H to the N

Robert's Great American Adventure

2010-09-28T13:08:00.001-05:00

So my bro just moved to Virginia. He will be missed. (short and sweet)

Our little Tiger Cub :)

2009-10-02T15:27:00.004-05:00

Zane is officially a Tiger Cub, and I couldn't be more proud!

Doesn't he look so cute in his uniform?? This picture was taken at the den meeting last night. They learned more about what it means to be a Boy Scout, played a game, and made an "edible jungle".

This is Zane and his friend, Jonah. He is a Wolf Cub! A-WOOoooo!!!

Sounds Just Like Me

2009-09-24T08:46:00.002-05:00

I have been looking for something to hang on my bathroom wall for a while now. I am wanting to do it in a deep red color, but I saw this one and I'm seriously considering it. Makes me chuckle every time. :)

On sale for $45 here.

Website

2009-08-29T00:25:00.003-05:00

I have my Etsy shop up and running, and please feel free to stop by! Also, tell your friends!

allwashedupsoaps.etsy.com

Pictures

2009-07-30T13:59:00.007-05:00

We have to send pictures of our products and booth as part of the application process for Sherman Arts Fest '09, so Mom and I set up our booth and got the camera out. Here are a few (please keep in mind that these pictures are hot off the presses and as of yet un-retouched).

Here is the booth:

Coffee soap:Lime and Basil:Oatmeal Milk & Honey:

Orange Spice:

Totally Excited!

2009-07-23T21:10:00.004-05:00

My banner came in today! This is what we will hang up at our booth at craft shows and things of the like. I have also ordered some business cards and expect them to arrive soon. I'm so happy! Isn't my hubby cute?

Hello!

2009-07-17T07:35:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't been posting much, but there's a reason for that! I have started the production of my soaps, and it takes every bit of my spare time.

I have created an Etsy store, but there isn't anything for sale at this moment. I have to get my labels ready, label them, take pictures of them, and post them. You can see the store at www.hrnorton.etsy.com

Eventually, my url will be allwashedupsoaps.etsy.com. I just haven't gotten around to changing it yet. :)

Ten for Tuesday

2009-06-02T10:43:00.002-05:00

By the way, this Ten for Tuesday post is not going to include pictures. I am tired and I would rather get ready to go to bed. So sorry, Charlie.

1. My bestest friend, Shawnee, spent the weekend at my house! I love her, and its terrible that she has to drive an hour to come visit, but I am so happy when she comes to see us! I want her to move in. Or to Sherman, at least. I miss that lady all the time.

2. Out of the blue, my Mom offered to keep the kids overnight Saturday night,so we (the adults) could hang out. Southern Comfort. Crown. Drunken messes. 'Nuff said.

3. On Sunday, my Aunt Debbie invited to whole family over to swim in the pool for the first time this season. We all swam for a while, then we had grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. They have had some pump problems and recently replaced theirs, and my Uncle Tom worked tirelessly to have the cement pond ready by Sunday. He pulled it off, and we had such fun! Thank you, Tom!

4. Sunday night, when Shawnee was leaving to go home, we walked out onto the front porch and saw two cute little geckos. I love geckos. We watched them for a minute, then Shawnee decided to take off. After she got in her car and drove off, I turned to walk into the house and something caught my eye. I did a double take and saw that it was a huge tarantula! I proceeded to scream like a little girl and yell for Sean.

5. Sean caught the tarantula and one of the geckos and told me to come see. While I was looking, I was expressing how freaked out I was and said something about how I feel like there is another one watching me. I then turned around and saw another one ambling up toward us on the side walk. This one was WAY bigger. Sean caught that one too, and wanted to see it eat the gecko. He let them out the next morning after showing Zane, and one of them wouldn't leave the porch. Sean put it out in the yard and it came back. So now I look for it every time.

6. Friday night was Relay For Life night. Our on-site fundraiser was bowling, and we made about $300. I love doing this with my family every year. We have lost so many family members to cancer, and we like to do our part in finding a cure. I will keep participating, but I don't think we are going to have our own team anymore.

7. I have started buying supplies to make soap. I made two purchases last night consisting of sodium hydroxide (lye), a soap mold, assorted oils, powdered buttermilk, and powdered goats milk. Now that I am putting money into it, I have started getting a little nervous. I have started doubting my soap making ability. Will I make it right? Do I really understand the process? I am really ready to make my first batch, but I can't until my supplies come in.

8. Lye is a very caustic substance and I'm not particularly thrilled about working with it in our kitchen. I have decided to set up a work area in our garage for making soap. We have unfinished and unused cabinets out there that I can use. I just need a table and some storage drawers. Sean and I are going to get in there this weekend and move some stuff around.

9. Last night as I was putting Zane to bed, I told him to pick out a book to read. I left the room for a minute and when I came back, he told me he didn't want to read a book tonight. When I asked him why, he told me he was getting too old for story time. What's that all about?

10. On our way to work this morning, Mom and I had to drop her co-worker's car off at his house because she borrowed it yesterday. As we were pulling out of his driveway, we saw two babies about Addison's age playing in the street. They were only wearing diapers and were filthy. There was nobody else around. I jumped out of the car to get them out of the street, and just then a car came around the corner and honked at them. Like they were dogs or something. I kept asking them where their house was and they were so young, they weren't really understanding me. We finally figured out which apartment was theirs and the guy that came to the door had been sleeping. My guess is that the kids woke up early so the adult(s) put them in front of the TV and went back to bed while leaving the front door unlocked. So many bad things could have happened to those children.

Bubbles = Happiness

2009-05-26T18:27:00.000-05:00

Ten For Tuesday

2009-05-26T08:33:00.008-05:00

1. Yesterday (Memorial Day) was such a pleasant day! It was sunny and warm. The rain cleared up for one day, and now it's back to raining again. The temperature was about 90 degrees, and Sean decided to wash the Honda, so I put the kids in their bathing suits and we went outside. After the kids splashed in the water puddles for a bit, we decided to get their wading pool out so the could swim. They has a blast, and they stayed in it for a good while.

2. All the while, I was weeding my flower bed. It was in desperate need. I found two caterpillars! We also have a LOT of doodlebugs (or, as some of you call them, roly polies.) Are those good or bad for flower beds?

3. On Saturday night, Sean and I made an appearance at our friend Ben's suprise birthday party in Paris. We got to hang out with some friends we hadn't seen in a while and have some drinks. We had a good time, but we had to leave early to get the kids home at a decent time. (Don't worry, they were not with us. We had babysitters.)

4. On Sunday, we went to the Scarborough Fair (finally.) We had so much fun! I love going there. There are so many people that work there dressed up in costumes, and they call you Sir and Me Lady. We met a troll named Noobler who sang us some songs while a Leprechaun played the flute. We also watched a very impressive fairy that was incredibly pretty. She played her own little flutes and handed out fairy stones. They have all kinds of little shops that you can buy things at. Zane got a wooden sword and shield, and I got some home-made soaps. We checked out a dog show that made Zane laugh so hard, and we saw a guy throwing knives. I didn't take the camera because I didn't want to chance it getting wet from the rain. It did end up raining, but we would have been able to take the camera with no problems. It's too bad, because we would have gotten some really cool photos.

5. About a month ago, I purchased a strawberry growing kit at the Dollar General down the street. Zane and I put in the soil and planted the seeds together and placed them on the kitchen window sill. I have remembered to water them when needed (this is very easy for me to do, because I look right at the pail when I am washing the dishes) and I have not neglected them in any way, yet they have not started growing. This is disappointing because I was looking forward to watching them grow. I can't figure out if I am at fault or if they just weren't good seeds. I have not given up on them yet.
6. I have already started mentally preparing myself for our trip to Colorado. I am growing more and more excited each day. Now, as many of you may know, I don't like long road trips in the car. I get restless and it is difficult for me to sleep, which really does need to happen, because it is an overnight trip and we take turns driving. Although, I am not comfortable in the car for long periods, these trips are kind of becoming a family tradition that I am very fond of. We stop at the same stops and get to see all of the beautiful scenery together. I am expecting it to be a little harder this year because Addison is older and more demanding, but I am sure we will manage. The only thing I hope is different from last year, is a bigger car. It makes it worse if we are all cramped in our little Honda, and I hope we can afford to take a roomier vehicle.

7. Over the past few weeks, Addison learned how to crawl out of her crib. I walked into her bedroom one morning to find her balled up in the seat of her rocking chair. It's scary, because she had to have fallen once she got over the top. I immediately removed the bumber and thought this would be enough. Well, about a week later, she did it again. Sean lowered the mattress as low as it would go, which is pretty close to the ground. It is one of those 3 in 1 cribs, and we will be putting it in toddler stage soon enough. My baby is growing too fast.

8. My little puppy, Bella, is not so little anymore. She loves to bark and chase people down outside when we take her to use the bathroom. She is very good with the kids, mainly Addison, but she likes to bark at Zane because he is usually very rowdy with her....she goes into instant play mode when he is around. Here is an updated picture:
9. This Spring, we had some Barn Swallows build a nest on our front porch. When we moved in Sean knocked down the old one that they had there, and they returned and built a new one. I was looking forward to seeing their cute little babies, but it looks like they have abandoned their nest. My best guess would be because every time we opened the door, they got scared and flew away, and I'm sure they wanted a nest somewhere that was more comfortable for them.

10. Earlier, in #4, I mentioned that I bought some home made soaps at the Scarborough Fair. I got one mint and one lavender, and they smell wonderful. I've always wanted to make soap to sell, but I have never tried. I would really like to learn to make it, but I am afraid it would take up too much room in my kitchen and would make a huge mess. I am also wary about the amount of time and money I would need to invest in such a venture. Maybe I will make the leap, and try it out, but I know myself pretty well, and I know that this is just another thing that will probably be put on the back burner and left there for a good while.

Ten for Tuesday

2009-05-18T19:34:00.010-05:00

My sister-in-law, Nicole, does this thing called Ten for Tuesdays, and I thought I would try it out. So here is my first ever Ten for Tuesday post!

1. Zane's 6th birthday was this past Thursday, and we had his party on Sunday. He requested a Ben 10 party and, wouldn't you know, there was only one store in the entire Dallas area that had Ben 10 supplies. He has grown so much since I first met him, and I am so proud of the person he is becoming. He has had some behavioral issues, but (knock on wood) he is doing so much better now. He is a sweet and loving little boy, and I am SO glad that he is in my life.

2. Addison is growing super fast and I am having trouble keeping up. Her independent side has started, and she wants to do many things by herself. She has recently started saying "chop chop", and it is so cute!

3. I had a wonderful Mother's Day! Zane made me a calendar with his picture on it, which is now hanging up behind the computer I am currently using at work. Addison made me a scrapbook sheet with her hand print and a poem on it. My dear husband bought me some beautiful orchids that I am trying my best to keep healthy, but I am not doing so well at it. And, my Mom made me a photo collage and got me a little birdie to sit in my new flower bed. My whole family got together at my Mom's house, and we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and we had a great time!

4. I recently accompanied Zane on his first field trip. We went to Petco and learned about the pets that they have. We got to feel how soft a chinchilla's fur was and we also got to pet a snake! The picture is of our tour guide, Barbara, showing us a beautiful baby bird (that I wanted to take home). I took it with my phone, so, quality is not great.5. This past Saturday, we had plans to go to the Scarborough Fair in Waxahachie after getting Zane's birthday supplies in Dallas. It was raining really hard, so we decided to go to the Dallas World Aquarium instead. We had a blast! Although we have been there before, it is always a treat to go see all the different animals. We even saw a woman diving in the aquarium with the manatees and the sharks being fed!

6. On the day of Zane's party my best friend Shawnee came to visit us. We went and had dinner together at a burger place called MG's, and then went home to hang out for a bit. We went down to the gas station to get some beer, and Shawnee spied a Mexican strawberry flavored beer. She decided to buy some to sample it. The beer claimed to be stronger than tequila and to shake it well. Needless to say, we were a little wary of shaking a beer well. This is Shawnee with her "Am I really supposed to be shaking this?" look. Also, she is not wearing a nightie, it is a dress.

7. Relay for Life is in 11 days, and I am having trouble getting donations. Nobody wants to donate because money is tight these days, which I can totally understand. If you or anybody you know would like to donate a little to my team, please go to www.rflfannin.com, click on donate, and you can search for me by name or team name. The name of our team is KingPins.

8. Sean just bought us tickets to go see Dane Cook on June 19th! We didn't buy the cheapest ones, but we didn't buy the most expensive ones either. I am totally excited, and I have been unable to think about much else.

9. My dad lives on a large tract of land in the country with a pond that has fishies in it, blackberry bushes, and a Great Dane named Gina. The kids like to ride on his golf cart and play around outside. He recently bought some chickens and he is going to sell fresh eggs once they start laying them. They have been given assorted names, such as, Paula Deen and The Dixie Chicks. Let us not forget Miss Reba. They have gotten big, and I look forward to those farm-fresh eggs!
10. I went to the dentist a couple of weeks ago and got two fillings in my teef. I have to go back next month to get two more (Sean and I haven't been to the dentist in years, so there is a lot of work to be done) which I'm not looking forward to. I don't like half of my mouth being dead. I really hate that feeling. Here's a picture of my crooked smile:

Elevator

2009-05-18T07:59:00.001-05:00

I was in the elevator this morning, going up to the 4th floor. The elevator stopped on the 3rd floor to pick some people up.

I hear someone say, “It’s going up.”

The woman waiting for the elevator then says, “Oh, it’s going up? I want to go down.”

Then a veteran behind her states, “Yeah. I want to go down.”

The elevator doors slowly close and I quietly say to myself, “that’s what she said.”

Diet Update

2009-04-24T10:06:00.002-05:00

So, I started this Sacred Heart Medical Diet on Monday. I knew it was going to be tough, but I'm slowly working my way through it. I foolishly forgot to weigh myself before I started, so I'm not going to be able to give you a total weight loss report, but, oh well.

Day 1: I was able to eat all the soup and fruits I wanted. This was an easy day because I love me some fruit. I had honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, and grapefruit. The soup was pretty good for vegetable soup....it would have been better with some ground beef, but still good, nonetheless.

Day 2: I was able to eat soup and veggies today. Not as good as yesterday, but still doable. I had baby carrots for breakfast and throughout the day. I bought a mixed vegetable steamer bag to have with my soup at lunch, and also had one with my soup at dinner. Really missing my meat.

Day 3: Soup, fruit, and veggies this day! I was so glad to have my fruit back! I had everything I had on Day 1, plus some blackberries and pineapple. This diet is getting harder and harder. I'm finding it more difficult to make my family dinner at night, because I want to be able to eat some of it so bad. I stole a small bit of Addison's ground beef.....I'm not happy about it. Getting sick of that soup. I weighed myself at work this day, and will weigh again Day 4.

Day 4: I had an OK day today. I was able to have soup, bananas, and all the skim milk I could drink. I like bananas, but I'm not a big milk drinker. In fact, I don't think I've ever had any skim milk before this day. I had a banana for breakfast, and soup and a banana for lunch. I brought a thermos full of skim milk to work and drank on it all day (not bad, I might add). For dinner I had soup and a banana. I am starting to wonder if maybe you are supposed to become so sick of the soup that you would rather go hungry than eat it. Is that the whole point of this diet? I seems it could be so. I had put some milk and banana slices in the freezer after work and made an after dinner smoothie with it. It was awesome! I have lost 2 lbs since yesterday!

So far this diet has been very difficult, and it is only going to get more so. I have a challenge ahead of me on Saturday. We are going to Germanfest in Muenster, so it's going to be hard not to cheat. Luckily for me, that is the day I can have all the beef and veggies I want, so I will be able to eat some of the food there. I will post another update later today detailing Day 5....I will go ahead and let you know that I have lost another 2 1/2 1bs since yesterday!

Sacred Heart Diet

2009-04-23T14:07:00.005-05:00

This is the diet that I am currently on (today is Day Four for me). I will post updates sometime tonight.

Sacred Heart Medical Diet
This 7-day eating plan can be used as often as you like. If correctly followed, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. After only 7 days of this process, you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and possibly 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.

SOUP:
· 1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
· 3 plus large green onions
· 1 large can of beef broth (no fat)
· 1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix (chicken noodle)
· 1 bunch of celery
· 2 cans green beans
· 2 lbs. Carrots
· 2 Green Peppers

Season with salt, pepper curry, parsley, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until veggies are tender.

This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. You may want to fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day.

DRINKS:
· Unsweetened juices
· Tea (also herbal)
· Coffee
· Cranberry juice
· Skim milk
· Water, water, water

DAY ONE
Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY TWO
All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.

DAY THREE
Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.

DAY FOUR
Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.

DAY FIVE
Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX
Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

Day Seven
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

By the end of the 7th day, if you have not cheated on this diet, you should have lost 10 to 17 pounds. If you have lost more than 17 pounds, stay off the diet for two days before resuming the diet again.

This diet is fast. The secret lies within the principle that you will burn more calories than you take in. It will flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time. Because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours before any intake of alcohol.
Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

The basic fat burning soup can be eaten anytime you feel hungry during the seven days. Eat as much as you wish. Remember the more you eat, the more you will lose. You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days.
Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

DO NOT - DO NOT
No bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

DO - DO - DO - DO
Drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.
This diet comes from the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital that is used for overweight heart patients in order to lose weight rapidly, usually prior to surgery.

Cute!

2009-04-03T09:04:00.002-05:00

I love this owl mug! It is totally my style, and it would be perfect for sipping your coffee on a Saturday morning. I'm excited by the fact that it looks totally vintage, but it isn't. I am so weird. You can check out this mug and a bunch of other items that I would also like to own at http://www.modcloth.com

Free Pancakes

2009-02-24T17:38:00.002-06:00

So, IHOP is giving a FREE short stack of pancakes to every customer today until 10pm.

http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/

When I expressed my interest in going to get some FREE pancakes to my husband, he tells me to get in the kitchen and cook him some dinner, because, we can't afford FREE pancakes.

Conversation With Shawnee Via Text

2009-02-20T09:53:00.002-06:00

Shawnee: "Your song was just on the bus. Pour some sugar on me!"

Me: "What kind of a band name is Def Leppard, anyway?"

Shawnee: "Retarded. You know its cool to misspell stuff on purpose. Actually, they probably didn't know it was misspelled."

Me: "I guess it could have been an inside joke kind of thing. Or they just thought it was 'totally rad'."

Shawnee: "And nothing says tough rock band like large deaf cats."

Me: "Yeah. Cats that can't hear. Bitchin."

Zane and Christon

2009-02-16T19:45:00.004-06:00

This is the little boy that lives across the street named Christon (we thought it was Christian for a while) who comes to play with Zane every chance he gets. He goes to the same school as Zane and he is very polite.

He's Got Jokes

2009-02-04T13:52:00.002-06:00

Last night, as I was preparing dinner, Sean and I were telling each other jokes that we knew when we were kids. I then asked Zane if he new any funny jokes. The conversation goes as follows:

"Yeah, I know some jokes, but I don't want to tell them."

"Why don't you want to tell them? Are they dirty jokes?"

"I'm going to get you! pyew! pyew!" (he was playing with toys, ignoring my question.)

"Are the jokes you know dirty?"

.....long pause.....

"OK, I'll tell you one. What happens when a man eats a bowl?"

"Umm. I don't know. What?"

"He dies."

A Year Ago Yesterday

2009-02-02T21:51:00.003-06:00

False Advertising

2009-02-02T21:37:00.003-06:00

So Cold.

2009-01-22T06:35:00.004-06:00

Our escapade at the Gaylord Texan ICE! Exhibit:

(If you click on the picture, you can view it without all the pesky pixilation.)

The Biggest Loser Texoma

2009-01-21T11:25:00.003-06:00

My Mom has been a competitor in The Biggest Loser Texoma competition for what seems like forever (probably seems that way to her, too) along with her team, appropiately named "Abs of Flab". Overall, she has lost 49 lbs. And after much anticipation, the winners were announced last night at the Texoma Wellness Expo (where we also helped our Zumba instructor, Paula, do a demonstration....in front of people). Her team won with a total loss of 11%! In addition, Mom won as the biggest individual loser! GO MOM!!! I'm proud of you!

Cheech and Chong

2009-01-10T08:14:00.002-06:00

We went to see Cheech and Chong's Light Up America show at the Majestic Theater in Dallas last night. It was a lot of fun. We missed a little bit of the first bit because we were late, but it was all good. Here's a clip of the opening bit:

Zumba!

2009-01-09T12:39:00.003-06:00

Have you ever danced to music and started sweating? You had fun, right? Well, I have recently discovered Zumba, and that's exactly what it is....dancing around like it's nobody's business.

You know you are working out, but you have a lot of fun doing it. My Mom, Aunt, Cousin/Sister, and I have been working out regularly, and we go to Zumba on Wednesdays. I love it! We have learned some new dance moves and you sweat your butt off....literally. I can't say that I have lost any weight yet because I have only been twice (and I don't like getting on scales), but I really enjoy it. If you want to find out more about it or see if there are any classes near you, just go to http://www.zumba.com. And if there aren't any classes where you are, you can buy a DVD. I highly recommend it!

I Like You!

2009-01-09T10:58:00.002-06:00

For everybody that reads this, I would like to show my appreciation:

http://www.demarketubbergen.nl/downloads/kids/i-like-you.swf

Now, I realize that there probably aren't a lot of people that read this blog because of the fact that I hardly post anything. Just know that I am going to try to change that. I would like to be a regular blogger, but sometimes time just doesn't permit (mostly due to having two full time jobs).

Somebody's Gotta Say It

2009-01-07T16:07:00.004-06:00

Thomas Beatie:

'World's First Pregnant Man'?

Oh Puhleeze! He used to be a woman and kept his reproductive organs. This does not make him world's first pregnant man. In my book, he is still a woman....if he wishes to be called a man, so be it, but this does not mean we have made a technological breakthrough. A woman got pregnant. Whoopdeedoo. Sure it's your right to have a kid, but don't proclaim that you are the first pregnant man.

What about these children? They are going to have some messed up childhoods. How do you tell your kids that their "Daddy" gave birth to them? Luucy! You've got some 'splaining to do!

And why does he keep posing shirtless?

I've Gone Mad

2008-04-03T10:50:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness. The strangest thing has happened to me lately, and I am treading in uncharted waters. I have been bitten by the designer purse bug. If you would've asked me what I thought about Coach or Dooney and Bourke purses two years ago, I would've said "Those are ugly. I don't understand what all the hype is." But now I swoon for them. I visit coach.com everyday and look at the beautiful specimens they display. I dream of being placed in a Coach store and being able to go crazy...you would see me decked out with all the accessories...matching, of course. Although, I still don't understand why someone would spend that much on a purse or wallet, but if I had the money, I would totally do it! I don't know whether to blame it on being older or becoming a mom, but this mania came from somewhere....maybe I've been hanging out with my cousin Sarah too much (she also pines for one of these hard to reach anomalies). One of my co-workers and I were comparing these purses to cars today...........cars! I have lost my mind! What is wrong with me?

Life Is Good

2008-03-27T17:49:00.000-05:00

OK. I told you guys that we would keep up with this whole blogging thing. Looks like we are not doing a very good job, so I will give you a short update while my hubby is making dinner.

Zane just got back from his Mom's for spring break. He was gone for a whole week, and he was missed around here. The house is not quite the same without him in it. He recently had a speech breakthrough when he learned how to make the "sh" sound. He can tell you exactly how to make it. "Do your mouth like this, then put your tongue on the top part of your mouth were those bumps are, then blow out." He learned it in his speech class. That class has helped him so much, Sean and I are very proud of him. They are currently learning "pl" sounds and he brought home some radishes that they grew (plant).

Addison is growing at a rapid pace. She is now 4 months and 3 weeks old. You never realize how quick it all really is until you have your own child. She sprouted two teeth before she reached 4 months. She is rolling over both ways, and is working on her abs by trying her hardest to sit up from a lying position. Her eagerness to eat solids surprises me. I think that she is interested in all the new tastes. Last night she started making "ba-ba-ba-ma-ma-ma-la-la-da-da" noises for the first time. For those of you without kids, I know what you are thinking.....something along the lines of "big freakin' deal". I probably would've thought the same thing before she came along, but now everything that that little baby does amazes me.

Sean and I are still truckin'. Working full time and doing the parenting thing. We are toying with the idea of moving to Sherman. I would like to be closer to my family and the pros definitely outweigh the cons. More babysitters, less of a commute for me, a chance for Sean to expand his horizons and explore the field of graphic design........the list goes on. We are taking the kids to the Dallas World Aquarium this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to it.

To sum things up, life is great.

Until next time,
The Nortons

2008-02-18T16:31:00.001-06:00

This is our new car! Isn't it pretty? It is a 2008 Honda Civic and sports an awesome navigation system. I am so thankful that we were able to get such a beautiful vehicle!

Illnesses Galore

2008-02-05T12:45:00.000-06:00

Hello all. I am able to post for a second time sooner than I thought because I didn't go to work today. Zane has pink eye, and I think Addison might be getting it too. She had some goopy stuff on one of them this morning. We got her ears pierced on Saturday and she screamed (made me wonder why I was doing that to my poor baby) but she quickly got over it. They don't bother her at all now. I'm pretty sure that I got some kind of stomach virus from Zane. Poor kid has gotten everything at once. Hopefully we are done with that for a while. We got the proofs for our pictures, and we are going to order some. I will post them as soon as I can.

That's all I can think of for now. Short and sweet.

I'm going to go lay down now.

First Post!

2008-02-01T20:16:00.001-06:00

Hello everybody! We are now happy owners of our own blog spot. I will try and post as often as I can to keep you all as updated as possible. Sean and I don't have much free time while we are at home, so if we slack a bit, please forgive us.

There is not much going on that is very interesting, but I wanted to get this first post out of the way. Our weekend agenda is pretty full...on Saturday we are visiting some friends and letting the kids play with each other (they have kids about the same age as both of ours). Addison won't be able to play much, but she can observe. She likes watching people. Speaking of Addison, I plan on getting her ears pierced at some point this weekend. I would like to get it done before she discovers her ears, so she doesn't pull her earrings out or get them infected. She is talking so much now. I love that all I have to do is make eye contact with her and she smiles the biggest, prettiest smile I've ever seen on a baby. She lights up and gets so close to squealing (which she does every once in a while). Makes me feel really special. She is almost over her cold now....her first one ever. She likes her medicine. Zane wants to launch his rocket this weekend, so we might do that also.

Work is going well for me, but I still don't want to be there. We got some pictures taken the Monday before last, and we should be getting some proofs within the next couple of days. We will share them as soon as we can. I must go now, but before I do, I must tell you that Addison JUST laughed for the first time! She laughed at her daddy, and we all got to hear it! I am so excited!