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. ;)

Taylor's Field Trip

Today I signed up to be a chaperone for Taylor's field trip. I am not a PTA type mom. but Taylor still asks me to come with her on her field trips so I will take advantage of that as long as possible. She doesn't let me come anywhere near walking her to her class line in the mornings (probably because I am wearing Dr. Pepper PJ pants) and I am not allowed to scream "I love you" out the window anymore...so I will do the field trips when she asks me. It was freezing cold and I didn't particularly enjoy the bats or tarantulas at the Springs Preserve, but I spent time with my "too cool for school" 3rd grader and that was priceless.

RV there yet?

For our family vacation this year, we stayed in a friend's RV on Carlsbad beach in So. California. I was a little weary of this trip because for a few reasons....Avery, Avery, and Avery. However, it turned out to be the best trip we have ever taken as a family.

Our campsite was on a cliff overlooking the beach. The beach was empty except for occasional joggers. (another reason I could never live in California, everyone jogs) We had tons of squirrels that would hang out near the campsite which made it fun to watch. The view was awesome, but you had to take 122 stairs down to the beach. Not a problem for most, but for the Orme's with their 25 lb baby, the huge baby stroller, the sandbuckets, the chairs, the towels, etc that needed to be hauled back up these 122 stairs, these stairs were a pain in the butt!! (They did help me work off all the roasted marshmallows and churros, however)

Family vacations always bring colorful memories like how Sheldon and I almost wedged the RV between some gas pumps on the drive home or trying to figure out what buttons Avery pushed on the RV to make the generator go off or the stairs fold under the RV or trying to convince Taylor that there were no more "drops" as she is screaming bloody murder on Splash Mtn. My favorite one was telling Sydney to pee in the ocean because I wasn't hiking the 122 stairs back up to the bathroom and then trying to convince Taylor it was okay to go back in the ocean even though Sydney had peed in it. :) TOO MUCH INFO! Anyway, here are some pics from the trip!

Watch out, Ladybugs!

I just signed Sydney up for the Spring season with the Honeybees again. She is pumped to say the least. Maybe now she can satisfy her vendetta against those Ladybugs. Taylor is not looking forward to being dragged to all of the games again and I'm sure I will be chasing Avery off the playing field more than not. Maybe if I buy Taylor a cheerleading outfit and pom poms, she will enjoy soccer season more. Personally, I think I need to upgrade my old folding chairs to something a little more deluxe like the seasoned soccer moms' crazy setups I encountered last season. Any suggestions?

P.S. Yes, I will pay attention to the game schedule this upcoming season a little bit better and not show up to 11 am games at 1 pm anymore! :)

Family Vacation Jitters

So... for our family vacation this year, we were offered the use of our friend's RV which will be parked down in California on the beach. They are using it this week and then we will go and trade them out and use it the following week. I am excited for the trip/adventure, but I can't help but picture a certain movie when I think of the Orme family vacationing in an RV....a friend's RV not a rental. Wish us luck!

This should be the best part for Sheldon...

M.I.A.

I have been debating on whether or not to keep blogging lately. I have a cop friend who repeatedly tells me how dangerous the blogging world is and what sick predators are viewing pics of my family. I'll be honest, it creeps me out. BUT...I miss my blogging friends so I think I'm over it. I won't go private because that is way too boring. Plus, when I blog, I try to do more fun things with my kids so I can blog about it. ;)

Happy 6th Birthday Sydney!

Sydney turned 6 on Friday!! She woke up that morning and told me that she didn't feel six. I asked her what we could do that would make her feel six and she said, "i don't know, get the measuring stick in the garage or something." I love how kids think that they magically grow the night before their birthday. It was Sydney's turn to have a family party this year (yay!!) so we had my family over and then celebrated with Sheldon's family on Saturday.

Sydney got a monkey mask similar to the one that Taylor bought herself back in July and has been walking around the house with it on because she knows they creep me out. My grandma bought her a gumball machine (gotta love grandma) so my kids have never ending blue tongues and HUGE wads of gum in their mouths at all times. She also got a toy computer from Sheldon's mom with all sorts of games on it and she yells, "BOO YAH!" every time she wins.

I think it's safe to say Sydney really enjoyed her birthday this year. Happy Birthday, Syd!!

Oh, now I see why Vegas schools had a snow day...

My niece who lives on the other side of town near Seven Hills sent me these pics from yesterday. We were all scratching our heads and laughing when the schools were closed today due to snow. We didn't get enough out here to warrant schools closing, but it looks like other parts of town did. I guess when there aren't any snow plows to be found in town, it can cause some havoc. Last post about the snow...I promise. Well, maybe.

Second chance!

Mother nature has been kind to me and brought more snow so that I can take pics of my own kids and not have to borrow some from the internet. :)

The Perfect "Snowstorm"

Yesterday my kids squealed with delight as Sheldon announced that it was snowing outside. I have lived in Vegas for over 20 years and I can only count on one hand the amount of times I have seen it snow here. My kids have seen snow, played in snow, but I didn't realize until yesterday that they had never seem snow fall from the sky. The fact that they could catch snowflakes in their hands was so magical to them. Yes, they were catching them in their hands because their gloves have been buried in storage due to the 70 degree weather we had up until week or so ago.

Having grown up in Idaho where the snow came up to your eyeballs and the school bus driver would often have to come rescue me because my moon boots were stuck in a snow bank, snow is not so magical to me. However, this "snowstorm" was beautiful because we all knew that it was just going to stay long enough for a couple of snowmen, some good pictures, some giggles, and then it would melt away before anyone could complain. That to me is the perfect snowstorm.

I AM SO BUMMED THAT MY CAMERA WAS NOT CHARGED!! TYPICAL JEN. I borrowed pics from the Internet.