When you know.

I was driving to California, and every second I got closer, it felt like I was driving home.

I am not quite sure how to explain it.

Even months ago when my husband and I were looking for houses.

We had to make a quick stop at Walmart, and as we were leaving, we felt like we should be driving back to our house.

The house we didn't have yet.

When we got the house, I hadn't even seen it yet.

The offer was accepted, and it was our 4th offer on our 4th house.

As soon as we had honed in on a neighborhood, Peter was relentless.

We weren't going to live anyplace else.

I checked real estate websites for months. Every day.

I saw houses come, I saw houses go.

But I felt peace.

We lost out on house one. I felt peace.

We lost out on house two. The WISTERIA house.

I felt peace. It wasn't perfect.

We lost out on house three. I started to be concerned, because time was getting short, but, still. . .it didn't turn to stress.

We put in a bid on house 4, it wasn't perfect, but it was in the neighborhood.

I was worried about the color, the size of the kitchen, the fact that there was no pantry, the layout, the fact that it didn't have a back yard, but. . .

I still felt fine about it.

We got it.

I felt peace.

Not excitement yet. But peace.

I drove 6 hours to go to the home inspection. This was going to be my only chance to see the house before we moved into it in a little over a month.

I pulled up.

It was a better color than I thought (It looks kinda pink in the pictures)

It had a better layout than I thought.

The tiles and carpet were all really nice! (House #3 had Forrest green carpet. . . so glad we lost out on THAT one)

The kitchen was big. . enough.

(The no pantry is still hurting, but I think I might convert a closet)

We have a lot of painting to do, but there were no crazy paint colors! (VERY common these days)

With each room, my excitement grew, and I knew. This. Was. Home.

If you have ever gone from owning homes, to renting one. You know.

How nice it is to finally call another space home.

I am so grateful.

It is perfect. For us.

It is big enough, for us.

It is close enough to the stores, for us.

It is wonderful to us.

I cannot wait another second to go HOME.

I am not sure how I can call a house that I have never lived in, in a town I have never lived, home. But I can.

And I am sure.

And it feels amazing.

I wasn't sure this day would come.

But it did.

What do YOU wake up to?

I wake up to this. . .




I.know.

That is buggy for you. Notice that she is not in pain, in duress, or anything of the like. She goes from one or two "Momma's" to full on shrill screaming.

It isn't my favorite way to wake up, but I felt like it is something that needs to be documented, FOR SURE!

Because you know she is never going to believe me when I tell her she screamed like a banshee when she got up in the morning. That said, my days with her in a crib are numbered, and I had to be sure it was documented!

Things that are good. . .

• We found a house. . . that feels AMAZING. Even though I haven't even seen it. (And it has no backyard)
• We have a move date, and it is before school starts. YAY!
• I am packing. . . and feel pretty good about the progress, but still worry about those last two weeks. Oy.
• I cleaned up my facebook account! No more clients. . . unless I love you MORE than just being a client.
• I get to leave Arizona! I am super excited to leave this place. . I like Arizona as a place to live, but everything else has pretty much STUNK.
• I get to start a new life! This may seem like something I am sick of doing, but in this case, I am super super excited.
• We finally signed our Area Development Agreement with Papa Murphy's! We are now the proud owners (co-owners) of 8 Papa Murphy's locations in the Inland Empire of California.
• Wade is obsessed with California. He talks about it all the time. The funny thing is, he has done this ever since we went there for Thanksgiving LAST YEAR.
• I am in a really great place with my kids. . . I look at them each day, amazed that I had them all (it really seems crazy to think about) but, I look at them and love them for their little personalities. They are all SO different.

Things are good. . .

Cart Before the Horse . . Or worst kept secrets.

This post has been a long time coming. And it might just be the most delayed post I have ever written. I wrote it MONTHS ago. I mean, MONTHS, but I am finally ready to post it. And so. . .here it is. It is probably the worst kept secret in my life, but I am ready to put it out there for everyone to see.

I don't think it will be shocking to ANYONE. Especially after my LAST post, but here it is.

Spring is my favorite time of year. Maybe it is because it is my Birthday! Maybe it is because I love the blooming flowers. Maybe it is because my Anniversary is in the spring! Maybe it is because the world seems to start anew. Maybe it is all because of new beginnings I have had, and I have had lots.

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you would know that the past couple (3) years have been a big challenge for our family in many, many ways. If you don't know, you can read about it HERE.

Things seemed to calm down right around the time that Kaylie was born. However, they really didn't. That year Peter started a new job, we moved (for the 9th time in 10 years), and Peter embarked on doing a Master's Degree along with working full time. With a brand new baby, it was a lot to take on. Extreme stress and long hours became the name of the game. Not to mention, there still seemed to be a bit of "un-rest" with our new situation. It didn't sit well with Peter and he was uncertain our lives were moving in the right direction. Oy.

That was hard for me. (And him) Because we had been trying to get back on our feet for several months. Trying to re-group. Trying to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. Trying to "buck-up". But even though he got a job (not a great one) and was re-careering, we still felt like we weren't quite there yet. We figured it was just because we were busier than ever, and in a job that was several steps backward. He interviewed, and interviewed, and interviewed. We even had several "final interview"s and we never got the offer. Something was still standing in our way, and we weren't sure what.

In November, Peter was laid off.

It wasn't what we were expecting.

He was only a year into his Master's Program, that his job was paying for.

It was the main reason we were at that job.

At first, it seemed like a curse.

Then we realized, it was a blessing.

This was our big chance.

To make it right.

Our family was reeling from the news, and once again faced with uncertainty. Or, continued with uncertainty, or increased our uncertainty. Been there? For three years? Really? It's not fun.

We have earned our stripes, and made it through. I am not going to say it was completely without scars, but I can say, we are stronger. We have finally chosen a direction to go, and almost feel compelled. Which is such a relief after years of uncertainty and question. Our new "trajectory" is taking us to a new place. A new STATE.

California.

I can hardly believe it as I type that. Peter and I have lived in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Washington, Arizona and now we are going to add California to our repitore. I can honestly say that neither one of us has EVER had a desire to live in the state. Don't get me wrong, it is a great place to visit, but I can honestly say, it wouldn't be our first choice, but it is now.

And we are going.

We feel peace. More peace that we have felt in a long time. We were scared, and took painstaking measures to make sure this was the right thing for our family. We have done countless hours of research and know exactly what to expect, and how it is going to go down.

But it has been decided, and it is final.

We are going to California.

And we are going to open a new franchise in a little town called Temecula.

And that franchise is one that we know well, and love, and have researched a TON.

It is:

Ever heard of it?

VOTE FOR MY HOUSE!

VOTE HERE! _------------------------------------------------------------>

Okay, in reality, you aren't going to pick my house, but this has really become a difficult decision! I think I know which way I am leaning, but, any help would be appreciated. :) In reality, there will be lots of prayer and thought that goes into this and many other things we have to think about. Anyway, It would be nice to have some help! So. . . HELP! Haven't you always wanted to pick a house where it has virtually NO impact on you? :)

You can click on the name of the house to see pictures and the actual listing.

Dodaro House:

Cons:

Smaller Square feet

On the corner and entrance of the neighborhood.

Only thing in the yard is the pool. No other space.

7.7 miles away from work. 15-25 mins depending on Traffic.

Pros:

Pool

Good Schools

Golden Mist House

Pros:

Large Yard

Large Square Footage

Shutters on all windows

Nice Neighborhood

Good Schools

Out of Town/Closer (by 10-15 mins to beaches)

Cul de sac

Cons:

Out of Town/ 8.7 Miles away from work

No Pool or HOA with a Pool.

Desert Willows House:

Pros:

Big house

Nicest upgrades

Nice Neighborhood

Cons:

Schools aren't quite as good as others

No pool, or association pool.

Needs work. Paint, Door, new carpeting in some areas.

Futher Away. 9.7 miles.
Wisteria Lane House:

Pros:

1.7 miles from work!!!!!

Association Pool

Cul De Sac

Name of the address! DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE!

Good Schools

Cons:

Smallest House

No Pool in the backyard, but nice back yard

Not as much storage space.

Closer to work, but much more traffic to fight to get anywhere, in a busy part of town.
With all of the great opinons, I decided to give everyone a real opportunity to see the options!

Lego Lament

Wade is one of my best "self- entertainment" kids. We can turn off the TV, and he can find a myriad of things to do. He puts together the mickey mouse puzzle (shown here) again and again. He will play with toys, make a mess, play with blocks and play with his Legos. . . for a long, long time. It is really great to have a kid who can keep himself occupied during those precious precious napping hours of a toddler.


These Legos aren't even HIS Legos. They are Jaxon's Legos. We held off on buying Legos for a long, long time. As a matter of fact, this Christmas was the first time we bought a Lego set. . . . it was for Jaxon. . . but he never plays with it. He doesn't have the patience for it. Wade does. . . . actually, Wade just plays with the "Lego guys". . . he takes their legs off, their heads, their hats, and puts them all back together again in a different order. Shall we call it, Barbie dress up? I mean, Lego guy dress up?


Here are a few of the latest creations. If you look really closely, you can see teeth marks on the legs of the white "Lego guy" because that is the only way Wade can take the legs off. Peter taught him that trick, after I decided "quiet time" was far too full of me constantly changing "Lego guy" clothes.

Tonight, we paid a visit to the Lego store. It was a first for Wade, and he was. . .overwhelmed. He saw the bin of "Lego guy" parts that you can create a pack of three. They are $9.99 for three. A little too much for some Lego guys. The clerk quickly showed me to some singles. They were in bags, and you could not see what kind of Lego guy you were going to get. But the clerk promised me that every single one was unique and un-like the other, and had parts that you can't buy in the "build your own" section.

I was intrigued.

I let each of the boys pick out a bag.

When we got home, I let the boys open their bags. Jaxon opened his, and it was this awesome Musketeer. Cool hat, shirt and sword. Nothing short of Awesome.


Then Wade opened his. . . and before I could even get it assembled he started to cry. . and scream, and wail in horrifying disgust.

His Lego guy.

Was a Lego GIRL.

Wade was not happy.

He wants nothing to do with Lego Lady.

The Happy People of Pennsylvania

Abby is working on a state project for her class. Gotta love the 4th grade. One of the pros, and cons, of her teacher this year is that they don't have a lot of homework. The pro is that she does most of the work for her big "projects" at school. They are given time, they work on it little by little and they learn to do these projects on their own, instead of having their parents do it for them.

I like that part.

The part I don't like is that when she is struggling in class, I have no idea about what to help her with because we don't have homework coming home.

I don't like that part.

For her state project Abby chose the state of Pennsylvania. Not Utah (where most of our extended family lives), not Washington (where she has lived most of her life and more extended family lives), not Oregon (where she was born), not California (where she loves to visit).

PENNSYLVANIA.

I have nothing against Pennsylvania. But could not for the life of me figure out why she chose Pennsylvania.

When I asked her, why? She said, "Because that is where Hershey's Chocolate is made." No lie.

I have no idea where she gets that from.

Anywho, last night was the first time I saw this project. Or the paper associated with the project. She was "working on it" which included nearly 40 minutes of changing font colors and sizes. (She does NOT get that from me) I finally told her that she needed to actually finish WRITING the project before tweaking the fonts.

Peter helped her print out the project last night, and it had a very colorful flag on the front. I figured it was probably the state symbol. It did occur to me that it was a rather bright flag and that it was a "little much" for a state flag, but didn't really give it a second thought.

This morning, as Abby was preparing for school and happily chatting about her fortune cookie from the day before and and asking me if I saw her report. "Mom, did you see my report?" "Yes, I did Abby, it looks great!" "Do you like the flag on the front? I have no idea why, but it is called the g*y flag of Pennsylvania!"
My eyes immediately darted to the image on the top page of her report, and I saw this.

The g*y flag of Pennsylvania

My instant reaction was to laugh out loud. But, decided against crushing my creative daughter's artistic eye. "Abby, " I said. "You can use that flag on the front of your report, but you CANNOT tell ANYONE it is called the g*y flag of Pennsylvania!" She looked at me with curiosity. "Why not?" I had a quick discussion with her regarding the term and the symbols at hand, and then, once she was busy with making her breakfast, ran into the bathroom to have a good laugh with Peter.

Gotta love the happy people of Pennsylvania!!!

Sidenote: In order to find this flag on-line, I had to scroll through at least 30 copies of the CORRECT flag of Pennsylvania in order to find the one that Abby thought was artistically sufficient for her paper.

Happy Easter

Translation:

A bunny

A bunny is the best thing yet.

A bunny is the bestest pet.

A bunny's nice to have around.

A bunny never makes a sound.

So if you ever get a pet.

The bunny is the best pet yet!

by, Abby.

Someone wants a bunny.

That same someone is not getting a bunny.

38 and counting

Age.

It is just a number.

Right?

The sad thing is, I remember my father's "Over the Hill" party. Ohhh. . he was so old. RIGHT?

Just a few short years away.

38 is definitely NOT what I thought it would be.

I don't feel a day older than say, 28, in my mind.

Here is to hoping my mind stays young.

Because I KNOW there is no hope for my body. . . with gravity and all.

2011 and 38 are going to be a BIG BIG year for this family.

BIG.

I will tell you why soon.

But, right now, my only intention is to CELEBRATE.

Much Ado about Hair

This morning, Abby had a hair bubble. You know, the kind that when you pull your ponytail back in a rubber band (or elastic, you choose) and it kind of bubbles. I mentioned it to her, and, exasperated, she said, "Can you do it?"

When I want to blow her hair, and she groans, I remind her that I would give ANYTHING to have someone blow dry my hair every day. She stops, but I relish the times right now when she WILL let me touch her hair, because I know that time is short. And I will take advantage of it now.

She brought a brush to me, and I brushed her beautiful naturally highlighted hair carefully as to get all the "bubbles" out. Do you know one time someone asked me if I highlighted my 5 year old daughter's hair? Um. No. I put the elastic in. . . a little (A LOT) higher that she normally does. She likes it at the nape of her neck. I wasn't really paying attention. Just doing it like I would normally do. When she walked into the bathroom to look at it, I admired my handy-work. It was cute. It bounced. It looked cheer-leader-esque. I liked it.

She returned from the bathroom a few minutes later.

Her hair was pulled back, to the nape of her neck. I smiled, and laughed out loud. "Ha!" You didn't like it! She said, "it was like clear up here!" Pointing to the very top of her head. I smiled, and laughed in my head. I am grateful. Very very grateful. Her look is plain, and not overstated. It is her, and that is okay with me. I hope it always is.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

After I dropped Abby off at school Wade insisted he wants a smoothie at Costco. Peter did my Costco run yesterday, and I informed Wade that we would not be going to Costco. He said, "But you are a GOOD mommy!" Inferring that good mommies do exactly as demanding 4 year olds want. I must admit. Guilty as charged.

He then told me he didn't like my hair. It was messy, uncombed, and up. In a pony tail.

He said, "Your hair doesn't look pretty". I didn't object.

A short time later, I got out of the shower. My hair was wet, but combed, and down. I walked into the living room and Wade said, "Your hair looks pretty, mom."

Who knew kids would develop their likes of hair so early?

How To Tuesday: Make Yourself into a Culinary Goddess

And no, I don't mean a "goddess" of Sheen fame. I mean, many people think that in order to make an impressive meal, you need to cook well. And. You don't.

Sometimes you can whip together things that are actually quite good, but don't take a lot of effort (unlike Stie's cake balls--but they look awesome stie!).

Although I DO like to cook, and I make part of my living showing people HOW to cook, I still am amazed at times how easy it is to fake something REALLY REALLY good.

Just don't over think it.

The other day I made Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Paninis by the Pioneer Woman. Now, if you REALLY want to teach yourself to cook well, starting with a site like hers is a great idea, because there is always a great picture by picture, step by step tutorial. What I was amazed by was the spread that she put on those paninis.

It consisted of just a few ingredients. Yes, those sun dried tomatoes had been in my fridge for who knows HOW long... Guess what, they were fine, and they didn't kill anyone. Yes the pesto is pre-prepared. . . So. EASY.
Stick those ingredients in a manual food processor (new product from Pampered Chef!), mini processor, a big food processor, and if you don't have any of those, resort to your blender. You will be just fine. . . Juuuuuuuust fine.

I didn't have time to marinate my chicken breasts, so, I cut up some baked chicken from dinner the night before, and threw my "marinade" in for an hour. It was a win-win. Chicken already cooked. . . marinade made it yummy. #winning.


I even had some left over to spread on the said paninis and to spread it all over a regular turkey sandwich or what ever else I wanted. . . my thighs maybe? I wouldn't have cared. It was SO. GOOD.


You can even go so far as to roast your bell peppers just like the Pioneer Woman does. She gives a great tutorial, but, if you don't have a gas burner, do what I did and burn the heck out of your peppers under your broiler.

And guess what, I even burned my paninis JUST like the Pioneer Woman, and they were STILL GOOD.

Oh, one other thing. You want to REALLY feel like a culinary goddess? Make your own Panini bread by making the EASIEST Artisan bread EVER. And it is practically no fail.

You can see the concept video here.

Or if you are more of a step by step girl, go here.

My point is. You want to feel like a culinary goddess? Start with this no-fail recipe. It has amazing flavor, and when you are eating it, you will think you are at a fancy cafe where you just paid $10 for your fancy panini. . . . give it a try.

A beautiful thing. . .

One thing I DON'T like about Facebook, is that it makes me a lazy blogger, and I miss out on great opportunities to blog, because in a moment, I can post a quick quote on facebook. But there, it doesn't last, and so, because I didn't want to forget that moment, I will post it here.

Jaxon: "Mom, do you sometimes cry when you see beautiful things?"

Life with Jaxon is challenging. A lot. I honestly don't think you can compare Autism to anything else. You can't even compare Autistic kids, because they are all so different. One thing I DO love is that somehow, with Jaxon, he has quite a bit of sensitivity to the spirit, and he is not afraid to share it. I am grateful for that blessing, because sometimes he is trapped in a mind that he can't control perfectly, but the gift of the spirit, and the gift of feeling the spirit is not tied to our ability to think, it is tied to our ability to FEEL. And Jaxon can do that, just. fine. He proved it to me when we passed the San Diego Temple on our latest trip.

My little Giant.

Most people are surprised by my height. If they have never met me in person, they are VERY surprised. It they have met me in person the first thing people tell me is that I am tall, (Like I haven't noticed. . .but thanks) Anyway. . .

But, it looks like we will have another giant in the house.

Meet Kaylie.


We went and had a play date at Tamsen's house last week, and this is what I found. . . Kaylie, stands head and shoulders above the rest. These girls are only a few months apart, but here is Kaylie, looking down on top of her head. Head, and shoulders . . literally, above the rest.

That is okay. That is how I look at most people too.

Wade has an edge at being tall too, but he is not THAT much taller than his peers, but, still an inch or two still makes a difference! Tosh and Wade are only a few months apart as well, and Kaylie is about Tosh's height. CRAZY!

** Just a side note, Liv, Tamsen's little girl, IS on the small side of things, but still, it makes for a funny pic.

Doppleganger Day

I don't seem to have a doppelganger. . but I know someone who DOES!!!! :)

This picture of Kaylie has been on our screensaver for weeks and Peter finally said, you know? That picture reminds me of someone . . . Just so you can see the REAL screen saver . . .

3 Happy Kids sitting at the top of the tram at Snowbird, and one . . not so happy camper. <-------If you choose to click on that link, please do yourself a favor and scroll to the bottom picture to get the true effect. K. Thanks.

My Uniform

I have a uniform.

I wear a v-neck t-shirt,

and a pair of sweatpants.

I tried to take a picture for you,

but it wasn't flattering. (Hard to imagine WHY, huh?)

So, I didn't post it.

The outfit is NOT meant to impress.

But, I wear it almost every day.

Many people have seen my in my "uniform".

The ladies I car pool with,

my visiting teachers,

any repair man.

I really don't care.

I mean, I REALLY don't care.

I am comfortable.

And almost no one can sees me in it.

Except for the people I mentioned before.

Sometimes I don't shower. . .

until 3 in the afternoon,

when I have to go somewhere.

I read Cjane.

She wears Mumus.

She is proud of her Mu-mus.

In her vlog today, she and her sister are wearing mu-mus.

They look comfy.

But I am not sure I can pull it off.

She said they get them at Dillards.

I searched for "mu-mus" on Dillards website.

Guess what,

They aren't called mu-mus anymore. They are called Patio Dresses.

I think I like that term more.

So much more, I think I want a patio dress.

Do you want to see me in a patio dress?

Or in my uniform?

Let me know.

Here are some patio dress options.

I think I am in love.

I think I would have to go with a longer mu-mu because I am so tall. I think the short one would be a disaster.

Which mu-mu do you like?

If I get enough comments on this post, I will buy the preferred mu-mu and post a picture of me in it on my blog.

I will decide what is enough comments.

As a side note, I feel sorry for the patio dress model. I am sure when she got to work that day she thought, "and what about me says, patio dress exactly?". . .

Life by Chuck E. Cheese Photos

I love Chuck E. Cheese Photos. It started with the Chuck E. and Me pictures when you are riding in the car. That was one of Wade's favorite rides as a baby, and he didn't even know he was "posing" for a shot.

When Kaylie started visiting Chuck E. on a regular basis, I make sure she gets a ride with Chuck E. too.

Abby started my collection, because she is obsessed with the sketch machine.

She took this one, and I have had it on my fridge ever since she brought it home. She snagged Kaylie for this one.
It is one of my favorite pictures of them. Even of the ones I take with my actual camera! I think it is because Kaylie has no idea what is going on, I had no idea it was happening, and the joy on Abby's face is priceless.

Abby got in the machine last night for this one.



And Kaylie was forced in by me for this one. Believe it or not, I was supposed to be in the shot, but she was moving like a wet dog out of the tub, I couldn't get a great shot.


I know I haven't kept all of the pictures over the years, but I wish I had. I think they are a great way to document our fun.

Happy Birthday to my Little Man

It's Wade's birthday week.

I really wanted to do a little Birthday Quiz like one of my friends does for her kids on their birthday. She does it every year, posts it on her blog for posterity, and it is so cute. However, I tried it with Wade, and it didn't turn out so well. I guess I will have to try it when he is a little older. Most of the answers I got were completely inaudible. But hilarious.

I cannot tell you how much I adore this little man. He came into my life as such a ray of light. It was one of those times where life was in balance, things were happy and a baby was brought into our family. I will never forget it. I have said, for almost 4 years now, that if all my babies can be like Wade, I would have had a bundle. Serious.

But they aren't. And that is what makes each and every baby that you have so special. They are all so unique and different. And I love that about them as well. But Wade came to me at a special time. I say things were happy, but we had just gotten Jaxon's diagnosis of Autism. (This is the original link) So, I prayed every day that baby boy would not have the same issues that Jaxon does. I cried when I found out it was a boy, because I knew that the chances were greater with a boy, than having a girl.

I watched him like a HAWK from birth. Every smile, every developmental milestone (those who have kids with issues know that you must know when all of these milestones took place because you fill out thousands -literally- of questionnaires about your child). He met every mile stone on time, or early, and my heart soared with happiness each time.

I obsessed over his toes.

He has shown his amazing zeal for water. Several times.

And his laugh is completely infectious. He still laughs EXACTLY like this when he is laughing really hard.

He has been my buddy.

And a little rascal.

But it's been more good than bad. As a matter of fact, the little guy has turned into a little lady killer.

This picture is kinda wonky because I wanted to capture the true essence of the moment. We had just hopped out of car, and Wade is one of those kids that I don't have to hold hands with. He is always on my tail, never runs away, and always listens if you say stop, go, or wait. I turned around to make sure he was there, like he always is, and this is what I saw.

My little dude, with his shades on, walking like it ain't no thing, into Hobby Lobby. It made my heart so happy to look down at him and he was just, bein' himself. And I love it.

Just moments earlier, we had stopped at a stop light. Wade likes to roll his window down and talk to the people next to us if his window is unlocked. There happened to be a 20 something girl in the car who looked over at him. He smiled, and waved, she waved back and smiled. Wade glanced over at me and said, "She's cute!" I started to laugh, and she noticed he was talking to me, so, I told her what he said, and she instantly told her friend and they started into rolling laughter. Wade, had the biggest smile on his face. It was a classic Wade moment. He loved it. The girl, the giggling. He was mighty proud of himself.

I am so grateful for this little boy. I spend so much time with him throughout the day. Most of the time, he is right by my side. Just hanging out. He is such a blessing. I hope he has a great 4th year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WADE!

The Bachelor Re-cap . . . Women go crazy.

I almost did a post about something other than the Bachelor last week. Seriously! I almost did! It would have been awesome. . . but, The Bachelor is almost over, so, soon. Soon.

I am sorry I didn't get a post about the show up last week! I was watching it with a friend and was able to get all of my, "Whaaaaaaaaaaa?" "No she DIDn't" and "huuuuuuuuh?" moments out.

Most of them had to do with what Chantel chooses to wear. I am sorry. I don't like that kind of cattiness. I really don't. I refuse to let my kids talk that way, I usually don't like hearing OTHER people talk that way, but seriously. Chantel was not lookin' her best. . . oh wait. . . was she ever? All I can think back on is the many poor choices in dresses at the rose ceremonies. I wish I could do a montage. Holly seems to be able to find any screen shot she wants. Holly, will you please put together a montage of Chantel's poor dress choices? Thanks.

Moving on. . no, that CAN'T be all I can say about the African Safari, can it? Nope. First of all, back to what they were wearing. I have to hand it to Emily to always look freakishly perfect even in the jungle with ratty un-curled hair. Seriously. Props to that girl. She always looked hot. I know that is the reason SOME of you don't like her, but, really, she seems super-de-duper nice. Doesn't she? I really have not found a down side to that girl. I like her. Plus, every man needs a woman who can bring him down a notch. And I am not saying that Emily cuts him down or anything, but Brad seems like a rambunctious puppy. And Emily just might be the calming nature he needs to finally "settle down".

Speaking of rambunctious puppy. . .

See that there in the driver's seat? That is Brad's twin brother driving the car. I sure hope they are somewhere in the desert because he is drinking a Bud-light while driving, and I am pretty sure that is illegal. Why bother with the seat belts guys? But you can see Brad the puppy in the back seat. He might as well have his head stuck out the window with his tongue flapping in the wind. Ladies. Does this video say 38 year old man to you? I think not. Emily, Chantal. . you can have him. But then again, I have never been a huge Brad fan. However, he might be ready for a real relationship THIS time. But we all know how long these relationships last.

I was laughing last night that his "significant other" told him to not be too happy to see the women from the show. HA! Already got a grip on that guy huh? That seems more like a Chantal move, than an Emily move. If Emily did say that. . she said it in that super sweet southern drawl, and didn't really insist. And the video montage they showed last night of Brad being a spaz. . . like I said. Puppy.

Okay, let's move on now to the Women tell all, and the most important details of the night. First off, if they pick Ashley H. to be the new bachelorette, I will be seriously disappointed. Like, DeAnna Papas disappointed. And if you have been with me through all the Bachelorette seasons, you should know that is VERY DISAPPOINTED! I just started to get really irritated by her whining and "do you like me" insecurities. I don't think she would be that much fun to watch. Seriously. But, you all know I will. I would NEVER go so far to say that I won't watch. DUH. WINNING.

Just kidding. What would a blog post be without a reference to the biggest melt down this week. Classic.

Okay, now on to Michelle. She drove me crazy. But watching her last night was weird. I didn't feel bad for her, because hey, you put yourself on a reality show, and that is what you are going to get, but EW. . . Alli really showed HER ugly side. Yuck. I am not saying Michelle should have left her 5 year old at home. We all know that she went on the show to "further her career" and I am sure she thought that was going to be great. But can you imagine the backlash you are going to get from a 5 year old if you have been gone for a month? I can't.

She was probably regretting it at that point.

And as for her craziness. It was clearly an act. Or was the crying last night. I don't know, you tell me. What I saw was a girl who is a little insecure, a LOT over exposed, and I dunno. But she did give us the best entertainment of the season. Thanks Michelle!

On a last note. Did you hear Reality Steve was wrong? That is what he is saying. You know what I think? I think the Bachelor producers are having a complete heyday wreaking havoc on Reality Steve and spoilers or not. I still can't figure out who he chooses. They haven't shown him standing out by himself until last night. And they have only shown Brad crying (hard) on Emily's shoulder. . which is strange, and getting mad at Chantal and her saying, "After all this, you better put a ring on my finger!" Nice touch Chantal. I think I may have said something like that right before I got engaged, but there wasn't a "plan B" or "second option" waiting in the wings. I may have saved that little morsel until AFTER you have the ring on your finger. No?

Happy watching kids! I have read the spoilers and I seriously STILL don't have any clue who he is going to pick, but I can't wait to find out!

Bachelor Re-Cap- My 601st post.

Can you believe I hit 600 posts on my last post? I shoulda celebrated with a giveaway or somethin'! Sorry about that! I will be more attentive. No. Really. I will. . .

So, honestly. Are we all ready for the longest season in Bachelor history to be over yet? I know, they all have about the same number of episodes, but no one has explained to me why this one is dragging on and on and ON!!! I guess it is because he doesn't have any freak-shows left. Even Michelle wasn't compelling enough. With Jake, he had us all SCREAMING until the end. . ."NOT VIENNA!!!!!" But, apparently, it was already sealed in Reality heaven.

With Brad, he has been so darn reasonable this season I would be fine with any of these girls. I feel bad for Shawntel though. I mean, seriously. She was a great girl. Wasn't she? Yeah, the funeral home thing was creapy. . but still! She's a catch! So normal and down to earth and not even overly dramatic at the end! (Except for the whole death as a career thing. . . )Her biggest mistake was laying him on that table. No, not telling her dad that moving out of state MIGHT be an option. No, it was telling brad about draining blood. . .okay, there were lots of mistakes. But she really was just being herself. And how can you fault her for that. She was great. I hope she finds a nice guy who likes death soon.


Ashley is a spaz. Enough said. Okay, that is not enough said. I am all with Brad, she doesn't seem ready and I can't BELIEVE she didn't say how much she liked him (as pointed out by arm chair psych Chris Harrison)! She is crazy. NO really. She is. But, let's just chalk it up to being young and really, it just seems like she's not ready! So full of insecurities. Those obviously come up again in Africa.

Let's talk about Chantel. OH. MY. GOSH. Did you get a LOAD of that house????? Yeah, Brad can see himself visiting there A LOT. MEEEE TOOOO! Talk about living the good life. But I gotta hand it to her. Even though she grew up in that honker house, she still seems pretty normal. Her mom and dad need to lay off the plastic surgery though because those un-natural shiny faces were a little spooky, no? And we got a fine look at where Chantel gets her crazy (insert skanky) fashion sense from! With all that money can someone find some better clothes? Or shop their AGE??? Alright. . . alright. I am getting kinda catty. But seriously. The only other thing I can say is. . . Just how old is her dad anyway? Cuz he and Brad were lookin' just about the same. Anyway, it really did seem like Chantel's family was the best fit, and I would marry her for that cute dog. And I HATE little dogs. But what the heck was that thing? It looked like a teddy bear! Seriously, what kind of dog WAS that?

Finally, Emily. Oy. That whole thing was just painful. Wasn't it? I just couldn't take it any more. All of the awkward mommy/child moments. I don't know. I mean, they would make a great couple, but I don't think Brad is ready for daddyhood. I mean, he couldn't even get over kissing AFTER the kid went to bed! Wow. He is crazy. I sure hope he gets over that before he HAS kids. I mean, how is he going to get over childbirth!? I know she is sweet as pie, and super patient with Mr. Awkward, but seriously. It isn't happening. I think I would choose Chantel over her too.

But what really gets exciting is the teaser for next week! Emily denying the fantasy suite, and what was that crack he threw out to Chantel? Kinda like, well you've been crazy and normal, what am I gonna get next?!?!?! (Hmmmm. I think my husband has said that to me before. . . must be a match made in heaven) We'll see!!!

I am playing a game on Facebook if you want to play, and it is . . . . Name your favorite over-used "Brad-ism". You can check it out there. I would have listed them and counted all of them for you, but I am away from the TV tonight!

The Bachelor Re-cap. . . silence is golden

It is a sad sad time when I can't blog anything but the bachelor. It is funny, because I will look through my photos and think, "Why didn't I blog about that?" But to be honest, sometimes, I just can't blog.

So, back to the Bachelor. . . There were only a few things that really came to mind. First of all. I love Rambo Brad. . . "breakin' all the rules" Brad. . . I mean, honestly. . . If he did something the producers didn't like, they would just edit it out! Have you ever heard Trista say that Alex Michele (or who ever he was) TOLD her that he was going to pick her? Yet, you never saw that (It was probably in the fantasy suite . . ahem) But anyway, if they said something "they weren't supposed to say" it can always end up on the editing floor.

Let's go to Brit's date. BORING. Wow. You could really feel the distance. There was just no chemistry whatsoever! So, kudos to Brad for sending her packing. However, I am with Michelle, what a waste of a yacht! WOW. And, to be honest, I was starting to get extremely uncomfortable with Brit in her bikini. . .if the camera adds 10 lbs, I don't want to see that in person. It made me hungry just looking at her. I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo not somebody who judges body types, but how hilarious was Chantel with her fat day. What a bummer to be having a fat day during an SI photoshoot. I understand all of the emotions going on there at that little photo shoot. And leave it to Michelle to manipulate the situation to her advantage. She is a master, and my hat is off to that girl.

I also want to give Brad a big thumbs up for realizing what kind of a situation that was. Nutso. At least he recognized it, and acknowledged it. That probably could have worked a few episodes ago, but not with the last few girls. Too many attachments there. But hey, he realized it! But was anyone else completely floored when he gave "You're SCARING me!" Ashley the rose? First of all, show some confidence GIRL! And second of all. . . what a blind side to Chantel! I have to admit, if I had dropped the "love" word and didn't get a rose out of three girls on a group date, I would have come unglued too. That said, I am all for a girl "sticking it" to a guy. **Sidestory** I dated a guy once, who was playing coy. . .I was starting to get frustrated with his games, and put a sign up on the back of my bedroom door that said, "IT'S HIS LOSS" in big huge letters. I never intended him to see it, but when he came to "break up" with me (we weren't dating exclusively), the only available room in our crowded Sunday night apartment was my room. . Guess what he saw on his way out. Snap! End of Sidestory**** I was kind of wishing Chantel would just hold her head up high and walk away, leaving Brad to want to chase her a little. But, she didn't.

A quick note about Emily. He all but proposed to her! And I have to admit, I know people don't like her (hi Ashley!) But, I do. She is super sweet and has really not once show a bad side of herself. Not that there isn't one, but the fact that she can go through this complete experience and come out smelling like a rose is pretty amazing to me. I mean, just compare her to Chantel for just a second. She makes Chantel look like a completely immature, wreck of a girl. Knowwadimean? Seriously. After last night, as awkward as they were in their little private moment, I was instantly pulling for Emily. I also understand Brad's reservations though. . that history with her boyfriend, and even the fact that she is calling her little girl by HIS name every single day. . WOW. Don't know if ANYONE is going to get past that.

Last but not least (I had a lot more to say about this episode than I thought!) Michelle's departure. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ?? ?? Was anyone else seriously confused? For her to be completely silent is well. . . unbelievable? I mean, YOU KNOW the producers were in her face asking her a million how do you feel questions, and they didn't even get a "I AM NOT GOING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS" answer!!??!?! I can't believe it. Not even a quote after an hour? Wow. She went mute. Who woulda thought. But again, kudos to brad for seeing the A-bomb when he meets one. She is fire and he is no lamb. . Their relationship would have been a nightmare. I am amazed that he was able to stay out of her flaxen cord. . .

What did YOU think?