Five minutes of your time

I have been surprised by the low voter turnout for the municipal election this year. Yes, probably like everyone else, I have grumbled that I was just at the polls recently...why didn't they have us vote for these officials then? However, I was just reading that in the last election for NLV mayor, council seats, judicial posts, etc. that only 2,415 people voted in the Primary and 1,402 in the general. That is such a low number of people considering the population of North Las Vegas is close to 220,000 people! Anyway, please pardon my rant. I just wanted to post a reminder for my NLV friends to get out there and cast your vote this week. (early voting at Sun City Aliante tomorrow) Your vote really makes a difference in this election, especially considering the low voter turnout.

Please know that I am not just reminding you because my uncle is running for mayor, but also because we should have a say in who is running our community. I have never been a big fan of telling people who they should vote for since we all have different issues that are important to us. However, I know all of you couponing moms out there are getting the newspaper now so take a few minutes and read up on the candidates. There is still a lot of vacant land near our homes that we need to be mindful of and a lot of possible budget cuts that will have an effect on our families directly. Okay, okay.....rant over.

I'm the weiner!!

Okay, have any of you seen the movie, "He's Just Not That Into You", where Scarlett Johansen wins the cooler at the grocery store and acts like she just won the lottery and hugs random strangers? Well, I just opened an email from a blog that I follow called http://www.cheapomcfrugalpants.blogspot.com/ and I won the Fiber One Health and Fitness Pkg!! YEE HAW!! My kids were giving me confused looks as I came skipping out of my office and gave them each a hug accompanied by a few giggles. I have never won anything in my life so I am just savoring the moment. Yeah Me!! ;) Don't laugh, but here is what I won:

This kit includes:
Coupon for free Fiber One multi pack yogurt
Food scale
Pedometer
Fitness & nutrition journal
BPA free water bottle- shatterproof/break/stain resistant

I am mostly excited about the pedometer and food scale. I've wanted a pedometer to see if I actually walk the equivalent of a half marathon chasing Avery throughout the day. If not, I'm sure it's pretty close!

The Azure Mermaid Show

Recently, I googled "What can I do in Las Vegas for FREE with kids that are on track break and driving me absolutely cuckoo?". Among the usual search results of free factory tours and not so free arcades was a new attraction I hadn't seen or heard of yet...."The Azure Mermaid Show" at the Silverton by the Bass Pro Shop. Apparently, the gigantic aquarium located in the Silverton has a mermaid that dives down and swims around with the fish and interacts with the tourists.

Because we do live in Vegas, I had to do a little more research to make sure the mermaid was family friendly and wouldn't resemble Darryl Hannah from Splash. Bikini top...check. Not in a bar...check. Plus, I checked out footage of the mermaid on YouTube just to be safe.

We invited Taylor's friend, Madelyn, to come with us to the aquarium last night. Sheldon and I told the girls that we were going to check out the Bass Pro Shop and the aquarium, but kept the mermaid a surprise.

The girls were amazed by how large the aquarium was and by how big the stingrays were that came right up to the glass. There was another show that was just ending where the diver came down and fed the fish and talked to the audience about the different fish and took any questions. After about 10 minutes of watching the fish....the long awaited mermaid appeared! The girls were pretty excited, but no oooh's and ahhh's like I had hoped. I forget my kids are getting older and that not everything is magical to them anymore. However, the mermaid came right up to the glass and played with the girls which they enjoyed quite a bit. Avery mostly had a look of "what the?" on her face, but she was definitely intrigued.

After taking in the aquarium, we ventured into the Bass Pro Shop to reward Sheldon for sitting thru the "magical mermaid" show. The girls loved looking at the ducks and Sheldon taught them to shoot the rifles in the arcade shooting gallery. Avery loved the stuffed animals on display. We ended the night with Oreo milkshakes and worn out kids which was my reward.

Are you kidding me?

If you've hung out with Sheldon and I long enough, you pretty much know that Sheldon and I have a "unique" relationship. I'm sure that we've lost some friends because of our "unique" senses of humor. In fact, for those who are "King of Queens" fans, Sheldon and I are pretty much Doug and Carrie.

So last night, Sheldon and I were eating some ice cream from little "Ben & Jerry" sized containers. I got up to throw mine away and Sheldon threw his empty one in my general direction as a "subtle" hint that maybe I should throw his away as well. I decided that I didn't like his "subtle" gesture and left it there for him to pick up. Of course, this engaged some playful banter of who should pick it up. Long story short, I left it there and went upstairs to get ready for bed. Sheldon came up shortly after around 11 p.m. All of a sudden, I hear my cell phone ringing downstairs in the kitchen. Of course, I think...."Oh no, what's wrong?!" when my cell rings that late at night. I ran downstairs in pitch black darkness to see my cell phone lit up as it ringing and it almost looks like its floating in the air. I flip on the kitchen lights and see this........



and then I hear an EVIL cackle coming from upstairs. Sheldon had stabbed his spoon through the lid of the ice cream cup and then taped my cell phone to his spoon. He then thought it would be funny to dial my cell phone and watch me run to it.

My reaction....I laughed hysterically. Our poor kids, we are so warped. And yes, I did throw away his ice cream container.

I thought I knew what love was....

As most of my friends know, I am a confessed Targaholic (one who twitches if they have not shopped at Target at least once during the week). Dangerously enough, I have 2 brand spanking new Targets now within 5 minutes from my home. One just opened this past month and the other will open in July.

I heard that there were great deals to be had since it was a new store with "New Store Specials", but I didn't realize what joy this beautiful new Target would bring to my soul until I walked through its shiny automatic doors yesterday. "Oooh.....Aaaah," was what came from my children's mouths as well as mine when I placed Avery into the newly designed and blissful cart. All plastic, no rattling, easy to steer...the list goes on.

Yes, the store was beautiful, but the "new store deals" were what made my joy complete. 24 pack of bottled water....$1, Cereal....$1, Quaker granola bars....25cents if you bought 5, cream of chicken soup....25 cents!!!!!

I know, I know. My name is Jennifer and I am a Targaholic.

Hair issues

I thought I would just post a quick glimpse of what I mean when I say I have "hair issues" in my house every morning. I will not post any pics of Taylor's fabulous bedhead per her request, but here are some perfect examples below of how much detangler, spray bottles, and elastics we use in this household just to get out the front door.



Avery at 18 mos. old

Sydney at 9 mos. old


Sydney at 5 yrs. old....the bedhead just got more intense with age.

Patent Pending

My brother, Ryan, is graduating from law school this spring and has started counting down his last grueling days of class recently. I made the comment to him that my sister, Susie, and I would make a construction paper link chain for him to cut a link off each morning before class. He laughed and told us that he would prefer an advent calendar so he could enjoy the little chocolate surprises every morning.

Hmmm......do they make graduation advent calendars? No, but that wouldn't stop his ridiculously. dedicated sisters.

A few bead organizer boxes, my kids' leftover Valentine's candy, a deluxe hot glue gun, saran wrap, some highly decorative graduation scrapbook paper, and some mad Mormon skills later.... the most ghetto fabulous graduation advent calendar was born......

Congratulations, Ryan! We are so proud of you! Don't worry this wasn't your graduation present. We're still making that. ;)