Going Private

So I'm joining the ranks of private blogs! There are reasons, but they really don't matter. Yates and I have talked about it and feel it is the best course for us to take. We do NOT want to block any of you who still wish to come visit and keep in touch. Please leave your request AND email address as a comment and I will send you an invitation to view! I'll leave this up for a little while, which means no new posts because I want it to stay at the top.

I realize that for some of the more technologically disadvantaged people this will be an undesired added step. I want to make it as pain-free as possible and will help set you up. You can either email me or leave a comment with your phone number and I'll call and help you out! You will have to set up a FREE Google account, but you can use your existing email address and create a password of your choice (which can be the same as your existing email password). Go here to sign up: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?continue=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&hl=en

Just as a side note...I have enabled comment moderation so NOBODY but me will be able to view your email address that you leave for your privacy as well! I don't want anyone not to feel comfortable leaving your information, because your email address or phone number will NOT post in the actual comment section!

Steelers WIN Part 2

You'll have to read the post below to get the details on the Super Bowl party fun. However, I did forget to mention there was also Mt. Dew and Dr. Pepper that our kids had partaken of. Between that and the social stimulation we had a bedtime "issue" last night! Between the hours of 11 pm - 4 am I was awoken 7 times!!! 3 times by Tucker (wanting to come have a sleepover...because Yates is working nights), 1 time by McKinlee (needing her stuffy nose blown...after blowing she left my bathroom light on and put herself back to bed) and 3 times by Titan! I fed him TWICE if you can believe that and he woke up one more time between 4 am - 8 am. I let him cry himself back to sleep the other 2 times!

Then I woke up and Yates wasn't home and it was 2 hours past his shift! I called him and he got a little "busy" at work arresting some bad guys and ended up not getting home until 10 am (22 hours with no sleep). Needless to say, we're both exhausted and I am escaping work so Yates can sleep.

I was going to wait to post this collage. However, since I'm in need of a strong reminder of how much I really DO love my children I thought it best be posted immediately! LOL! Who could resist a little warm fuzzy looking at these cherubs? (Try not to imagine the horns I saw in the wee night-time hours)!

Steelers WIN!

So it was a fun time at the Sparks' household hanging out for the Super Bowl. The Bell's joined us and we dined on: pizza and breadsticks, chicken fingers w/homemade Winger's sauce, veggies and dip, chips & 7-layer dip, Smores treats, homemade chewy granola bars, peanut butter cookies w/a Reese's cup in the middle and homemade Root Beer. Combine that with the fact that the STEELERS WON (who is Yates' TEAM) by the skin of their teeth in a good game and it was a perfect evening out with friends!

Before we started we were thinking back to Super Bowl time LAST YEAR also spent with the Sparks and having the game go out because of all the snow on the satellite dish and driving home in a rare snow storm. Yesterday was a beautiful 60'ish degrees and nice enough for the kids to go outside and make the block wall of the backyard look like South Central L.A. with sidewalk chalk!

This picture deserved to be on its own and not included in the collage! I went in the room where the kids were playing and said, "Hey! Let's take pictures of best friends!" This is the pose I got...we've decided to use it as their wedding announcement photo in a few years! Notice the possessive arm around Ellie's shoulder as she holds onto his arm. Also notice the way her hand is open waiting for his other hand to grab it...ahhh...puppy love!