Sometimes life just bites.

Is it o.k. to post that? Maybe it is too late at night to be writing- but seeing as my husband is gone for week 3 of his travels staying up late is what I do (helps me sleep better). This whole traveling thing is another post in an of itself- what I really wanted to talk about is that fact that sometimes change sucks. Excuse my language- if you know me then you know that I dislike that word...alot. But that is my chosen wordage for now. 
We have moved a lot in our marriage- to be exact 9 times in the 7-1/2 years we have been married. (wowzers) seriously?? WHO MOVES THAT MUCH? We aren't even in the army! The interesting thing about that number is that we lived in Vegas for over 2 years...and that is the longest place we lived. Moving here I knew would be different- we still own our home in Vegas (kinda have to) but know that renting it out would be our only option. So to me, Vegas still kind of feels like home. We have made our home here seem like home- no boxes out, staying put for awhile- but how do you really do that when you know you are paying someone else to live where you are. You know that you will eventually move out of the place you reside in because who really wants to pay someone else's mortgage for the rest of their life? Yeah, not me.
And let us approach another item of business- making friends. How much fun can it really be to walk into a new area- approach women and say "Hi, my name is Samye- i am really cool and I can promise you that you will want to be my friend"...like 3rd grade all over again. Except now you have baggage, baggage in the form of a husband and three adoring children. De-light-ful. Wouldn't it be nice if we as women didn't have "cliques" if we could just stay true to who we want to be, be nice to everyone, and treat all equal? If we were more than willing and open to make friends with everyone? (I have found a couple women here like that...which has been nice.)
Really I have no reason to complain- we live in a great area, Halle went to a fantastic school this past year, I have made a ton of great friends that have been more nice and love the baggage that I come with, we live within a 4 hour drive of family, and my husband loves his job. Life has been good to us, we have been truly blessed. 
Maybe I just complain because sometimes it is  nice to hear something said that you want to say but haven't been able to voice (I share this with you)- and also maybe because my husband has been traversing the globe for the past three weeks while I tend to my baggage at home? Either way - change isn't always fun, but sometimes it must happen. You learn to live with it, let it teach you and to help you grow into a stronger human being. 
p.s.- How in the world do these women whom I know survive when their husbands are gone for months at a time? No flippin Idea- but let me tell you- are my hero for doing so. 

Little Brother Love

My little brother just left, he spent the entire week with me and the kids. All I have to say is he is going to be the best husband one day- he is so in tune with what needs to be done, loves getting on the floor and playing with the kids...all around great guy. 
He even babysat for me one night...what guy would ever do that with three children?? 
It was so much fun having him here- we spent great time together as he is getting ready to leave for Argentina this next month. He has been working so hard at getting prepared for this next step in his life and I am so proud of him! 
**of course I don't have any pictures as D took the camera to D.C.  with him

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's day to all the wonderful men out there. Specifically to the men in my life. 
Happy Father's day to the man whom I love more than anything else in the whole wide world, he truly is a great man who works very hard for me and the kiddos. He will do anything for me, even drive downtown to a farmer's market to get fresh produce only to find it closed last week. 
Happy Father's day to a dad who taught me all I know and helped me become who I am today.
Happy Father's day to a dad that raised my husband- taught him to listen to the music found within his soul.
and a Happy Future Father's day to my two little men...they are gonna make killer husbands and fathers one day. (As soon as they learn to wipe themselves, and many other things)! 

Fighting the battle...alone.

The hubby is in New York this week, he is having a blast...(as much as you can without me :)  ) 
While he has been gone I just wanted to share some of the things that have happened-
1. Mr. Miles poured an entire bottle of syrup into my glade plug in
2. He also found a marker and got the fridge, dishwasher, and part of the wall before I found him.
3. Refused to put on floaties when we went swimming, fell into the water AT LEAST 5 times. Goes under, I grab him, and he comes up grinning from ear to ear. 
4. Dumped the entire container of kitty food on the carpet.
At least the other two are being good helpers!! 

European Visit...+ story

All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The Epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now. . . the wax. I actually went to a European waxing spa today...and just because it says spa doesn't mean you get pampered in any way!! Anyway I remembered this story (not me) from awhile ago and had to share, it brought a great laugh to my day! 

Read on.........

"My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet."

So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom. It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax," yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works!

OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this!

Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire.

With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my hoo-ha and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (it was a long strip)

I inhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRRRIIIIPPP!!!!
I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!...
OH MY ******!!!!!!!!!

Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP! Another deep breath and RIPP! Everything is spinning and spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...must stay conscious. Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe.................. OK, back to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair.

I hold up the strip!

There's no hair on it.

Where is the hair???

WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip...it's not! I touch. I am touching wax.

I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake...remember my foot is still propped upon the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down.

Sealed shut! My butt is sealed shut. Sealed shut!

I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself, "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!" What can I do to melt the wax?

Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right???

*WRONG!!!!!!!*

I get in the tub - The water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together, is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub ... in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax.

So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cemented myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter "So, my butt and hoo-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!"

There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or hole or hoo-ha?"

She's laughing out loud by now ... I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box.

YEAH!!!!! Right!!

I should be the joke of someone else's night. While we go through various solutions I resort to trying to scrape the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better than to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!

By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace .... the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax.

What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and

OH MY ***!!!!!!!

The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. Its sooo painful, but I really don't care.

"IT WORKS!!

It works!!" I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair....

THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts.

I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color......"

How to make homemade jam.

I make homemade jam. Does it sound like I am admitting to something...yes I make jam and it is so much easier than it seems. Just the other day I was needing to make some so I figured I would stop by my local grocery store to pick up some Sure-Jell... it took me 4 grocery stores, and 2 mangers telling me that "that just isn't something people do anymore, sorry" to find some! serious! So I decided I had to give out instructions on how to do make some- that way you can see how easy it is and make some!1. You need to pick up some Sure-Jell from your local store (good luck). I prefer the pink box, it is lower sugar than the yellow box. While at the store (If you want to make strawberry) you need to pick up strawberries (4 cups worth),sugar, and canning jars (they sell super cute plastic ones in the canning section too...I think they are made by Ball). 

2. If you open up the Sure Jell box they have instructions that you can follow, like other fruits etc. I follow the no-cook jam recipes (found on the back). I usually use frozen strawberries because they are cheaper than fresh... so it entirely depends on what season you are making jam. You need to measure out 4 cups of strawberries, then crush them...so that there aren't huge chunks. Mine looks like this...

see you really can't see chunks in there.

3. Then you follow the directions- mix the sugar with the sure jell in the pan, add the water and boil for 1 minute. DON'T rush this...it has to boil for 1 minute. (other wise your jam will NOT look good...or set... or taste good...then you will be really upset with yourself!)
4. Add the jam to the pectin mix once you have followed directions..and once again stir for 1 WHOLE minute.
5. Pour into jars, and wahlah

That is how much I get from one SureJell pack... which will last us about two months.

Good luck

4 of 100 Things to do in Houston

We went to the Houston Aquarium this past week. Not only is this an aquarium, but they also have rides! We had the privilege of having Poppa with us too! 

We rode the carousel first thing (it was starting to warm up pretty fast).

We enjoyed a couple of their other rides, then headed inside to check out the fish.

And pet some sharks!

My review? Surprisingly enough I would not recommend checking it out. It was nice, and it was fun- but for the whopping price we paid I would be just as happy taking my kids over to Bass Pro to look at the fish. (Speaking of, do you know that Las Vegas has one of the biggest Bass Pro's in the world....it is worth stopping and walking around if you ever go). The carnival rides were fun, but seeing that they opened at 10am (of course we were there at that time, right when they opened) and none of the workers were even out running rides until 10:30...not happy little camper kiddos! 

Most Annoying Store...

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe I have found the most annoying store to shop at. Please please tell me if you could beat this...because I would love to hear. 
Here is how it went:me- walking in with a pair of jeans to returnJoe (we will just call him/her that)- "Hi, do you have an exchange that needs to be made today?me- "Actually I need to return these and get my money back"Joe- "May I ask why the need to return these?"me- "sure, I washed them once and they shrank about 2 inches in length...my husband is 6'5 so they really don't fit now! " chuckle here... me to them...Joe- "Ok well how about I get you the same jean just in a longer length" runs away to the other side of the store to get the other pairme- while she runs off "oh no don't worry about it"Joe- "Here- these would be perfect...they are longer AND it is the same jean!" me- "Thanks, but really I don't want another pair. My husband just ordered some longer darker ones online"Joe- "oh well here are our darker jeans too, I Am sure these would fit perfeeeect!" Me- little bit frustrated at this point "thanks, but no I think we are just going to go with the jeans he ordered"Joe- "why don't you just take these home so that he can try them on...and then you could have these too!"Me- "No... I think I just want to return these jeans."Joe- "well if you must return them... (about 20 sec pause) How about I give you my card, with all of his jeans that he likes so that you can call ahead next time and we can do personal shopping for you"Me- "I am not sure we will be coming back anytime soon just because my husband just loaded up on jeans, he wears slacks to work so he won't really need any more"Joe- " Here....here is my card. It has all of his info, with the jeans on it that he likes.. call me and I will get you all set up!" Me- "fine" 
GGEEEEZZZ that is, seriously word for word our conversation. Any guesses on the store? It was...drumroll please..... 
The Buckle
I told Dustin he was NEVER EVER allowed to buy a pair of clothing from that store, ever again. 

My Modern Man

If you haven't before checked it out, please check out the fabulous blog www.thenewtonapple.com It is by far one of the best blogs out there on leadership, how to be a better you, resume building, all around improvement blog on the market!! And, it even got featured on the fabulous website HERE. Take the time, click the link, and leave some love for the man who wrote it!! 

Today is the Day!

Today is the big day...the day we have been waiting for for so long....

Yep, she is done with Kinder. What will she do with her life now? Ha.

We went to her graduation on Tuesday night and it was so much fun. It was in the highschool auditorium and it was...a gr-ad-ua-tion. Serious business. We settled ourselves in the second row for her graduation (along with all the other parents in the kinder class) First the principal addressed us and let us know how proud she was in their development this past year, how far they had come. Then they had a slide show of all the kids baby pics and pics that were taken this past year- it was really cute and well put together. Then the ceremony began- each Teacher would read their student's name out loud and then the student would walk across the stage, shake the principals hand, get their diploma, then go stand by the rest of their class. After finishing off all the classes they gave out awards (perfect attendance, etc). The kids then all came back up on stage and sang a couple of songs... and they were by far the most precious songs! The final song was sung to the tune of "New York New York", (she loved practicing this one for us)

I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it
First Grade first grade...

It was so much fun watching her change and grow this past year. She has had the BEST teacher and she was truly an answer to many prayers!

Here's hoping that first grade is awesome too!!!