Just heard from the camera repair shop and it’s going to be $200 to get my camera fixed! WOW…

Well, gotta do it… I’ve been without a camera since May. I’ve missed 3 months of pictures.

I got a new Blackberry, so I have a camera now. The old one stopped working after I had the phone only 3 days, so I sent it back and they shipped me a new phone. Know what this means? PICTURES! WOOHOO! I know, I know… my REAL camera is still broken, but cell phone pictures are better than NO pictures, right?

uuuuuuugh, they need to make a vaccine for parents to take. I’ve got a sniffy, sneezy, snorty, sinusy head cold… I get it every year when school starts. Abby brings it home to me (how nice of her). She doesn’t get sick – I guess she’s just the carrier.

But on the bright side, Puffs makes tissues infused with Vicks Vapor Rub. I KNOW! Awesome. I slept with one on my face last night. Didn’t help in the long run, but at least I could breathe a little…

Anyone out there tried Hercules Hooks? They’re a bit expensive ($16 for 20 of them at Bed Bath and Beyond), but oh my – they’re freakin’ awesome! I have 2 huge mirrors… one is heavy and the other one weighs about as much as a baby elephant… and I hung them both by myself the other night. Figure out where you want to hang something, press the hook into the wall, spin it around and hang whatever you want! They each hold 40lbs-or-so, so I used 2 on one mirror and 3 on the other. Man-oh-man… I’m IN LOVE! I envision hanging stuff into the wee hours of the morning too. Want to know why? NO HAMMERS ARE INVOLVED! Yes, that’s right, the kiddos will sleep peacefully while Mommy is in “picture hanging bliss”! And one of the best parts is that if you remove the hook from the wall, there’s only a tiny little pin-hole in the sheetrock.

Hercules Hooks ROCK MY WORLD!!!

I know you never thought you’d see the day that I posted twice in one day… but here it is, folks!!!

As you all know, Mothers and Fathers alike are breathing a sigh of relief nowadays. And it’s all because the kiddos are back in school (insert: “Hallelujah Choir”). I have to give the teachers credit – they take these kids who are fresh from summer break (ie. lots of sleep, swimming pools, candy, beach sand, tons of sun and tons of play time) and mold them into a normal school-going kid… all the while being patient in the process. I could never do it – I have a hard enough time with my 2 (much less someone else’s child). That being said, we’re back to our annual game of “let’s second-guess Abby’s ADHD medication”. Sounds like fun, huh?

This summer, her Dad and I decided to take her off the meds to give us a break from trying to force it down her throat every morning medicating her little body into a zombie-like state that’s conducive to learning. It’s sad, but she honestly behaved better OFF the medicine than she does ON it, but she has to have it to be able to sit still and concentrate during the school day. We started back giving it to her the Monday before school started on Thursday and immediately noticed a difference in her mood swings. OH HOLY HELL – WHERE DID THIS CHILD COME FROM? She has started screaming, throwing fits, slamming doors, acting ugly, etc. since then. She didn’t do that at all very much at all this summer. From the time she gets home from school to the time she goes to bed, it’s a constant battle about something (homework, what’s for dinner, tv, bath, WHATEVER) and we’re sick of it. There’s got to be something else out there that she can take that won’t cause her body to go into “DT’s” when it works its way out of her system! Can’t anybody help us? We’ve got an appt. with her doctor (the one that specializes in behavioral stuff and ADD/ADHD) Friday, so hopefully we’ll get some answers (or at least some comfort that we’re not the only ones going through this). I just hate switching her meds every 6-9 months. I don’t mind experimenting on myself, but Abby’s been on 3 different ADHD meds in 2 years!

Sorry, I would’ve posted a pic of the kids, but my camera is still broken. Yes, that’s a bottle of pills… Is it Abby’s medicine? Is it my crazy “Mommy’s little helper” pills? Well, I’ll just leave you to your own assumptions.

EDITED: Wait, I DID find some pictures Abbys Dad sent me of them on the first day of school. Look how sweet…

Maggie lovin’ on Abby before Dad takes them to school…

Abby sitting at her 2nd grade sesk for the very first time. Sniff**

If at first you don’t succeed, redefine success.

Ok, I’m going to try this again. I PROMISE to blog at least once a week until I can get back in the swing of things.Scout’s Honor (I’m sitting here holding up my scouts’ salute).

In all honesty, the last 4 months have been insane! My camera broke (and is still broken so that’s why I’ve got no pictures), School ended, Summer vacay has been fun but crazy, I bought a house (YAY), I’ve been moving into said house, I’m totally and completely broke (the product of buying a new house), I got a new dog (long story for another day), etc… It’s a bunch of craziness I tell ‘ya!

So, once again – I’m going to try to PROMISE that I’ll at least come on here once a week to bore you to tears entertain you with my wonderfully not exciting life!!!

When I got home from work yesterday, my coffee was waiting for me on the doorstep. Talk about fast delivery – i just ordered it Wednesday afternoon (they must know this girl was OUT and NEEDED some caffeine)!!! Anyway, I figured I’d get adventurous and try 2 new seasonal coffees and I’m really happy I did. The first coffee I ordered was the Island Coconut from Green Mountain Coffee Company.

This one is a limited edition and before it goes away, I’m going to buy several boxes. OH MY… it’s HEAVEN IN A MUG! It smells like a tropical vacation and tastes even more luxurious! The fruity, nutty aroma of the coconut is intoxicating and definitely woke me up this morning!

The second one I ordered is the Sugar Bush Maple from Timothy’s and it too is divine! This coffee has a yummy relaxing scent when it is brewing and that first sip just makes you sigh… this is definitely a comfort-coffee! You can taste the maple sweetness without it actually having any sugar in it… Mmmmmmm!

I can’t recommend this coffee maker enough! It’s great for those of you who like 1-2 cups in the morning (not a whole pot) or those who like a little variety.

Hairbows and Guitar Picks is having an Earth Day Giveaway on her blog. She’s holding the drawing for a cute reusable water bottle (I WANT ONE) and a few cloth grocery bags. Go check her out and do your part to go green for our Earth…

If you’re going to “cold-call” and leave a voicemail for someone trying to sell them a service you offer and then you follow up with an e-mail, PLEASE get their name right!!! I got a voicemail today from a guy who then sent me a follow-up e-mail addressed to “Francesca”. Ummm…

Well, I guess he got the last letter of my name right…