Cruisin Into January!!

I just hafta make a post about this! I hafta!!!

So one of the fabulous things about my Tony is that he works two jobs in order to let me stay home with our three amazing children. I have wanted to be a mommy for my whole life and thanks to him I am living my dream. And he will never ever know what it means to me to be here with these babies in all of the craziness, love, laughter and tears throughout my days.

I try to help a little with my Two Sisters Gourmet business, and I think it gives him some relief but not as much as I would like. However, I know that the opportunity for greatness is just around the corner as I watch my little team grow. My team is actually the fastest growing in California right now! I am so proud of that!! In fact, Tony and I were just invited to dinner by the first TSG Consultant ever!! She is flying out here on Friday to take us out to dinner. What an honor!!

Anyways, back to Tony....I want to win him this cruise! I really really do. TSG is offering up a cruise for two to Bermuda for 7 days. It is all expenses paid and luxury all of the way. And Tony deserves it more than any person on the planet. For all that he does for me and these kids I want to earn this cruise. I want to be able to take him away from all of it for a week. No service calls, no cell phone, no appointments after a 9 hour day. Just him and me and relaxation.

January is a very important month for earning points towards the trip. It is a double points month. So, if there is anything that you need TSG wise. Or if you think that you might be able to hold a party for me...even just a catalog party! I would absolutely love and appreciate it!! The hostess rewards for January are great as usual. And I am even willing to either bring the groceries to the party or throw in an extra $50 in free product after the party holds!!

So if you are able to help me to earn this cruise for my hero, please do! Every little bit helps. And if you know my Tune Up Tony you know that he so needs this!

Thanks so much!!
dawn

Evil Office Lady Update

10 minutes after I finished that blog, Tony called me. He had called the office and someone appologized for Evil Office Lady and had called my insurance provider and had verified all of my information. They were asking for me to come back to the office and the Doctor would be able to see me.


FUCK THAT!!!!!

I do not want to be seen at that office ever again! I do not want to get my kids packed up to go back there looking like an ass again. They can take my business and shove it up their asses!

Stoopid Doctor's Office!!!

I know I am no Beanie. My writing kinda sucks and stuff. And a lot of time my Blogs are me venting. Well...get over it! Here I go again!!!!!

I am still sick! The kids are all better or mostly better while I am feeling worse and worse everyday. Yesterday the Dr's office was closed, so first thing this morning I called and made an appointment. I told the office chick that I still do not have the insurance card but I have insurance. She said "No Problem! Just bring your group number and member number!"

Okie Dokie, I wrote them down on the back of my beautiful TSG business card and bundled up all three kids and myself and headed off for the Dr's office. I feel like shit.

I walk in looking and feeling like crap, holding onto Ariana and telling Scotty not to worry about the Pokemon card that he dropped in the mud puddle. "We can go to McDonald's and get another one" Trying to dig Raisins out of my purse for David, I check in.

I sit all of the kids onto the big fuzzy brown couch and pass out juice cups. I am a good Mommy even if I am sick. Then the evil office chick from hell calls me up. I tell the kids to stay on the couch and I walk over. Of course all three kids get up and follow anyways.

I hand the evil office chick from hell the card with the numbers that she asked for and explained to her that I have yet to get my card from the insurance but here are the numbers that they said they needed.

Evil Office Chick: "What am I supposed to do with this?"
Sick Feeling Like Crap Me: "I don't know, but that is what you asked me to bring."
Evil Office Chick: " Well, I don't have their phone number or billing address, what do you expect me to do with this?"
Sick Feeling Like Crap Me: "I still don't know, but again that is what you asked me to bring."
Screaming David: "Mommy I need more raisins!!!"
Evil Office Chick: "Well you are going to pay in full for this visit"
Whining Ariana: "I ant sum toooo!"
Sick Feeling Like Crap Me: "I don't have anymore raisins. I can't pay in full. I have insurance and I brought the numbers that you asked me for."

Evil Office Chick: "I don't know if this is Health Net, Pacific Care, Sutter Gould (and 10 others)."

Sick Feeling Like Crap Me: "Oh! It is Pacific Care."

Crying Scotty: "But Mom! I can't wait to get to McDonalds! I need that card NOW!"

Evil Office Chick: "I don't know if it is an HMO, PPO..."

Sick Feeling Like Crap Me: "It is an HMO. Scotty, wait"

Evil Office Chick: "I am sorry, you are going to have to pay in full. There is nothing I can do without a phone number."

Pissed the Fuck Off Feeling Embarassed and Like Crap Me: "Fine, then we will go." and I start packing the kids back up and dragging them out of the door

Feeling Like an Ass Office Chick: "Oh, you don't have to go. Let me ask the Dr what he wants me to do."

Pissed the Fuck Off Feeling Embarassed and Like Crap Me: "NO! When I called you said that you needed those numbers. I brought them. And I took all three of my sick kids out in the rain and the cold to come here. I am sick and you do not want to help me. I am going HOME!"


Feeling Like an Ass Office Chick: "Would you like me to reschedule you for later?"

Pissed the Fuck Off Feeling Embarassed and Like Crap Me: "NO"

Can someone tell me why in the hell this stoopid lady couldn't have let me in and asked me to call her with the number?? I was just in that office two weeks ago. Fuck her! I am so going to call her office manager and complain!!!!

Fireworks at DisneyWorld For Beanie

Click here to get this from pimp.myYearbook.com!!

Update on the sickos

Update on the Sickos...
So the boys are back to normal. They still have a little bit of the cough hanging about. But they have tons of energy and are superdeeduper excited for their visit from Santa tonight!!!

I feel like I was hit by a train because I haven't been able to sleep because my ears hurt so much.....but I still keep taking care of everyone and I will probably go to the doctor on Tuesday if this is still hanging around.

Ariana is a little bit better. She is finally smiling!! She is kind of quiet, not really talking too much. And she is still a little crabby but still better.

And the worse news of all!!!!!!!! Tony is sick!!!!!! He is such a baby!!!!!!!!! I had to get up this morning to go get him "All Natural Honey" and to his Mom's to get him some of her tea, because the tea that I could buy at the store wouldn't be the same. He is so pitiful. When I left him to go to the store he was semi conscious with two blankets on him mumbling about "All Natural Tea."

Anyways, I am sucking it up until Christmas is over. I have Santa Cookies to bake, reindeer food (that won't kill the birds) to make and popcorn to throw on the tree!

Merry Christmas!!

Sick Babies...

So you might remember the annoying Scotty cough. Well, that is still there but not as bad. Although, it is still annoying.

David is sick too. But he is always full of energy so he is not really a problem. Just more touch than normal? Do you know what I mean...I mean, if you say "no" to him the wrong way he will crack down and spazz out!!

Ariana on the other hand, is a mess. She was up the entire night Wednesday. And then last night she was up and down up and down. She slept with me and I kicked Tony to the couch so that he could at least attempt to get a full nights sleep.

My poor Nana, she is so grumpy and miserable. She attempts to play and then just ends up coming back crying. She is so miserable. I did take her to the Doctor and she has an ear infection and a very bad throat infection. And I can't fix her!! I really want to but I can't. She hates all of the medications and we have to hold her down and plug her nose in order for her to swallow them.

I am exhausted and I for sure have the bug too. My throat is sore and my ears are killing me. Tony is trying to get off early so that I can get to the Dr's office before they close....but chances of that happening are slim to none.

So, pray that we will be better by Christmas. And pray for a full nights sleep!!!

Balloons!!

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. I know I have already gone there, so I don't have to start again.

When I was two my Mom and Dad took me to see Santa and he asked me what I wanted for Christmas. And I said "Big Bird and a Balloon."

My parents were a little dissapointed! That is it?? Just a big yellow bird and a balloon?? So that is how it all began.

Christmas is magical. Yeah, sure you have Santa and flying reindeer. But can you just imagine waking up to a lit up Christmas tree, presents and a house full of balloons?? That is what we woke up to.
This is my sister and I on Christmas morning!

My little sister Crystal


My step father would spend the entire day blowing up hundreds of balloons. And then late, after we went to bed he would fill up the back of his big ol red truck. He will tell you that it literally was overflowing! He had to cover the bed of balloons with tarps and drive over to our house to deliver garbage bags and garbage bags of shiney beautiful balloons.



The day after Christmas my Mom would sweep them all into the patio and my sister, me and the neighborhood kids would jump on em and pop em!

I carry this tradition on for my children. Tony and I stay up into the wee hours of the morning blowing up balloons. And it is a beautiful site.

We also go a little overboard. But it is so worth it. Sheryl doesn't understand and quite frankly neither does my husband. But I love it, I swear I live for the smell of the wrapping paper and the popping of the balloons on Christmas morning. I absolutely love it. I feel like a little kid waiting very impatiently for Santa.

Here is a picture of our tree when David was just a baby. I can't find any balloon pictures of our house right now, but I will..

Happy Chanakuah

How do you spell that?? Anyways, this makes me laugh because I love Adam Sandler.




That is really for Beanie and Geeka...

ConNEXTtion!!

I just got home from the Two Sisters Gourmet ConNEXTtion. It was in Manteca at Chez Shari's.

My Sheryl and Jane came with me, they are two of my favorite consultants. I had little gifts for my girls who came with me. I gave them a mini silver piggy bank to symbolize the money that they are going to make in the next year and a silver business card holder. I had to go all silver because my goal for this year is to promote to Silver with the company.

Anywhoo, Kathy King (the General Manager) and Laurie Steuer (The National Sales Director) were there presenting a lot of new information. And releasing the new products! I am oh so excited about the three new products and I can't wait for December 20th so I can share them and let everyone know what they are. I tried all three and they are super yummy!!!

I was excited because my little team is doing so well that I earned recognition for Top Team Sponsoring! That is a huge deal for me as I am proud of myself for being recognized for that. Not just because I was number one in this area but because I consider myself to be shy. I hate to talk in front of people and I just really lack self confidence. Not to mention that my team is really growing and it is kind of my baby. I really look up to my team leader Michele and I feel like it is possible for me to reach her level of success with this company.

We also talked about winning the cruise to Bermuda!! I know that I am going to make it this time! I really want to win the trip for me and Tony. I would love to be able to take him away for an entire week without having to worry about bills or money. To be able to watch him sleep knowing that he is not stressing out about appointments or hours. To know that he can sit down and truly relax. That is the best possible gift that I can give him. And it would feel so good to give him. He does so much for us, he really works his tail off for me to stay home and not have to send the kids to daycare. He is letting me live my dream of being a Mommy and I really want to be able to give him something in return.

Anyways, January is double points month! So I really need to focus on booking parties and doing this! I know I can do it! I have from now until April 30th to make it! Wish me luck!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Okay!!! MOMMY VENTING RIGHT NOW!!!

It's only 8:34. Scotty was up most of the night coughing and so I was up too. I gave him some cough syrup and water. Tried to make him better. But most of my night was me awake in bed listening to the cough. And I don't want to sound horrible, but his cough is annoying!!!

It is dry and it sounds like he is forcing it out. And it is driving me nuts!!! But he wouldn't stop. So, I called him in sick, because he couldn't talk because he kept coughing.

And guess the fuck what!!!?? School started half an hour ago and I can't get him to sit down. He is jumping all over the place. And it is amazing that the cough has almost disappeared!!??

But everytime I ask him to sit back down to rest all of a sudden the cough starts back up. When he is jumping up and down with a light saber there is no cough!!!!!!!

I am so annoyed.

Excercising

It's not really fun. I wish that I could love it like some people do. But I just don't.

I went yesterday and I did my circuit and 20 minutes on the BEAST! I could have done ten more but I was bored out of my mind!

And I went today. I jazzercised and it was fun. But it would have been more fun if Beanie and Geeka would have come so we could have giggled! But they are slackers!!!! hahaha!

Then I did just 15 minutes on the BEAST (the ARC trainer)!! And I was next to Efran. Do you remember him? The guy from Pilates? He is effin awesome! I hate him! I do!! I wish I had the same will power as he does. But he had on his iPod and his is very cool because he can watch video on it. So he was watching a concert and he had the machine set to level 50!!!! Not to mention that I noticed when I signed in that he got on the thing at 5:30 and it was already 6:45.

He was barely glistening. And was totally effin dancing to his music while working out on the machine!!!! Dancing!!!

I did just 15 minutes and I was sweating! I was on level 5!!! I mean dripping and praying in my head to be able to make it the 15 minutes. Not because of the workout but because I get so bored on the thing.

Whatever. Excercising can kiss my butt. I will be there on Thursday...

YUCK!!!

Okay, so I couldn't help it. Everyone has been talking about Britney's vagina. So I had to look it up. I had to!!!!

IT IS SO EFFIN UGLY!!

Not that I find them to be attractive in the first place. But hers is exceptionally ugly. She is a Momma now!! Britney!!! Not that my opinion matters, but find some chonies chica!! They are not that expensive. Not to mention the fact that after you have had babies you leak sometimes! When you giggle or jump. If you were wearing panties you don't have to worry about it dripping down your leg.

Yuck....

Our Web Page

I posted some new photos on the site. You can see our beautiful tree and my silly babies!

http://web.mac.com/dawnandtony/iWeb/dawnandtony/Welcome%20.html

Christmas Tree!!

Well, my boys brought home our tree yesterday. I am so excited!! Tony really wanted to go and chop one down but we decided to take the boys to see Happy Feet instead of driving two hours to find a tree.

My little David decided that we needed to have white lights. And it made me sad because I love rainbow lights, but that is okay. He wanted white lights because "Santa Claus wikes white wights!" So there you have it.

I took a ton of pictures of the kids decorating the tree. It looks so funny because they are so short. So all of the decorations were all around the bottom of the tree. And Ariana keeps pulling them off of the tree. David is very OCD so he keeps rearranging the ornaments and placing them just so.

But the best part is that it finally really feels like Christmas. I decorated the house and I love my Christmas decorations. I love the twinkly lights and the red and green. It feels happy and warm and cinnamonny.

But even better than my babies last night was my husband. He was relaxed and smiling. I turned Christmas music on and he danced with me in the kitchen. He cuddled me on the couch and I kept turning around while helping the kids to find him smiling at me. Not the normal smile, but the "I am so in love and in awe of you" smile. You know what I am talking about? The smile that warms you from the inside out. The smile that once again lets you know that you are with the right person and that you are going to be forever loved and cherished.

Anyways, isn't it funny how a little thing like a tree can bring warmth, smiles and laughter??

My Dad Rocks!

K...so for some reason our internet went down on Saturday! I was kinda really really upset about it. But Saturday wasn't too bad because I spent most of the day with my Sheryl doing a boutique.

But Saturday night I was kinda restless about it and wanted to kill someone. I even checked my email on my cell phone and saw that my Dad sent me a picture of my Ellie with Santa so I had to hack into the neighbors internet....sorry neighbors!

And then this morning it still wan't up!?? So I called AT&T and the stoopid guy freaking tried to sell me a big ol plan to fix it and I gave Tony the phone and he told them no because my Dad works at AT&T so we would try to call him and fix it. And guess the fuck what!!??

MY DAD HAD IT FIXED OVER THE PHONE IN 5 GOSH DARN MINUTES!!!! Did you hear that?? FIVE minutes!!

He so rocks! My Dad is the bestest ever!

This is him with David
This is my favorite picture of him ever with Scotty and Ellie
Me, my Dad, my Sister and David...please notice how sexy I look...I was just pregnant with Ariana and I had just lost 50 pounds...

Luke!

Look at my Lukey Loo Whoo!!!

Geeka

How can I ever repay you?

I got sick this week. And it was a combination of a couple of things. And I knew what part of it was. I hadn't been taking my meds for depression and that just made the illness worse. But that doesn't matter. Let me tell you about my Geeka.

On Tuesday she actually came over here and took David from me. So I was able to stay in bed and sleep all day. I woke up in the morning feeling a little better but overwhelmed by everything. Completely freaked out and I could not stop crying. I was trying to make a Dr's appt but I couldn't because our insurance changed and I just couldn't handle all of the stress. Geeka said "I am putting my hair up in a pony and I am on my way!"

And that calmed me down. I knew that help was coming. And she did. And she made me breakfast. And she made me laugh when she kept setting the fire alarm off. She played with my babies all day. And totally distracted me from everything. Tony figured out the insurance and made me an appointment with the new doctor. And my Sheryl watched my kids while I went and while I picked up my perscription.

When I got home from there she had built tents out of my furniture for the kids! She had them in boxes and was pushing them around in the boxes squealling "Wheeeee!!"

She made me take a nap. And she didn't leave until 5 when Tony called because he was almost home.

Sheryl, thank you for caring. There are not many people who can understand what I am going through in my head. And to be honest I don't really like to share it with many people. But I feel safe with you and I know that you are not going to judge me. Thank you for making yourself at home here, I love that you come over and start cooking and going through cabinets and drawers. Thank you for making me smile and forget that I was not myself. Thank you for loving my babies like they are your own and laughing when they are obnoxious. Thank you for calling me today to remind me to take my meds.

I owe you big time. I will return the favor I am sure of it. Babies?? No problem, I am there for you sistah! With not a question in my head, if you want me to do it I will do it. We are family...

Praying Mantis


My Gram was probably the single most important woman in my life. Ironic since she lived 3,000 miles away in Marblehead, MA. I loved her so much. My Dad would save up to take my sister and I on vacation every four years. My Grammy lived right across the street from the beach. It is actually called Lovers Cove. My Grampy had his little dingy there that he and my Uncle Jackie would row out to their lobsterboat.

This picture was actually taken from my Gram's driveway


I would live there if I could. Trust me, had I not met Tony and fell in love I would be there now. In Marblehead...or at least close by. There is not a more peaceful place in all of the world. And for a child it is almost magical. I can remember running down to the beach to collect sea glass, hunt for hermit crabs and sea shells. My Gram knew the name of each shell and taught them to us. She took pride in keeping that beach clean and would go down with girlfriends to clean it up.

RIght up the road was Fort Sewall. And that is where she would walk her dogs. That is what I crave now. Now that she is gone that is where I want to be. I want to be there so that I can sit high above the ocean, smell the clean air and watch her house praying that she is sitting there with me. This picture was taken walking there


In fact after she passed away I went there. I drove and parked in front of my Grampys house and walked up to the Fort. I sat on the bench and cried and cried. I saw her and I felt her. I knew that she was there with me. My Grampy did not even know that I was in town. I walked back down the hill and right into his house and he said "I thought that was you sitting up in the Fort." You see, he sits in his big comfy chair watching with his binoculars. And so did I as a kid. I would sit there in his chair and look out the window, you could stare out of it for hours at the ocean, the lobster boats and all of the fancy people excercising up and down the street. Everyone said hi there. Everyone waved.

Anyways, my Gram was perfection. She had a dirty mind and I loved it. She called me "Lovey" and she had long beautiful nails. She had a smile that could light up a room. She talked with almost an English accent and hated that people from there did not say their "R's" She loved to watch Sally Jesse Raphael and Are You Being Served, a British Comedy. Her favorite character on that show was Mr Humphries who was gay. And he totally reminded me of her, with his pinky finger always up. She would cook for us. And always made me peanut butter fudge.

I could go on an on about her. I wish that I had been closer as far as miles. I would have been with her every day. And I know that she knows that.

Anywhoo, back to what this blog is about. Since her passing I have been seeing Praying Mantis. I have been seeing them everywhere! Before her death I had seen only one in my entire life. And everytime I have seen one since I have felt like it was her. So today I looked it up. And I decided that I would post here what I found. I know that it is my Gram...

The praying mantis is the oldest symbol of God: the African Bushman’s manifestation of God come to Earth, “the voice of the infinite in the small,”* a divine messenger. When one is seen, diviners try to determine the current message. In this culture they are also associated with restoring life into the dead. “Mantis” is the Greek word for “prophet” or “seer,” a being with spiritual or mystical powers.

Meet the eye of a mantis and feel the presence of God. Interspecies communicator Sharon Callahan says, “the I of me, and the I of the creature became one and we rested on the breath of God.” She notes that a praying mantis appears sometimes in person, other times in a dream or even in an object of art, but always with the “shiny conscious eye ~ God looking at me through the eye of the Mantis.”

The praying mantis shows the way. In the Arabic and Turkish cultures a mantis points pilgrims to Mecca, the holiest site in the Islamic world. In Africa it helps find lost sheep and goats. In France, it's believed that if you are lost the mantis points the way home.

"Follow Mantis" means putting that core aspect of yourself, your foundation of Spirit, at the helm and let it direct your intellect and ultimately your life.

Snow

Hey...it's kinda christmasy...snow!

Sick...again!

So, I don't know what the deal is. But I am sick again. I hate being sick, not because of the yucky feelings or whatever. But because of my children!

I hate not being able to take care of them. I hate not having the energy to get juice. But thankfully I have people to watch them. Maria took the baby while Scotty was at school. And I was just going to keep David. He likes to lay around bed with me and watch movies and Caillou. But both Sheryl and Beanie were like "I'm coming to get David" and Sheryl got him first.

It felt good to lay in bed (feeling like crap) knowing that my babies were well taken care of. But I wanted them here being obnoxious making me giggle.

So, I said that I would make a Dr's appt tomorrow. But I don't think that I will be able to. As Tony signed me up with a pediatrition. So I will have to call the insurance and try to set it all up tomorrow. I am thinking that it is strep throat because everything is burning and feeling all gross. But why am I so tired?? Could it be part of the whole depression thing?? Maybe anemia like Geeks says...

Who knows, but soon I will have a new doctor and maybe he will have some new ideas.

Oh, I forgot to talk about the lump on the back of the left side of my head that swells up everytime I get sick...I have had it looked at before and had a CAT scan and all of that. And the eventually decided that it is just glands that swell up when I am sick. We will see...

Real Friends!

I know, I keep going on and on. But this is just very special and exciting for me.

Thursday was Donald's birthday! And we forgot! EVERYONE forgot, everyone except for the guy who works at the resteraunt that Mom and Donald frequent. And when they walked in on Friday the dude said "Happy Birthday D!" and my Mom had a little gasp.

So what does any normal family do?? We throw a surprise party to pretend that we remembered! So I invited Beanie and her family, Geeka and her family and a couple of others.

But you know what!!?? Beanie and Geeka even offered to make food for us! Beanie is making her jamming enchiladas and salsa. And Sheryl is making her lasagna! So that left me the entire day to clean and bake the cake (I will post pictures later). I even had time to make some peanutbutter kiss cookies for Beanie. And I made a chocolate raspberry bar thingy, it looks so good!!

Anyways thanks Beanie and Geeka for all of your help!!

Thoughts From Tony...

***Warning Tammy!! Warning!!*****

Tony had a revelation last night.

"If every man or lesbian on the planet would buy their wife a Nubby G we would find world peace."