A Lil' Bit of Free Time

In the past week, I have had a lil bit of some free time come about. I know, I know. I have two small children, a husband who needs every bitta attention I am not giving to the children, a small dog who needs to be walked and fed, the shoppin', the fruit choppin', painting those cabinets, there's the laundry and those dishes, the cookin' and the cleanin' (okay, not so much cleanin'!), but yes, with all of those go-ins ons I have managed to find some free time! UNBELIEVABLE!!! How did I do it???? Well, last week, Lent began. Yal know what I am talking bout- LENT. I kind of understand that for 40 days (until Easter) Christians observe this time to really work on their relationship with Christ (through prayer, fasting, and giving up certain luxuries). Honestly, I have never given up anything in previous years, but I just thought since Jesus died on the cross for my sins, surely I could give up something for 40 days (and spend that time more focused on Him and working to better my relationships here in my home and with my family and friends. So for lent I gave up my social networking- that is right, no more Facebook and Twitter! Sounds so silly, I know! Who knew how much time I spent on FB and the Twit- well, it was A LOT! While my children would eat (I would tweet), while my husband would sleep (I am always awake so I would see what FB peeps were up to during their days), while I would have any moment of free time that I could have been spending doing something, anything, of worth, I would sit on the couch and focus on the lives and tweets of people who I do not even talk with on a daily/ weekly/ monthly basis! It is so crazy that I was spending so much time doing that and not spending that time on what is REALLY important. The first day was a little rough, I just kept picking up my phone to check on peoples status updates (can you have a fb addiction, if so, I might have needed treatment!haha!) One week later, I am not missing FB and Twit at all! Success! I have been spending more time reading the word- working on my Bible Study (that I have been doing at home)- I have played with my children more- finished my cabinets and soon to start more!- I have read 2 books- I am actually talking to my husband (really looking at him and having conversations (not looking at him while status' are updating). It has been such a good week Hope you are having a great week too!

Project: Cabinet Face Lift

As some of you are aware, I have been working on a special project. Those sad plain jane cabinets in my laundry room needed a BIG face lift! Well, the lift is finally complete! After weeks of sanding, priming, painting, and then applying a new beautimous paint with a mixed glaze... I am finally able to take laundry room cabinets off of my TO DO LIST!

Here they are.... the cabinets (minus one of the doors, since I forgot to take a picture before I started taking down the cabinets)!

and..... WA-LA!

I am soooo happy with how they turned out! Now to paint the walls and to do the laundry that is piled up on the dryer and the floor!

Now, I am going to rest my arms!

Caryn

This is a good day....

"The Help"

Well, some say that it takes a village to raise a child (and I most certainly believe that person)! I am so glad that over the past few days, I have been able to call in my "back up team" or "the help" (AKA: Honey, G-Daddy, Katie, Maggie, Annalee). Where would I be without this group of helpers.... probably locked up in my closet! Haha!

Thank you to my sweet family that has helped out with the kiddos for a few hours over the past few days! Because of you assistance I was able to do a load of laundry and fold it, clean up my kitchen, take a shower, go on a date with Aron (to do our taxes), and run to the Wal-Mart. What a blessing to have a bit of a breather.

G-Daddy and Brayden

Annalee with the kids (cousins)Honey with her grandbabies

Katie and Maggie with Sophia

Brayden and his G-Daddy.

Annalee with Brayden

Love having family right down the road to come and rescue me when I need it!

This should explain how we are doing.....

Well, things have been a little rough around here. Brayden opened his mouth wide enough for me to see inside and there was this gargantous tooth back there! I really think that it is taking up two spots (is that even possible??) I am kind of glad that it was a tooth coming in... I was beginning to think that I just had a baby that cried all of the time! I know that the pic is fuzzy and that he has a piece of cheeto on his tounge but the white blobish thing on the ledt back side is a HOLY MOLAR!!

How are things in your house this week?

Caryn

Nick Lachey Cake and Chubby Fingers!!

Okay, odd title for the post, I know. Onto the stories...

First of all, it was a happy day for our family yesterday! We went over to my sil and bil's house for a birthday celebration! Happy Birthday to some of my most favorite guys, Ryan and Abram!!! Yal, we ate so good last night! Fried chicken, real mashed potatoes, rolls, and home made mac n cheese (good thing that I wore my stretchy pants!) Yummy sounding I know! I was most excited about the birthday celebration, because I know that at some point we would get to eat BIRTHDAY CAKE! I love me some icing!! Well, not so much. My bil, Ryan, wanted something called a tres leche cake. Ya heard of it? Tres leche. What does that even mean? Is that made by Betty Crocker? Is that Spanish? What-ev. The cake sounded so foreign to me, which was made worse by my sil! She could not pronounce the name, tres leche cake, so she kept calling it NICK LACHEY CAKE. So, now, I am concerned. I am at a celebration that should have cake (with icing), no one can pronounce the name of the cake (thus I think that I am eating some 98 degree singers baked goods)! It was a mess! Then to top it off, my bil (Ryan) translates the name (tres leche) to (3 milk). Immediately in my mouth, I vom! I yack at the thought of milk and now to consume a cake that does not have 1, 2, but 3 milks? Are they the same milks? Is it a 1 percent? A whole milk? Goats milk? Soy milk? Cats milk (yes, cats have a teet from which milk is produced). Yes, yal. These are just a few thoughts that are going through my head at this time. After all of the racing thoughts and the queeziness a brewing in my belly, the cake is placed on the table......

Umm. I know. Where is the icing? Why does everything look like it is wet, like the whipped topping melted (it has been in the fridge why does it look like it is hot and wet?). "Ummm", that is all I could say. I am sure that my face told a different story. Then the cake is cut up and placed on a plate. "Ummm!" That is all I could say. My thoughts at this time were...... my cake looks wet..... my cake is a leaky mess..... where is the icicng? Betty Crocker would be so upset at this travisty of a desert!!!!! So, I look at the others at the table. "Ooooh, aaah." Everyone loves it. Everyone is slurping up their cake (yes, this is a slurpable cake!) Even the children are lapping up this cake. Then I look at my bil's daddy. He is such a sweet man. He takes one bite (just one) and then pushes his cake away as if his pants are so tight that another bite would send his pants button to pop right off! Well there you go. That is all I needed to see, someone not loving the cake! So, I placed my fork down on the table and decide this is not the desert to try!! Then my bil's daddy said, "it is like biting down onto a sponge and all of the milk comes out."!! Ummmm. Gross!! Needless to say, the Nick Lachey Cake was nooooo bueno!!! Besides the cake, the family time was delightful!!

Onto the next story!

As I sat watching the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photo shoot on VH1 earlier (I know, why am I watching this, all it makes me want to do is run and forgo any food for the rest of the month), but I watched. While watching this riviting documentary on the making a swimsuit magazine, I was scrolling through the latest updates on Facebook. Do yal FB? I am a FBer. I have a love/ hate relationship with the site. I love to see what people are doing (my friends and the people that I have not seen in FOR-EV-ER), and then I hate that I have a false relationship/ friendship with some of the people that I am "friends" with on FB (because we dont really talk all of the time, and honestly, I do not know a lot about some of the people that I am "friends" with) It is wierd. Isn't it? Some people I am FB friends with, I have seen at Wal-Mart and they do not acknowledge me, makes me NUTZ but what-ev! Anyways, while watching the ever so skinny bikini wearing women on the S. I. special, then telling Sophia the names of the animals that the bikini wearing too skinny women are posing with, and checking FB status updates (do you notice that my focus is not soley on one thing, MULTI TASKER!!), I see a girl that I went to high school with (she is married, I notice her last name is different), and I click on her profile, then see that she is married to.... blah blah. I think...humm? Do I know him? So I click on his FB profile, and then it SENDS HIM A FB FRIEND REQUEST!! Dang chubby fingers!!! My stomach dropped! OMGosh, I am now busted for FB stalking! I could not even take back the friend request! Mortified! Here I am FB stalking a girl that was older than me, that I went to high school with, whom I have not spoken to since 1996, and I am looking at her photos and her husbands photos to see if I know him from our home town and now I am busted for being a stalker! The only friend we would have in common is his wife! I am sure he looked at her and said who is this, she is your FB friend, and now she wants to be my friend on FB. Holy Moses! The jig is up. Hi my name is Caryn and I am a FB stalker! I hate that my chubby fingers just clicked on send friend request! Good thing I am watching the Sports Illustrated models, I wonder if they have any tips on not only getting a slender body but also slimming down my chubby pointer finger!!

Whatcha Reading Wednesday....

In my current position, as the Director of Household Affairs at la casa de Foresee, I spend my mornings, days, and evenings going 90 to nothing! My many job duties include cooker, house keeper, nose wiper, teacher, head crafter, project extraordinaire, outfit picker outter, grocery shopper, dog feeder, medicine giver.... you catch my drift! Those of you who are currently serving in this position at your homes know that there is little time to yourself (not even time to go to the bathroom)! There are many evenings where the kids are asleep, Aron and I have talked for at least 20 minutes and he has fallen asleep on the couch (due to our terribly stimulating conversations), and I am curled up in my o-so comfy chair with a book! Ahh! A few minutes of reading... just heaven! I love a good book, and I just thought that if any of you others are lovers of a good book, that this could be the post for you. Leave a comment if you have read a good book lately, I am always looking for something to break into! Here are a few of my favorites that are stacked on my nightstand!!!!

King Cake Baby

Dr Scott Butler

Yal! This is just in time for the Mardi Gras season! It is a crazy tale of a family and their deepest secrets and the things that are done to keep them that way! As I was reading this, I was thinking that I could for sure see this up on the big screen! This is such a fun read... order your copy at kingcakebabybook.com

The Resolution for Women

Priscilla Shirer

This is the current Bible Study that I am doing. Due to the sick babies I have had, I have only attended 1 study! Therefore, I am doing the study in the privacy of my own home! Only just started the book, and it has been an EYE OPENER! Talk about convicted. So far I am learning to really be in the moment and enjoy what I got! I AM SATISFIED! This should be my new everyday phrase! If you are currently not doing a study.... check it out!!

THE HUNGER GAMES

Suzanne Collins

Okay yal, this is a trilogy. Yes, 3 books! I have yet to open my books, but I am so excited to read them. From what I understand, once you open the 1st book, you will be unable to put the book down! I know, a little bit excited about these books! The first movie, The Hunger Games, will be coming out soon, so all should be reading before they hit up the theatre!

So Long Insecurity

Beth Moore

This is a book that I have been reading for awhile. Yes, I open then I close it because I feel like Beth Moore wrote this book for me! I am always reading it and then I think... OMG the woman is reading my mind, then I feel crazy for thinking such silly things. What I am learning from this book is I am not alone and many others feel the same way I do too. I have joined up with a book club and Moore's book was the selection. Hopefully, when I finish the book I will be able to say see ya later to all of my crazy hang ups and just let it all hang out and be happy!!

My last pick is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson.

Maybe you have heard of this lil ole book and the others in the series? It too, has been made into a movie. Good stuff yal, good, intense, messed up, craziness stuff! It has taken me awhile to read due to my lack of alone time and some of the other books that I am very invested in, but it is great!

So, are you are reader? Are you sick and tired of only reading The Hungry Caterpillar, The Little Red Hen, and Elmo books? Hopefully, some of these books or 1 of these books will get ya pumped about reading!! RIF! Reading is Fundamental! (Ha! That was a saying at my elementary school, it totally fits the post!)

Happy Balentines Day!!

Happy "Balentines" Day from me and mine to you and yours!!

Muuuu-ah!! Smooches! XOXOXOXO!!

Love yal!

Red Shoe Diaries

Just another day in this crazy life! Today I spent a majority of the day going to baby showers and having some fun with girlfriends! It was a good day. I even caught myself a few times rubbing on my tummy thinking that I want another baby! (That all changed when I got home and saw that Brayden had the makings of what will soon turn out to be a black eye along with a snotty nose, Sophia was throwing a temper tantrum, and then I needed to change an incredibly gross diaper!) The joys of motherhood... I know!

Today, at one of my most wonderful amazing girlfriend's baby shower (we are welcoming Miss Stella Monroe this next month), I walked into the party late. I hate doing this, it always leaves me frazzled and feeling completely uncomfortable when everyone sees you walking in. I always find myself trying to smooth down my hair (which was wind blown), smiling overly big (exposing way too much gum) then I quickly stop smiling (this makes me look rude, but I was remembering that I just ate a Hersheys chocolate bar in the car), and then I always brush my hand over my zipper (just to make sure it is zipped!) Odd things.... I am aware. I am a nutball, what can I say!

In all of my crazy thoughts, I am watching my friend open some of the most darling gifts.... baby girls yal... talk about the cuteness with their crocheted hats and so soft blankets! I was making small talk with some friends, and thinking the whole time that my feet were killing me. Here I was out in public and not wearing my everyday tennis shoes, I was wearing heels! Red, 3 inch, snake skin, heels. Ridiculous! These shoes for sure do not scream baby shower attire, but I was a little excited about being around others and I knew a lot of the girls that would be there were old friends from high school/ college, girls that are still o-so cute, and skinnier than ever (thus I tried to step it up a notch, and suck in my belly the whole day)! So dumb and even more tiring !!

So, I walk over to sit by 2 girls that I have known forever, and one of them even said, "I love your shoes." I secretly smiled so big to myself! A praise for my shoes that are killing me! Feeling sooo good, since I was completmented, I stand up and walk to get some food (it was way past lunch time and I have not eaten). I take that first step and can feel something pulling on the bottom of my shoe. I scrape my foot on the floor, just thinking that it is paper or tape from the presents, step again, and it is still on my shoe, repeat....step, scrape. Get into the entry way of this house and I look down and realize that my shoe has fallen apart!!!

What in the world!!!

Lets review them again! Seriously??
So, I pick up my foot, not sure what to do (since the other shoe is completely in tact). I just folded the sole of my sad red shoe back to the correct position. I take a step and stumbled into the table and it sole flaps back off! It is incredibly ridiculous! I am already thinking about taking my shoes off, but then I remember these shoes are soooo stinky due to the last time I wore them I stepped in a huge puddle of water. So, I am just going to try to walk and not let anyone seeing my shoe drama! Then my whole walk begins to change. With each step the sole was flapping off causing me to nearly trip and fall. So then I thought that I would just have to make bigger steps (picking up my foot more and it was almost as if I was bringing my knee up to a marching position.... I felt like I was marching with a band or either walking like a flamingo! I am sure that I looked crazy! Then, I started just not even picking my foot up when I walked. That is right, I looked like I was dragging my leg... like it was dead or something! I am sure I looked like a crazy nightmare with my zombie walk! Needless to say, I could not even focus on anyone else but myself and my shoes! So, I left without pretty much saying anything to anyone! I came home to show Aron how I was walking and all he could do was laugh at me and say I looked crazy. Why do I even bother! Geez!!

So long red shoes. They are now in the trash!

Bubba Did It

Never a dull moment folks!

Last night, Aron and I were watching a movie while playing with the kids. The kids walked into the back of the house (we could still hear them on the monitor). After a few minutes, we were very much into our movie (Bella was having a baby, Edward and Jacob were going crazy, you know how it is... BIG STUFF), then I looked at Aron and asked where are they?? We get up, and walk to the hall and this is what we find.

Never a dull moment! They just keep us laughing!

FYI, that is a toliet paper (2 1/2 rolls of toliet paper)!!

These things are soooo hot right now....

Hummm? Really? That was my reaction to a segment on this mornings GMA. Today, they talked about the 5 wedding trends that are really big right now.

In case you missed it because you were:

A. Sleeping

B. Making/ eating breakfast in silence

C. Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Let me be the one to tell you what is soooo hot with WEDDING DRESSES right now! The update left me.... well, I will let you be the judge. (If you were able to wear anything that closely resembled one of these pieces....well, you were just so ahead of your time, Bravo to you!!)

So... onto the wedding dress wonders/ woe nos!!

1. Sleeves. Ladies are loving the arm coverage! I am a fan too!

2. Slits. Slits up the front, the side, or the back. Showing a lil bit a leg is BIG yal! I don't know about yal, but I am not all about showing all the kit and kaboodle on my big day! It's a wedding peeps! The dress on GMA today, very pretty, I could just picture my MamMaw before the ceremony trying to stitch that dress up!! Ha!

3. Headgear!

Just kidding! Headpieces! Made famous by none other than Kim K. or Kate Middleton.

4. The pantsuit. Really?

This does not scream wedding to me, but to another it may just yell, "Here Comes the Bride"

5. A lil bitta color girls! I am not talking spray tans, and I am not talking about colors on the bridesmaids dresses, this is for the wedding dress!!

I love a wedding. It is something about waiting for the bride to make the big reveal, and what their dress for the "big day" will look like! Will it be wedding dress perfection??

Or... Should the bride have gone in a different direction???

Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride stepped out and the guests gasped for air or the guests were like, "o no she didn'!" I am usually the onlooker that is in awe of the beautiful bride, but I do wonder what my face woulda looked like if this came outta the doors???

Wedding dress love! That is what I feel about my dress...

happiness

If I had to wear it all over again (I could not, because it would not fit), but if I had to wear it all over again (to marry Aron, all over again), then I would!

So, do you still L-O-V-E your dress as much as you did on your wedding day? If you were shopping for your wedding dress TODAY would you still make the same choice? Was your wedding dress a story of wedding wonder and magic or was your wedding dress a tragic wedding WOE-NO!! If you are not married, do you already have the wedding dress details picked out? If not, hopefully, the above wedding trends from GMA will help to guide you!!!

Dancing With The Stars..........

Well, it is time for another Dancing With the Stars prediction!! That's right, I am gonna go out on a limb and predict the DWTS cast for the upcoming season! Last try, I got notta one dancer correct (but I believe whole heartedly that my show woulda been way better... just saying)! On to the cast.....

Tim Tebow! That's right yal! It would be TEBOW-RIFFIC! Do you think that he would come out with a verse painted on his face for each dance?? Now that is something to ponder. Hummm? What a great way to spread the good word... dancing for Jesus all over that DWTS floor!

Matthew Broderick... he just did that big Superbowl commercial... so it is time Matt! Kick off those actor shoes.... and put on those dancing shoes!

That's right! I am going back to my favorite Tori Spelling! I heart her, cannot help it. She is too funny, a wife, a mother, she can do it all! Sign her up! This is the prime time.... seeing as how she just had a baby recently, we know she is no longer with child, dancing could be her next big thing! Sign her up DWTS people!

I know... I know. I was hoping for a lil bitta Dog action on the show last year! Yal know, the show would be amazing. Look at him, I know that he has an inner ballroom dancer just waiting to break out! I can just feel it! I can almost see his amazing hair whipping across that dancing floor!

Okay, lets switch it up a bit with.....

Jo Frost, the SuperNanny! Sure she knows kids, but does she know dance??

You know that a Kardashian is probably going to be affiliated with the show some how! They will be dancing on it or either sitting on the front row cheering on a family member! I think that the person representing the K-dash clan should be.... Lamar Odom! Khloe's husband. He seems the most low key and I would just like to watch him dance! Maybe they should bring the Kris Humphries (Kim's ex husband) on to dance too! They could have a dance off!

Nate Berkus. Precious! He is just precious.

The show needs a funny person! Thus, Chelsea Handler. Can you imagine? This show would be DVRed so I could watch everyday! What do you think... not funny enough??

Well... then what about Joan Rivers? Dying! She could be super amazing. What if her partner was Maks! OMG!! Hilarious!

So, Peyton Manning, if you are retiring maybe you could do DWTS. It could fill your down time and you would still get a great work out! Come on! Sure, thhe man has how many Superbowl rings, but does he have a mirror ball trophy??? Ummm Hummp! Come on Manning! TV/ Sports domination!!

Mark Paul Gosselaar... I can see him dancing with Julianne Hough! They would Pase Doeble all up over the rest of the cast! Seriously, you know the guy can dance! He was the lead singer of the Zack Attack, the mans gots skills... enough said.

Kirk Cameron! I know... I had him on my last list... but I just hold that special place for him in my heart! So, there ya go... Kirk, please do the show!

If he doesn't... I could be, would be, o so happy to watch his sister, Candace Cameron Bure on DWTS! She Loves JESUS, is still doing movies/ tv, is a wife a mommy (so relateable, is that a word?), author, has an online magazine! Geez! The girl can do it all! What do ya think.... Come on Donna Jo Tanner!

This would be my last cast member guess. Since Jersey is so hot right now (and I ain't talking the weather yal!) This state is all up in the news with the governor Mr. Christie, the Jersey Shore is trying to do world domination with their spray tans, health/ weight loss pills, the books (yes, the Shore peeps are writing their life stories... I ain't hatin' just simply statin'!, the girls are Jerseylicious and well the rest of the community is EVERYWHERE! So, I am going on a limb and saying that just 1 of my favorite New Jersey Housewives should be on the show. Team Melissa or Team Teresa?

What do you think? Will you be watching DWTS? If they have already announced the cast for the next show, and my people did not make it.... that just means I do not get out much and for sure need to be paying attention to more quality news programs... E! or Access Hollywood! Ha!