Dreamcatcher

I don't normally enter my photos into web contests and such (though I have done it a couple times) but I couldn't help myself when I saw the January Photo Challenge at Rock The Shot. This month' s theme is "Favorite Shot of 2012". There have been a handful of shoots that I have been on that have produced some of my all-time favorite shots but I believe that this particular one is my favorite of them all.

Not only is is my favorite because I think it looks cool, but it also has bunch of wonderful memories attached to it. This shot was taken in San Destin, Florida at the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic. My husband works at a local television station and I got to tag along with him while his station covered the tournament. While he was down at the dock getting video footage of the boats and fishermen heading out, I ran down the boardwalk to get some sunset photos. While, literally, running down the wooden path I saw a sign that looked like a gong hanging through the trees. I took some quick shots, and contorted myself like I usually do to get several different views. As I did, the sun shined through one of the links that was holding the sign up. I twisted myself up a bit more to get it through the biggest link and this was the result.

-BritneyMarie

ROSE Photography

www.rocktheshotforum.com 

Simple Solution to a Simple Problem

I suppose if portion control is my problem, then I could work-out to balance out the need to eat everything in sight. It's not a perfect solution, but at least it's an attempted one. So, today I pulled out Tony Horton's 10-Minute Trainer. I wanted to get started on Les Mill's Combat but wouldn't have had time to get the full work-out in before having to go pick up the twins from school.

Right now, I'm in that post work-out feeling where my skin feels funny. I've never really understood what makes it that way. But that's the way I know I've had a good work-out. I used to get it driving home from Zumba every time. Ha ha!

And surprisingly, I'm actually not hungry. I do feel like I want some gum though. I should probably go find some.

-BritneyMarie

Here's The Hard Part

This losing weight thing would be so much easier if I wasn't hungry all the time! Jeez! I don't mind changing the things that I eat but my biggest problem right now is portion control. I swear I feel hungry all the freakin' time! There's gotta be a way to curb that!

Three Days And I'm Already Behind

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to dust off this blog and start writing on at least a semi-annual basis. And I'm already three days in and I'm just now getting around to it. I suppose three days into January is better than three months into the year.

For some reason, I have a good feeling about this year. When the new year rolled over I felt something different than years past. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it, but I just have a good feeling for 2013. (Note: I totally just wrote 2012 and had to fix it. It's gonna be a while before I get used to writing 2013. Haha!)

There are a few things that I really want to get done this year. For one, I'd like to take the kiddos to Disney World. I've wanted to for years now and it's just never been possible. I see a lot of our friends (with and without kids) taking trips there and it's just impossible for us money-wise. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a job working at the front desk of Ricky's work so we'll be both attributing to the household income this year. That is the main thing that I would like to do this year. I think taking a Disney World trip at Christmas would be so awesome for the kiddos. I want to take them before they get too old for the "magic". I know all kids still feel the magic, but it's still different with every year that passes.

Second, I'd like to get started with a work-out routine and stick to it. Last January, Ricky and I started P90x and did pretty well with it until we started getting sicknesses (no doubt brought home from the kiddos in school) and then I broke my toe in May and it was all over. Two years ago, Samantha and I joined the gym where we met Aimee, our Zumba instructor. Since last January, I've gained 30lbs of the 40lbs that I lost over the last two years. I've still got 10lbs until I'm back where I started so I actually don't feel like a complete failure. (Which is surprising.) I'd like to get started doing something before I gain those 10lbs back, 'cause I  know they're going to creep up on my like the last 30 did. Unfortunately, I am also 30lbs heaver than when we last started P90x so I don't know if I could even keep up with something like that. Perhaps I'll look into something less strenuous so I can get back to where I feel like I can do it.

I have some more resolutions, but I think those two are the biggies. Of course I'm also resolving to be a better mother to the twins, to have more patience when it comes to the twins and Ricky, and to keep up with the housework better. Though that last one is also three days late. My house is a mess. But like I said, that's not one of the biggies.

-BritneyMarie

Other Funny Things *July 2012 Edition*

• What's worse than slipping in cat puke on the kitchen floor? Breaking your new flip-flops the first time you wear them while slipping. Just ask Ricky. :)
• Playing "Beat the Clock" while sewing on these karate patches. I got three of the four of them on without stabbing myself at all, then I stabbed my self six times in a row.
• Found another black widow spider in the kiddos playhouse. Naturally, I must take photos before I murder it.
• The arachnid gets to live for a bit longer since I'm not satisfied with the photos I got. Off for more pictures! Then murder!
• *watching Jerry Springer*Me: "I'll bet she smells like vanilla."
  Mitch: "No, she smells like her father's disappointment."
• Things found while cleaning out the trunk of my car: Unopened toothbrush, three bars of Ivory soap, fly swatter, two bath mats, Care Bear, three plastic shovels, two hangers, vase, wire butterfly, dresses from the girlies 1st Christmas, jewelry cleaner, and an acorn-filled Easter egg.
• *The girlies are getting good at working together against Ricky.*Ricky: "She keeps trying to hit my toes."Me: "Well, that's a good strategy."Ricky: "She keeps going low, and the other one keeps hitting high. I can't block them both!"
• *Overhearing a lady at the surgery center talking to Ricky*Lady: "How far apart are they?"Ricky: "One minute."Lady: "Oh, they are twins? My kids are 364 days apart. I think twins would have been easier."Me thinking to myself: *Oh really? For the first year you had ONE BABY!! By the time the second came along the first was walking!* I hate people that say things like that. I seriously just wanna slap her and shake some sense into her.
• The pediatric dentist office always serves as a reminder of why I hate other people's children.
• Disgusting Parenting Moment #845: Tonight while at the beach Wal-Mart, Olivia said she had to go potty. So I take her. While in there she didn't scoot far enough back on the toilet and peed on her underwear/the floor. So, I take her shoes off and her shorts and throw her underwear away. I pick her up off the toilet so she doesn't step in the puddle on the floor, she somehow loses her footing and slips in the puddle...landing with her whole arm in the toilet that we haven't flushed yet. Then, the toilet automatically flushes, scares her, and she puts her hands over her ears and gets toilet water all over her face and hair. I had to wash her and her hair as best I could in the bathroom and then go buy new underwear so we could make it to dinner. I would love it if that never happened again.
• 1) All the light bulbs in the entrance way, hallway, and girlies bathroom burned out at about the same time2) As Ricky was changing out one in the bathroom, it busted still in the ceiling. Had to get pliers to get it out.3) While Ricky is changing out the light bulbs, Emma is throwing up in the dark bathroom 'cause she can't stop coughing.Tonight's been awesome.

Funny Things My Kids Say *July 2012 Edition*

Ricky: "Big Kitty is my old man cat."
Emma: "He's not an old man, he's a good cat."


Methinks Emma has played too much "Castle Crashers" when she thinks that we should cut off Olivia's head because she does something Em doesn't like.


*Ricky getting on to the kiddos for their behavior at karate*
Ricky: "Do you understand?"
Olivia: "Yes, sir."
Emma: "Aye, Aye, Captain!"


Ricky just got Olivia to eat Brussels sprouts and like it.


*the movie we are watching starts skipping*
Olivia: "The movie is gurgling!"


Emma: "Mommy, I don't want to wear diapers anymore."
Me: "You don't wear diapers."
Emma: *pauses* "Thanks, Mom."


Emma: "Mommy, I love to speak Spanish."
Me: "You don't know Spanish."
Emma: "Yes, I do. Vamonos, see?!"
Me: "What does that mean?"
Emma: "To come on and go."


*I think the kids are confused by their new classroom rules.*
Olivia: "#1 No pushing. #2 Be a friend. #3...#3...#4...#3 Don't be a friend. #4 Be nice. #5 Don't get a dog."


Olivia: "Mommy, you're respectful, responsible, and a good listener. Daddy, you're not respectful, responsible, or a good listener. You should be in time out."


Every time Olivia plays "teacher", we sense a theme about what she says to her "students". Usually it's something about not paying attention or being distracted. I think Liv may be telling on herself. 


Olivia: *sneeze* "I have a sneeze."
Me: "You have the sneezy sneezes?"
Olivia: "No, just one."


Emma: "These scissors are pointy. You have to be careful. You could cut your finger and you could...you could die!"


Emma: *goes to grab a cookie*
Me: "Emma, no more cookies. It's dinner time."
Emma: "But Daddy just ate one!"
Ricky: *looks at me with a guilty look on his face*
Me: "Tell Daddy, 'No more cookies, it's dinner time."


Emma: "Mommy, if you make us go to school, you will go to jail."
Me: "Actually, if I DON'T make you go to school, Mommy goes to jail. So, get your shoes on."


Emma: Daddy! Come look! I pooped! It's green! And brown!
Ricky: "Okay, I'm coming." 
Emma: "It's green!"
Ricky: "Okay, you done?"
Emma: "No, I've gotta poop five more. It's gonna be carrots."


Emma: "When I poop a lot of green, you're going to look at it and say, 'Wow! That's a lot of green!'"


Emma: "I pooped another green! Daddy, I pooped another green!"
Ricky: "That's great, Emma."
Emma: "Daddy, come look! Olivia, I pooped green! Daddy, Olivia, come look!"

Olivia

Caught one of my twins climbing a tree at a birthday party on July 29th.
-BritneyMarie