Neat Freak...NOT the same as a Clean Freak

Well--I am a self-proclaimed neat freak. I don't like clutter. I don't like chaos. I don't like tripping over toys or a basket of un-folded laundry. I start to twitch a little and get quite overwhelmed when my house is a "mess". I do realize that this is a relative term that can mean different things to different people. I consider my house a mess when the dishes aren't loaded and my bed isn't made and there are at least 5 toys/books strewn about and a magazine on the floor. Lately it has been an explosion! Keeping up with the baby's bottles, handprints on the wall, dirty underwear (potty training), and Christmas and birthday toys strewn everywhere-- all while caring for a baby and a 3 year old has proved to be more difficult than I thought. Sometimes a girl just needs a nap. So--sometimes my house is a "mess". Thankfully Rob NEVER considers our house an actual mess (I have no clue what it would take for him to notice a mess-- probably a literal tornado blowing through the place.)

Anyway, I am a neat freak. However I am not necessarily a clean freak. I don't usually allow people in my master bath or to open my microwave or in my garage. Sometimes you can write your name in the dust on my entertainment center. And don't you dare open up the junk drawer in the kitchen! As you can see in the pictures I had a very very dirty oven. In fact-I'm ashamed to say I had NEVER cleaned it in the five years we've lived here. (Heather and Pam are probably throwing up in their mouths right now) It's really been bothering me for a while now, but I managed to put off cleaning it because it can be shut and you don't have to see the mess inside. However, the recent angelfood cake explosion caused a necessary cleaning. I was so excited to just get it done I had to do a posting about it.

BUT--I also wanted to vent about the last of the instructions on the can of oven cleaner ---to keep oven clean wipe up spills immediately. I am a bit offended that the cleaning company thought it necessary to tell me something so elementary. OBVIOUSLY if I clean up every spill or mess I will never have a dirty oven. However, that instruction could not have been written by someone who actually cooks on a regular basis or who has more than one small child. By the time the oven has cooled off from recent use I have moved on to 5 other projects, jobs, or am asleep on the couch.

Bachelorette Party

Well, the Laizure Clan is about to grow! Our soon-to-be sister-in-law Shayla's bachelorette party was this weekend in Flagstaff. (Micah's bachelor party was too--but we don't have any pics...surprisingly enough!) We stayed at Rob's Uncle Scott's cabin, went to Oregano's for dinner, and Shayla's sister Briana had planned a scavenger hunt for Shayla to complete. OH--and Gabby felt it neccessary to pull out her pink pepper spray in the scary Jack in the Box by the bus station! Danger doesn't take a break you know.

We had a great time--can't wait for her the wedding. We're so excited to have her in the fam.

Naptime Shenanigans

Robbie apparently wasn't sleeping when he was supposed to be yesterday. I could hear him talking and playing--but I thought he was on his bed. He wasn't. He was playing with his Einstein's cards and wearing his snowboots. Luckily when I opened the door and saw him sleeping on the floor I had time to take some pics before he woke up. He really is a funny kid. Once he woke up and saw his door open he high-tailed it to his bed so I would think he hadn't gotten out of it. He thinks he's smarter than me...

Also--Elise is getting pretty cute so I included a pic of her making a "robbie" face. They have the same expressions--literally THE SAME--kinda wierd sometimes!

Robbie Taking a Bath at 3

There is nothing funny or amazing about this video... I guess I just pictured myself watching this video as an introduction to Robbie's wedding video and reminiscing back on his childhood.

Sometimes I grab the video camera just to capture some moments in time that might seem rather insignificant in the moment, but become more heartwarming as the years go by.

Robbie Chatting on the Cob Phone

Elise

Finally, a long-awaited entry about baby girl. My mom gave me a harsh scolding because she hasn't seen Elise in 6 weeks....or a picture of her in that long. SOO--I finally took some pictures and here she is. She has officially grown out of the extra-terrestrial stage and we find her cute. Really cute actually. You can decide for yourself. But you can also just tell us she's cute because we're her parents and we'll think that no matter what. (Except for when she was first born...not cute.)

She's holding her head up really well (ok, she still bobs, but we're proud of her) and she's also super smiley. Not bad for 11 weeks.

Blog Envy...It's so Sad for Me.

Well, I may be a bit dramatic, but I have a serious case of blog envy. Yes--my life is pathetic. I have been an official blogger for like...a week. And already I am obsessed with the fact that all of my friends' blogs look like adorable scrapbook pages and mine...yep that's right, the free template offered by blogspot. I don't even have a good picture of me uploaded b/c that would require me: 1. showering, 2. blow-drying and straightening my hair, and 3. putting on make-up AND a respectable outfit (at least from the waist up), then 4. getting another adult to take my picture.

I know its possible to pimp mine out a bit--yet, I dont know how. AND if you know me at all, you know that it is quite an accomplishment for me to even have figured out how to not only create a blog, write entries, but also post pictures and add the url's of my friends' blogs. SO--I need help. I found this cute little website called cutestblogontheblock.com it's a free site that offers tips and cute backgrounds, etc. Yet still, I cannot figure out how to do it and I get a bit stressed even thinking much about it. Basically, I want someone to do it for me. I don't want tips on how to do it. I want you to come to my house and do it for me while I serve you coffee or diet coke (I'll even open the can and pour it over ice for you!). I'm willing to watch your kids, cook for you once a week for a month, do a real scrapbook of your kids. Whatever. So basically don't reply unless you want to take on my pathetic pro-bono blog case and make it snazzy.

Just so you know I do live in somewhat of a reality where I am not expecting anyone to do this, except maybe my sister or my husband but only because I will whine until they do. The first step to recovery is admitting your problem.

Cox Cable Throws an Elbow

As you can see, we like TV. There was once a time that I thought this was a bad thing and denied my love of TV and really tried to not watch. I'm past that--we just like it. Rob and I both have a severe addiction to Grey's Anatomy (which he refers to as:"Sex in the City" meets "ER", which also by the way does not stop us from watching). I do try to allow my son to only watch in moderate amounts ...but if I let him he would be a couch potato. But, back to Cox Cable-- during the Budget Crisis of 2006 we cancelled all unneccessary household items (call waiting, caller id, extended cable, eating out...) this was not a fun time for us--but necessary as we knew God had called me to be a stay-home mom.

SO--we called Cox, went down to just the bare-bones basic cable...but they never turned it off! We called again to let them know that we were recieving services we were not paying for. They never did anything. We never complained. We got accustomed to cable. Monday---they realized we had been recieving free services and turned us off!!! The nerve! I think they do this on purpose--let us have something for free that we wouldn't choose to afford ....then just turn it off after they have us all hooked on the niceties of HGTV, Food Network, the Golf Channel, and Disney...now what?

Withdrawls. Serious withdrawls. It's hard to say who this will be hardest on, but i'm pretty sure it starts with an "r" and ends in "obbie". He cried this morning b/c we had no Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes left on Tivo...and live episodes are now unavailable!

Ahh--just another day in Laizureland.

More Spidey Fun

Well, apparently you can only upload a few pics per post--so here are a few more shots from Robbie's Bday party. I also want to mention that my wonderful husband got there early to set up the bounce house, bbq'd all of the burgers and hot dogs for 40, and did everything his high-strung party wife asked of him with a smile. MUST love him! AND I have no idea why the picture of Margaret and Elise is sideways, or how to fix it--so just turn your head sideways to accomodate. :)

Spiderman Mania

This is a bit of an afterthought, but hey--since I'm now the blogging queen I thought all of my followers (ok--there aren't any yet) would love to see some pics of Robbie's Spiderman birthday party. I have to admit that I am one of those people that swears I will never put my kids in light-up Nemo shoes, let them wear a Wall-E sweatshirt, or carry a Diego backpack to school...but my almost three year-old specifically asked for a Spiderman birthday cake. To which, I replied, "Yes I know you think Spidey is cool, but don't you think a cowboy birthday party would be so cool?!" He answered, "No--I want a SPIDERMAN birthday cake." Well, what do you say to that? So we had a Spiderman birthday party, which I must say was quite a hit with the kiddos and Robbie loved it so I guess at some point you have to just swallow your pride and let your kid wear those dang light-up Elmo shoes (or in this case, have a giant inflatable Spiderman bounce house). So--that's what we did. Mona Lee and Papa Rob were generous enough to let us use their home for the party and only a couple fights broke out between the three year-olds over the gun/sword he got from Uncle Sean and Aunt Brecken so I'd say it was a hit. And a bonus: My sister and nephews were here from TX to enjoy the festivities.

I can't beleive my baby boy is 3 (his bday is Jan 12th). It wasn't long ago that I thought people with kids were boring and old and lived a somewhat pathetic existence...my how time changes things!

Oh--and PS, a few days before the party Robbie informed me that he didn't want Spiderman, he wanted Batman--NICE!

The Great Surprise of 2009

Okay, I'm finally on facebook and am having a wave of competency so I am deciding to test out this blog thing. Kristin--yes you can thank yourself for having such a great and funny blog that I now think I can do it. So, this is the trial run--I have tons of friends and family outside of the PHX, ok--really outside the Surprise area who would love to see more pics of my kids and probably don't really care to read my ramblings, but ahh--I do love to ramble, so here goes.

Today I recieved an excellent surprise, one of the best surprises of my life, actually probably the 2nd best surprise EVER after my engagement of course. Mona Boo and Wendy (Rob's grandma and aunt) gathered my mother in-law (Lisa) and all of my sisters-in-law together and told us they are taking us all TO NYC FOR LISA'S BIRTHDAY IN OCTOBER!!! I DID NOT see that coming, but boy oh boy am I excited. Mostly because I would be ecstatic to go camping with no running water and an outhouse completely free of household and children responsibilities for 5 days---but NYC, oh--heavenly! So, in October I along with my sisters-in-law (who I consider some of my greatest friends), my MIL and Aunt and Gma in-law will all be off to New York--First Class all the way for 5 WHOLE DAYS. And, I guess now would also be a good time to note that normally I don't even travel airlines that have first class available.

So, I am happy and will sleep well on that thought!