Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Another Day...in Paradise

Just another day here at the Orman household. I tried very hard to get some sleep today, but just couldn't for some reason. I tried to get some rays today, but I got too board. I am very excited to take Barrett to a water park called Geyser Falls on Thursday with some very dear friends. Poor Gus will be at daycare & then to his Honey-Boo's for a bit. I think Barrett will have a blast there! I can hardly wait. When I was at Kroger today I picked up some watermelon. Mr Gus seemed to think it was pretty tasty-yummy. I cooked some spaghetti for Mr.B,then bathes & onto bed. Like I said...Just Another day in Paradise.

The Finale

Thursday was my " Friday " & boy was I ready for it! I came home Friday to all of twenty minutes of sol ice, until I heard the patter of little boys just outside my door. We all got our bath & onto Lowes & Wally World we went. I was determined to finish this " Mistreatment " I feel as though I began over a year ago-Arggg! Do I do a single rod across or two shorter rods? I went with the first option, as it was the cheapest. We were home by ten o'clock & I was done by eleven. The boys were going down early for their nap at that point. My exhaustion was seeping throughout every vein in my body. I could feel a breakdown was imminent if I didn't act. Darn...I only got a little over an hour...double Arggg! So, we played a bit outside & I decided if I kept moving, it would keep me awake. I'm so smart-HA! So then onto Old Navy we went. That lasted only for a few minutes, because it seemed everyone got the memo on their $5 sale, well, we were kinda asked to leave. Not really, but Gus would not sit down in the cart & the manager came over three ( yes, three ) times asking for him to please stay seated. But, she was sweet enough to always end with " Oh, he's so cute". Sweet of her. I was so embarrassed. In my former life as a retail employee,I made such fun of mothers like myself. Payback is sweet! Derek finally came home & I was in bed by seven that night & slept until nine the next morning. Wow! Saturday was busy cleaning up the tornado that ripped through our home during this adjustment week while Derek went to Tunica to do the Q107 Pool Party at Harrahs Casino. NO! We do NOT endorse gambling, but if they pay my hubby to DJ, then so be it in my book. The boys went to bed,Derek was home late & I threw my back out somehow overnight. Who knew that sleeping fifteen hours would feel so awesome! I'm not sure, but I don't think I have slept that long since my college days. Wow! And now the new cycle starts again! It's a holiday week though this week-yeah!!! Can't wait for the pics. Anywho, I'm including the finale of my " Mistreatments " for your review,enjoyment or what have you. Happy Independent Week to all!

He's Gone Country...Wearing Sperry Shoes...

So, our oldest is not going country, but the country is where he went for the day on Wednesday with his ' Honey-Boo '. One of mom's good friends has a farm in Mississippi & she invited the two out for the day. Well, I think it only lasted a couple of hours. Barrett likes the outdoors, but not for too long-Ha! Mom was able to capture quite a bit of some Kodak moments for me. From petting the horses, to clucking like a chicken, to washing off MO-Jo ( the pot-belly pig...at least I think that is his name ), it seems there was fun all around. Thanks Miss Kathy! I was able to spend the day with Gus while Bear was with mom. He is completely different when Bear is not around. So calm & GOOD! We went to Lowes to look at curtain rods for my 'Mistreatments ', then came home had a bit of lunch, then took a long two hour nap. It was just what I needed after being up all night then all day. It has been a bit of an adjustment to this new shift, but in the end I think my body will tolerate it better. Let's hope! When we all were home, we had some dinner, then bathes & then I put the kidos to bed early, as my body was screaming for a bit of shuteye before returning to work...again. It is odd getting up at 9pm & getting ready for work. Adjusting I tell you. I came home this morning & Derek was kind enough to take the boys to school while I caught up on some rest.
I woke up to the death of Farah Fawcett & then later the tragic death of Michael Jackson. It just saddened me. I am so thankful that I have the security in knowing in my heart that if I were to pass, my eternity would be in Heaven. I do not need 'works' to earn my way into Heaven.I don't need to be baptized just to get into Heaven.It was a gift I have already received. God gave His only son to pay the price of our sin when Jesus died on the cross. The only thing that separates us is sin. When a person comes to the reality of how much they have sinned & need repentance, to change their ways, one needs to ask for forgiveness & pray for a personal relationship with Christ. I believe in 'Once Saved,Always Saved '.God says if we believe in His son, Jesus, you can live forever with Him in glory. How awesome is that? It is my sincere desire that if anyone who reads this blog & questioning their everlasting life that you seek Christ fully. Admit you are a sinner, realize Jesus died for you & ask Him into your heart. It is a free gift from God. Please, enjoy the gift of salvation.
" For Gos so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

These are the Days/Nights of Your Life

My work schedule has recently changed & I am totally thinking for the better. I will be working Monday through Thursday 10 pm til 6:45 am. Sounds rough, I know, but I will now have my Saturdays off with the ole family. We can now live like the Griswold's (spelling...you ALL know ) & load up the old station wagon. or HHR in our case & head out of town. For four years now Derek has been a single father when it comes to Saturdays. Taking the boys to birthday parties & whatnot & now I am here.Yeah!!!I feel bad kinda...infringing upon Derek's routine & all now. Hopefully, we will find the right chemistry to make it all coincide. I am so proud of what Derek has done on the weekends. He cleans. He mows the lawn. He cleans out the garage. He is a super dad first & foremost. His DJ business has really begun to take off & allowing me to be off on Saturdays will allow him even more freedom to book certain engagements. Cha-Ching$$$Big Daddy..." Show me the Money!" I have expressed how important it is to be at home in the evenings with the boys. I have enjoyed so very much in cooking for them, bathing them, reading to them, praying with them & kissing their sweet little faces good night. I just need to come up with a few more good dinner recipes for the guys. I am so fortunate to have this schedule. To contribute to the family & be a stay-at-home mommy. Now, I have only done two nights of this thus far & will not have childcare on Wednesdays & Fridays, so maybe I should wait til my sleep deprivation kicks in full swing to let you know how I really feel...LOL! Whatever the case, I am thankful for the Lord to allow this change. God is good! Can I get an " Amen " ? I am including a few pictures from night two with the boys. I mean, when could I cook a great meal, give Gator a bath because Mac n' Cheese was poured onto him, then give the boys a bath & call it a night? Ah, motherhood. I am finding myself with more energy ,as well, doing an eight hour shift rather than a twelve. Again, we shall see. I may delete this post if I ever get on the verge of calling it quits. NEH! Who am I kidding? I am basically off from Friday mornings through the weekend til Monday evening. Can we say mini-vacation or Pickwick around the corner? I'll say it again...God is Good!

Father's Day Style

I have such a wonderful & sincere hubby who is also the best dad to our boy's. We love you so very much & love who you are ... the best! We love you with all of our hearts!

My own " Mistreatments "

This, and back and forth painting the master bedroom, would be " WHY " I am so inconsistant with my blogging lately. Mis-treatments. Arggg...I read all of these other bloggers & get some wonderful ideas & try to attempt them, but then realize...I am Ally. Their ideas look very simple & yet I can manage to screw the ensemble up. I have been wanting some new window treatments for our living room for quite some time. I admired the somewhat,sorta,kinda, cock your head to get the picture style of treatment I had, but times were a' changing. I went to my favorite & economical fabric place not far from home; Johnson's Fabrics, & found the most perfect in-your-face fabric to use & it didn't hurt that it was only $8.95/ yd. Money talks in our household-ha. I came home to find my gluegun decided to not endure this venture & I then heard Wal-mart calling. I began my mistreatment ( from Allyson whom I got the brilliant idea )by measuring & cutting ,then hot glue-gunning away. Is that even a term? It is now. I have mentioned to ya'll that English was not my best subject,so NO editing-ha. I did say " G-l-u-e-g-u-n ". No sewing was ever involved. There were no fingers pricked or fabric ruined in the making of these curtins. I placed them up on the rod & Voila! I then realized they looked lonely. So off to Johnson's, once again. It took some getting use to, but I think I finally made it work. I just need to get two more rods for the other side. I thought I would make one side, before I delved fully into this project. The only thing sacrificed in this endevor, was my sleep. There was no way I could have done this with the boys at home, so I worked on Tuesday & Thursdays to make it complete. I have realized here t the end, that I need larger rods, so...Tuesday Morning, here I come!

I Survived the Waterpark on my Own!!!

So it was around 100 degrees today & I felt the need to get the kidos out of the house. Since I am the parent, I decided to tag along. When it is this hot outside in Memphis, where else would one go? Germantown Atletic Centre Water park that's where. I couldn't get too many pictures, as I was constantly chasing a two year old. Barrett had a fun time as well splashing around. I really need to work with him on his swimming, but it it difficult with lil Gus around. We only stayed for all of an hour and a half, which was long enough. I took a picture of the temperature gage from inside my car to show the temp outside. Wow 100!

Summertime Full Swing

So it is Summer & it is Memphis. You step outside & you feel as though you are melting. The boys LOVE to be outside though. I feel so bad for the guys. They are so fare skin & I must lather them up with waterproof SPF30 before they step outside. I on the otherhand, can stay outside with little to no SPF & be great...nice & brown. For the future, we may only have our family trips to snow ski in Colorado, rather than, enjoy the sandy beaches in Florida-ha. I just love these times with the boys. I love being able to stay at home with them during the day. I hope my schedule works in their favor to where I can be home a bit longer in the evening with them. Fingers crossed!

To Paint or NOT to Paint???

I have been on such a kick to give our happy home a mini-face lift. And, I mean " MINI". Ever since I gathered courage to do our bathroom, I mustered enough to do our master bedroom. Boy, did I get in way over my head. Not only was painting a chocolate brown over our 2002 mint-green walls nearly impossible, but the size alone & the tray ceiling I apparently forgot I had. All I can say is...Mr.Mike; the family painter,is coming next week to repair my mistakes. I came so close though. I also got this cute hanging vase for our bathroom, but that lasted all of 30 minutes before Mr.Gus went & destroyed it. Oh well, at least no one was hurt. I can't wait to show the final reveal. Stay tuned.

Demon Child & Sounds so Simple...

So this weekend was interesting. I had a horribly busy day at work on Saturday, & I should have known it wasn't go to be good, as I didn't go & workout before my day began. I came home completely exhausted & listen to hubby's eventful day as well. The kidos have been trying our patience to the fullest recently & Saturday was no exception. The big event...Derek & Barrett got locked out of the house while Gus was sound asleep inside. I was in a five hour surgery & the neighbors didn't have a spare key. A locksmith was called & for the low price of $25...yes $25 you too can have your doors unlocked. God is so good. I just had to laugh or I would have found myself finding my " Happy Place ".I think we were both worn out. So I went to bed early & awoke early for church. Now, it seems that satin wants to attack us every Sunday morning. Is it just us? I seriously doubt it! Poor Derek forgot to pick up his clothes from the cleaners with all the excitement & didn't feel good wearing some of his older items. I didn't argue, because trust me, all of us ladies have been there. We just feel unattractive & blah some days. I took the kidos to church & the fun bagan! Just before the sermon was over, I received a page from Gus's room. That little pistol had tormented two other little boys & was all smiles about it. This was a definite grinding of the teeth moment of embarrassment! I mean we are talking blood involvement. I was so apologetic & upset in the one minute I was standing there. Gus is the little peace-maker at MDO, why now & of all places...why at church? I have since written three cards of apology to his teachers & the little boys that were tortured by our little demon. Humility is becoming a virtue since having Gus. It is also a nail in the coffin of so wanting to get off working on Saturdays period! There is a co-worker of mine that is desperately trying to get off the Tuesday & Thursday nights & now there seems to be an opening. I could swing into her two nights & be home for family dinners, choir rehearsal at church on Wednesday nights & be there to tuck the boys into bed. Oh so simple right? Not sure when it comes to work. I'm not too sure why this won't happen, but I am also not holding my breath on a better schedule. Don-cha just love life? I'll keep everyone posted on any changes with our lil' devil & a hopeful new schedule.

Whitesnake Here I Go Again Music Video on Yahoo! Music

Whitesnake Here I Go Again Music Video on Yahoo! Music


For some odd reason I have been into the old ' big hair ' bands lately. It's what is on my ipod & ever since watching the new Fox show Glee I just adore some Journey. I can't wait til the fall for the rest of the shows. The boys even adore the 80s music that Derek & I reminice about. I guess it just reminds me of how simplr things were for me...no responsiblity. Just a kid. I have already ordered a cheap 80s look-a-like dress from Kelly's favorite sites; Forever21. Now I'm addicted to it. I feel the need to do a costume party for Halloween & tada...I've got my costume. I see Derek & I in full form of bombshell 80s. I can just see Derek in a Don Johnson Miami Vice look of " You've got the Right Stuff ". Can we pull that off in October? We shall see.

Safe Waters

So Derek went to see the cardiologist at Memphis Heart Clinic. I was going to meet him, just as support, but my timing wasn't the best. I had a hair appointment that ran late...NO BIGGIE GUYS!!! The marriage is fine. I think Derek wanted his space to talk " freely " about eating habits, weight & whatnot. The doc did not seem too concerned about how high his levels were. That, I think, put Derek at ease as well. Derek will arrive back on Friday the 12th for a stress test...boy, if they want an accurate reading I will definitely NOT be invited to sit in on that test! They will also perform an Echo on him. It could quite possibly PVCs. That extra beat in the heart's rhythm. I had constant PVCs when I was preggers with Gus. Not sure if Derek should be telling me something???!!!-Ha. Did he watch the movie ' Junior ' too many times? Don't think so. He is on new cholesterol medicine & has lost 28 lbs thus far. I feel so much like that Slimquick commercial with the hubby & wife. I am a constant walker or workout chic & I either maintain or loose maybe, at best, 2-3 lbs. What's up with that? Actually, I will not loose hardly anything until I come off nights or sleep regular hours. The body will not produce the cortisol it needs to function properly-argg to working nights. Oh well!
Barrett has also began taking swimming lessons for the very first time this week. The first day he was rather ' gung ho ' about it, the second day...well, I thought I would need a shot of liquor ( which is NOT me ) just to get hime out of the car. Moms of toddlers you know the situation? You're grinding your teeth & speaking in a lower tone to " get out of the car " or " do not embarrass me ". The latter phrase is my fav! He reluctantly got out of the car & went to his lesson. It was so not the day for me to have gotten off work, no sleep, pick him up & deal with that, then go get my hair done, clean house, pick up kidos, cook dinner & THEN fall asleep at around 8pm. I'm exhausted just remembering it. Today was better & I hope he continues with wanting to learn now. It is vital for him. Gus, just bites my fingers to let him go under water. Go figure. We came home today & had a picnic with the boys' new Cars outdoor table set. ( gotta love wal-mart )So enjoy the pictures & the dogs say " help " as I am now their official groomer. I think I did pretty good & plus, saving mula! No guts, No glory.