowers that have spinning blades.  It was pretty new.  I didn't even know that they made those anymore.  I remember my Grandma and Grandpa having one when we were little, I don't know why because Grandpa had tractors and any farm machine that you could imagine.  I think he had it for us kids to do a little work with out getting hurt.  I was glad that my brother had one of those because the weeds (clover) in this yard was up to our knees.  There is no way my brother's lawn mover would've even lasted in that forest.  He was so cute.  He held up his skinny arm like he was making a muscle and said "My daddy is going to be proud of me, this is like working out."  I was about to die.  It was HOT and I was really doing most of the work.  But it was so worth it.  I made some great memories with my nephew.

In our local school system their sports team have to pick a game to play to benefit a cause.  Guess what!! We are doing it for AUTISM.  So I was so excited to hear that.  Our head coach teaches at the local Middle school in an autistic classroom.  The girls are going to wear light blue shirts and sock.  There is going to be a silent auction and the gate fees will go to Autism Speaks!!!!

Oh that leads me to something very important......

APRIL 2nd  I AM ASKING EVERYONE TO PLEASE PLACE A BLUE LIGHT BULB IN YOUR FRONT PORCH LIGHT.  If you don't have a front porch light then place it in a window that can be seen from the street.  It is turn it blue for Autism.

I will keep you posted on Hannah's and my seedlings:)

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Tiff

School Ball

I know it has been forever.  I am a smoker:(  Each day I try to start again, I make until noon and then I am done.

High school ball has started and it is crazy at the Foster's home.  Crazy but here in Charlotte we pay to play.  Our school system has done such a great job with managing their money that they are now charging the parents a $100.00 fee for each sport played.  I am so grateful that my child only plays one sport.  On top of the $100.00 fee, we had to purchase a warm up suit, practice uniform which all came to $150.00.  Then we had to sell coupon book at $20.00 each and we are responsible for 20.  Right I have sold 0.  Lets hope I don't have to write that check to cover the 20.  Now we have 2 games that we have to cover dinner for the girls before games.  There are 16 girls on the team so that is running the parents around $50.00.  In short I thought that travel ball was expensive, it is nothing compared to the money I have dropped for High School ball.

Hannah has won her first (pitching) game last night and went 4 innings with 0 hits against the number 3 team in the state.  She has played at third and pitching so far.  Not every game is she a starter, but they end up always going to her in pitching or defense on third.  All in all the team has lost 2 games and won 3.  She is very tired trying to get her studies in with ball right after school.  The second game they put her in to pitch she was never even warmed up.  She is now wearing a compression sleeve on her pitching arm, due to tendinitis.  She had pitching lesson on Saturday and her coach told her that if it does not get any better then she might have to quit school ball.  Her point was that no one is going to see you at Hough High.  She would rather save her arm for tournament ball.  It has been a crazy week here.

Kaitlyn has to take the ACT test today.  That is just another thing our school system is spending money on that is just a waste.   I told her to guess B on the whole test.   She came home today and said.  "Mom there was a e,f,g. on the test too!  Gotta love her.  She has never seen a test with that many letters.  On top off her having to take this test, the kids got out of school 2 hours early.  I had to race through my house so that I could get to the school on time to pick them up.

Hannah is driving on her permit, and has been driving us everywhere.  Kelsey turned 16 on the 1st, and now is the proud owner of a Ford Mustang.  Yes to all my Detroit family she is driving a Ford:)

Hope everyone has a great rest of their week.

I am making cap stick covers for the girls on the team.  I will post pictures in next post.  These are super easy to make.  Just take an Avery address label (large) and print of you logo and or picture.  Peel off the chap stick label off and place yours right on top.  They are great gifts and or promotional items for small business.

Just had to share this one!!!! This is my house, my husband, my kid!

This month, the Staunton News Leader, a newspaper in Virginia, ran an interesting story, headlined Parents driving coaches away from the game.  The story by Patrick Hite highlighted a troubling problem: talented youth sports coaches with a love of the game and a passion for teaching kids are no longer volunteering to serve.  Why?  As Covington High School science teacher and volunteer youth sports coach Rob Bennett said  in the article: "Why am I going to be miserable doing something I love to do and, for the most part, was pretty good at?" 

This month, the team at Responsible Sports asks: what can we, the community of Responsible Sport Parents, do to help reverse this trend?The answer may lie in the Positive Coaching Alliance principle of the Emotional Tank. 

With some parents complaining about playing time, requesting roster changes, and telling coaches how to do their jobs, while others heckle coaches and athletes from the stands, youth sports coaches from around the country are beleaguered and frustrated.  Are these the majority of youth sport parents?

1. Meet the coach at the beginning of the season.

Start the relationship off right by introducing yourself to the coach at the beginning of the season.  You’re not Luke’s Mom, you are Julie.  You are not Claudia’s Dad, you are Ryan.  Share with the coach why you’re excited about the upcoming season, what your child is looking forward to during the season, and reinforce that you’re committed to a great relationship with the coach.

2. Offer to help.

It’s not an easy job!  It might look like it from the sidelines or the stands, but trust us – it’s not!  Coaches spend countless hours with practice preparation, field, ice and gym time scheduling, sending out notices, directions and calling trees, organizing equipment, and dealing with administrators and league officials.  And all of this is in addition to their regular day jobs!  Offer to lend your coach a hand – even tackling just one of these tasks will make his or her life a bit easier.

3. Fill the coach’s emotional tank during the season.

We already know as Responsible Sport Parents, one of our jobs is to help fill our kid’s emotional tank.  (Remember: an emotional tank is like a car’s gas tank – when it’s full, a kid can go for miles.  But when it’s empty, it’s hard to go anywhere.)  But we all have emotional tanks – not just kids.  And our volunteer coaches need their emotional tanks to be full too.  Take the time to congratulate the coach on a good win.  Make a note to say something when the team executes a play that was beautifully drawn up by your coach.  Thank your coach for teaching your child a new skill and compliment him or her on helping your child acquire that new skill.  Practice the same fundamentals with your coach that you use with your athlete: truthful, specific feedback.

4. Honor and respect the relationship between your child and her coach.

Imagine a situation at work where a colleague was unhappy with your contribution to the team presentation.  Instead of talking to you about it, your colleague complained directly to the boss.  Boy, you’d be steamed!  That’s what it feels like when a parent addresses issues with a coach before a child has taken the first – and appropriate step – to address it with the coach directly.  Empower your children to own the relationships between them and their coaches and to talk to the coach if they feel like they aren’t getting enough playing time or about their desire to play a different position.

5. Say thank you at the end of the season.

We all know that a simple thank you goes a long way.  Sometimes we  get busy and  forget to say thank you.  But try to remember and take the time.  Shake the coaches’ hands after the last game and the last practice to say thank you.  Tell them what you were thankful for.  Let them know you appreciated all they did this season.  Consider writing a note to the coach afterward.  Or even better, a note to the league administrator praising the  coach.  Consider getting your league to use the free Season Evaluation survey tool with all of your team parents to give the coach feedback from everyone. 

The saying ‘It takes a village’ is of course true for youth sports.  In order to have the life learning experience we seek for our children, we need enough players for a team, an opponent, officials and of course coaches.  If we want an outstanding youth sports experience for our children, we need to take the steps we can to help keep quality, passionate, knowledgeable coaches in the game and working with our kids.  It might not seem like a lot, but the smallest actions can help improve the situation and hopefully can help reverse the trend.

Feb 22nd

Wow.  I am going strong this time.  I still have not had a cigarette:)  I wanted one maybe 3 times today, but I stayed strong.  I figure with the money I am saving not smoking, I can sign up for cross fit or maybe buy some more crafting supplies:)  I really don't need anymore projects right now.

So yesterday I delivered all the flyer's for the Charlotte Starz but 2 schools.  They were all so very nice.  Yesterday was a teacher work day so there were no children in school.  I think you know where I am going with this..  Yes the staff were so happy to be at work that day.

This morning we had to meet with Hannah's teacher to discuss ways we can help her at home with test anxiety.

Then from there I delivered the last 2 schools.  I made it to my clients home and the mom and baby were home.  My buddy the little girl that lives at that house was at pre school.  I was really bummed that my little chatter box shadow was not home today.  I would love to have her for a weekend.  Her mommy told me that she has been asking if she can have a sleepover at Miss Tiff's house.  Gosh I think that when my body finally give out I want to be a pre-school teacher.

My hubby just got an email about the clinic (flyer's) that the Charlotte Starz are putting on.  I jumped up chest out and told him it was the flyer's.  He had 2 schools to do, I had the rest.  The hubby said I bet it is from one of my schools.  Yeah whatever, we all know that it is from one of mine.  I cannot find out until later, he is helping Hannah with her slope intercept.  The y and x in math stuff.  Really!

Tonight he had his conference call for you guessed it softball.  I am getting the kids set for bed and ready to start homework, when I hear him say "let me check with Tiff on that."  Great what the heck now.  The BBQ banners need to be put up and the date I cut out in vinyl changed.  They are done and have to pat my own back for putting the date on the banner in vinyl.  I just peeled it off and got my handy Cricut out and they are done and ready to go:)  Ok let me do the happy dance.  The hubby looks at me and lets me know that one of the other coach on the team is going to be dropping another banner off to him at work for me to do!!  Really. Will it ever end????

Today I also got approved for Kaitlyn and I to have a table at the 2nd Annual Mallard Creek High School vendor sale.  Kaitlyn makes jewelry and sells them at local craft shows.  She is in the OCS program at Hough High School and they have to have hours of work and volunteer to graduate.  50% of her sales goes to Calico Haven.  She ride there in a type of therapy called hippo therapy.  The other 50% goes back to her for supplies.  I am also going to set up a table with some of my stuff.  Kaitlyn will get credit and earn some money and I am there helping her while I sell my crafts.   She loves doing these craft events.  I love it because she not sitting in her room watching TV, Play Video Games, and on her Computer.  Yes the child does these thing all at once.

Hannah gets to have her hair highlighted for the first time.  My mom is giving her a complete hair cut style and high lights for her birthday. We are that family that goes to great clips and of course uses a coupon.  The dye job for myself and Kaitlyn was also bought with a coupon:)  She is so excited to actually go to a salon and get her hair washed, colored, cut and styled.  It made me think WOW she has never had this treatment.  I am very happy for her.  I know that most girls her age (15) have probably already had this done, but I guess we just choose to spend the money on other things than this type of stuff.  The best part of this is that we still are not spending money on this:):)

Tomorrow I am delivering the order that I posted pictures of last week.  Cha Ching for me:)

Hope everyone has a great day.  One more day closer to Friday:)

Feb 20th

So far so good.  One day and counting:)

Today the kids were out of school and I still had to work.  Lots of running around to do.  That is really bad seems that gas prices just keep climbing.

I picked up the flyer's for Hannah's softball team.  This is way cool for the girls, they get to coach the younger girls that would like to go further in softball.  The girls get to coach 8 year old girls how to play the game.  Hannah and Leah will also be able to count this towards their community service hours that they need to graduate.  Yes the are only freshman, but it never to early to start collecting them.  Tomorrow I get to work and then drive around to 6 different elementary schools to drop off flyer's that will go out to 2nd and 3rd grade girls.  The girls are so excited.

I walked today with my neighbor and awesome friend Jo!

My poor regular walking buddy has a sinus infection, and Kaitlyn does too.  Kaitlyn's pediatrician rocks.  Kaitlyn gets a sinus infection every year around this time.  Shoot maybe even twice a year.  The last time we were in the Dr.'s office she wrote us a script with a bunch more than the 10 days worth.  So I grabbed the back up and now we are on our first day of antibiotics.

If you live in the Charlotte area and have a little one that would love to learn how to play some really good softball check this link out.  You can sign her up on line.
www.charlottestarz.com
Oh yeah I forgot to mention that the little ones will also be working with NSA.  And get to compete against other teams from the Salisbury area team.
North Carolina NSA

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday.  I am off to pin:)

Feb 19th

Here we go again.  I have been almost 9 hours cigarette free:)

I have figured out that the quit line free patches do no work.  The up and up (target) brand work for me.

Yesterday I watched a 5 year old girl for one of my clients.  It was allot of fun.  Kaitlyn had a blast with a friend here for the weekend.  We started the afternoon off with a trip to Target to get St. Patty day socks that we needed for our wreath we were making.  I ran into another one of my clients with her two boys, and she wanted to know when I wanted hers:)  We left and went to Harris Teeter for some snacks and to check out Red Box for any new movies.  No such luck, everything was gone:(  That's what happens when they predict a possible snow in Charlotte.  It snowed for all of 2 minutes, sleeted for 30 minutes and now just left with COLD RAIN.

We then headed off to the dollar store.  Each girl had 3 dollars.  So they both get up to the register and Kaitlyn tells Maddie that she is going to need more than the 3 dollars she has for the 3 things in her hand.  Then she proceeded to tell Maddie that she has to pay taxes on the stuff she has.  I was in shock.  I let her keep telling her and listening in a aww.  She was explaining to Maddie that the house her mommy has, that her mommy has to pay taxes on that too.  Crazy right.  I asked Kaitlyn were she learned that.  She told me in school mom.  Wow so hats of to the OCS program at Hough High School.

Now to stop by Papa Johns grab the pizza and head home.  Yep Hubby is still at the computer working on softball stuff.  Really to be a volunteer coach!!  The other day on the news here there was this lady that sued her sons youth football coach because he got a concision.  I called him on his way home from work telling him about it.  He informed me that let them sue we don't have anything they want.  Ugh just the thought of that made my stomach flip.  I swear if things don't get any better in youth sports there just may not be any!

The girls and I get home and eat pizza and Maddie and I start our wreath.  She was so cute trying to cut the socks, and stretching the socks really far to get it around the form we bought at the dollar store.  Here is how it turned out.  She was so proud of herself.  I think I had as much fun as she did.

This is so super easy to make.   Take 6 pair of socks that we found in the dollar section of target, cut the toe and heel off.  Then simple cut a slit in your form (dollar store) and stretch the socks over the form and bunch them as you go.  The ribbon on top was a bow (set of 3) we found a the dollar store.

Now it was getting late and Kaitlyn had us watch the Transformer movie from 1986.  You know the cartoon full length moive.  UGH!  I showed Maddie how to knit a baby hat on the Kniffty Knitter.  

http://www.provocraft.com/products/index.products.php?cl=knifty%20knitter

Here is her hat she knitted (sewed as she called it) for her American girl doll.

Not bad!!

Now Sunday here in the Carolina's it was cold and rainy.  I worked on an order I had from my Etsy store.

Here are a few pictures 

A total of 11 candles and

2 wet wipe covers.

I even got paid for watching Maddie:)  Crazy right.  Kaitlyn loved having her here and she is so good with Kaitlyn.

Hope everyone has a great week.  I am walking starting Monday no matter what.