Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia!

Today my lil peanut turned 2! I can't believe how fast time flew by because it feel like just yesterday she was a tiny little thing and i was rocking her to sleep. Now she is opinionated, tells you what she wants and doesn't want. She goes to sleep on her own. She is saying sooo many words and putting sentences together. She's super smart. She is a cuddle-bug and tells me she loves me all the time. She is starting to sing her ABC's and we're just about to venture into the land of potty training. She's hit the terrible toddler-ness already but she counters that with being a sweet, chatty, loving, smart, happy little 2 year old girl!

Olivia, I love you SO VERY MUCH!!!! You are by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. You're the thing that makes me smile every day no matter what! I smile even when it's 6:45 am and you're waking up, because I know you're going to smile and hug me and tell me you love me and give me a big kiss! You're the cutest little kid in the world (yeah i'm biased but it's true) and you will always be my little peanut, my sunshine, my most favorite Olivia in the whole wide world!

I'm a Blogger... Follow ME!

I'm in this swap on Swap-Bot called I'm A Blogger...Follow ME! I love doing these kind of swaps because I love finding new interesting blogs to look at and I love making new blog friends!

Here are my partners for the Swap... So not only do i get to enjoy them but so can you!

Agnetha @ Lilofant Design
Sheri @ The Musings of a Manic
Laura @ True Stories, Honest Lies & Cook Pot Stories
Jennifer @ Jennifer Said.... Life is not a Rehearsal
Elizabeth @ ElizabethMD Jewelry Designs
Misses @ Better than Naked - Vintage and Handmade Finds
Christina @ Chrissy Gee's Swap Blog!
Cathy @ Remember When... Remember Then & Psychic Mama Indigo Child
Beverly @ Lots of Possibilities & Our Family Our Story
Nicole @ Kampiscines & P.S. Kampiscines

Happy Blogging and Swapping!

Just thought I would share........

.........My new favorite pictures of the girls

It seems like I have to settle for individual pictures because Olivia and Rachel pretty much refuse to take a picture together. And it's not like they can't stand each other because actually they are pretty much each others partner in crime and best friend but either one smiles and the other is crying or grumpy or vice versa. Never a cute happy pic of both girls when i want one. So instead, on the rare occasion, I get amazing pictures of the girls and today was one of those times. It was nice outside, they were happy and my phone was cooperating lol. Hope you love them as much as I do!

I Really cannot believe how big they are getting. Seems like they can reach things today that they couldn't yesterday. Like I remember when Olivia could barely reach the door knob to close the door and now she can reach the light switch if she stands on her toes!

In other news, Our 4th of July was pretty relaxing. Chris worked on our neighbors tattoo and I hung out with the girls and then we went to this ball park called Big League Dreams where they have replicas of different famous stadiums set up. So we took our spot in the outfield of Fenway and picnicked and chased the girls around until it was dark and it was time for fireworks. They sat really well for the show and didn't cry once! Although I did think Olivia was about to when the finale startled her. But all in all they were pooped and we had a blast! (Sorry i have no decent pictures. I tried to take some of the girls during fireworks but they didn't turn out so great and the fireworks setting on my phone is weird so i got some odd shots of the fireworks and nothing good except for maybe the videos i took that i will have to upload later.

Also, Chris and I are on the hunt for a new place to live. Preferably something that is bigger and can fit more than 1 person in the kitchen at a time and has a backyard for the girls and the dogs and maybe even a craft/tattoo room if we were to get so lucky. We called and gave our 30 days notice today so I'm praying that something will pop up that doesn't cost 3x the rent to move in. Oi!

Well I'm going to go watch The Hobbit with Chris now. (yeah we are having a blast from the past moment) and do the rest of my laundry and maybe some dishes (ugh). Goodnight!

Songs by Emotion

So I started back up on Swap-Bot in hopes that it will get my creative juices flowing again. I decided to join this one called Songs by Emotion E-Swap. Since they put a stop to mix cd swaps *sigh* the alternative is to send a playlist to your partner(s) with the link to the video or music from the internet. Doing it this way ensures that there is no illegal pirating of music going on.

Anyways I thought the theme for this music swap was fun cuz it made u think about which song you like falls into the respective category. So I thought I'd share with you the list I chose to send to my partners. :D Enjoy!

Pumping, energy, can’t sit still: Black Eyed Peas – I got a feeling  
Drowning, heavy, sad: Evanescence – Going Under                       
Hope: Josh Groban – You are Loved                                             
Upbeat, cheery, good day: The Beatles – Good Day Sunshine        
Raging, vent: Five Finger Death Punch – Ashes                             
Numbing, empty/depressed: Linkin Park – Numb                           
Slinky, dark, dirty: Nine Inch Nails – Closer                                   
Soothing, relaxation: George Winston – Blossom/Meadow              
Vast, alive, blissful, beautiful world: U2 – Beautiful Day                   
Love (any aspect): Steel Magnolia – Keep on Lovin’ You                  

On My Mind... (confiscated from As is Proper)

On my mind
For Today...
June 30, 2010


Outside my window... is a lot of sun. It's in the 100's here and it's still pouring through the windows.

I am thinking...  that I would like to do a project soon. I have a few things in mind but currently dwelling on the fact that I want to make a measuring stick to track the girls height. Probably going to go to Home Depot and get some 6' long 2x4's - one for Olivia and one for Rachel - and sand and paint them and put little designs on them and then screw them to the wall so i can track their height on there instead of a door post. It's something we can take with us if we move and if there is one for each gorl they can keep them when they get older. So I want to do that but Idk when.

I am thankful for... air conditioning lol

I'm wearing... a green tank top and jeans. nothing fancy.

I am remembering... Schoodic Point. I love and miss that place. I was always so inspired there and I miss Maine so bad. My family is going this year and unfortunately as much as I would love to go I don't think it's going to happen. :(  

I am creating... tattoos. Well sort of. It seems like thats the closest I've come to art recently. I've been doing the stenciling and drawing for our friends that come over for Chris to tattoo. And I even got in on it and did one on myself which i must say is awesome and i'm really proud of it.  Hopefully i soon i will be creating more stuff too.

I am going... crazy... no just kidding. Chris and i are going to take the girls to the water park at the junior high by us. It's got some slides and water mushrooms and geysers and a kid area and it's $4 total to get in. Yay!

I am reading...  wow nothing at the moment except for blogs. I'm in the middle of re-reading Cloud Nine by Luanne Rice.

Song that is playing over and over in my head... Dirty Heads - Lay Me Down feat. Rome of Sublime w/ Rome

I am hoping... that Chris and I will be able to find bigger place soon that is reasonably priced. *crosses fingers*

Noticing that... my house is a mess.... yet again

From the kitchen... I'm trying to avoid the kitchen right now. I guess i should go to the store and get soe meat so i can make some dinner in the kitchen lol

Around the house... Everything is everywhere. I'm trying to go through it cabinet by cabinet etc. so that when we do move it's not a bigger hassle than it will be already.

One of my favorite things... hugs from Olivia. she likes to nestle her head right in the crook of my neck and pull me in close. It melts me every time.

 A few plans for the rest of the week... Swimming tomorrow, Gotta go get some lab work done, and a meeting friday night otherwise not much else.

A picture I would like to share...

Tattoo

Sooooo.... I said earlier that I have been practice skin for Chris recently as he embarks on his tattoo endeavors. Well, today I decided to be practice skin for someone other than Chris............ and that would be me!!!! Yes I did a tattoo on my calf today and not just a nautical star that is what I guess would be a typical "starter" tattoo so I searched long and hard for something i wanted that i knew i would actually like and be able to do and I chose to tattoo this:

So I drew it up last night and did the outline today and it turned out like this!

Isn't he cute!? I'm waiting to color it in later when we get more colors so for now I will just have this outline but I loveeeeee it. And I am pretty proud of it for my first tattoo. It took a little to get used to the tattoo gun but once i was comfortable with it, it was just like tracing a picture (which is all it really was) and I had fun and got it done pretty quick.

:-D Fun times.... i can't wait to fill him in though.

Time to catch everyone up........

Well It's Summer in Arizona and obviously HOT but still no humidity and suprisingly tolerable (yes even at 110 degrees). We've been very busy doing a whole lot of nothing it seems. We have Rachel (my step-daughter) half the time, but it seems like it's more than that which is OK with both Chris and I because we like it that way. Olivia and Rachel have each other to play with...well really it's more like cause trouble and make messes with but at least they have fun together doing it. They are pretty much inseparable minus a few sibling squabbles throughout the day.

 Chris has been learning to tattoo. He's doing so well! Of course I have been practice skin a few times but I am pleased with the way it has all turned out. A lot of our friends have come over and been practice skin too and we have even made new acquaintances in the process. So all in all that has been pretty cool. He and I team up doing it too. I do the art/stencil/placement part and he does the dropping ink part. It's actually quite fun but my house get's pretty busy sometimes and then I feel like a tornado has swept through my living area and the thought of putting everything back makes me cringe. Luckily I find moments to do it and on nights like tonight, it looks fantastic (thank God).
***sidenote - the picture of the fore arm with the lotus flowers and vines is just the outline but I put that sucker together myself. and free-handed the vines on his arm. it is SICK!***

We are hoping to move into a new house in August *crosses fingers*. We simply can't live in our little 2 bedroom for much longer... not with 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 dogs, a 55 and a 10 gallon fish tank, and frequent company. There's just no way. I feel like I have to come up with super creative places to put things lol and I know I shouldn't have to do that. So I have been in touch with a realtor and hopefully we can get something bigger for less than we are paying now :D


Oh goodness..... I'm sure there's more but I'm drawing a blank.

I'm working for Primerica and I love it. It's been a slow start trying to remember all the information and get a client base but I have faith that I will get there. Chris is looking for a new job too but we're having a hard time finding a place that's hiring cooks. He'll be back in school in the fall so that will be nice as he's working towards his Business degree and his Hotel/Restaurant Management degree.

All in all everything is going well and we are having a great time doing tons of stuff and nothing at all.

To Catch you up here are some pictures of the girls... enjoy! :D