The Painters

Christmas Photo

2011-12-14T08:50:00.003-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

We love you!

Layla update

2011-09-10T23:13:00.007-07:00

Can you believe I'm actually blogging? Facebook has sucked me in so I have to apologize for being SUCH a SLACKER at blogging. I promise I will be more productive on the matter.....

Well, Layla is now over a year old. What a sweet girl we have. She loves to climb. Loves to feed you her food. She loves food. Loves to laugh at her brothers and they sure love to make her laugh. She is a bit of a whiner and knows that they will tend to her and give her attention if she keeps doing it. She loves to scrunch up her nose and make an irritated face, til you have to laugh at her then she ends up laughing too. She is a cuddler (which Matt and I just love) and she loves her daddy soooooo much. She says 3 words: "Daddddeeeeeeyaaaaaa," "Momma" and "I la la" (I love you). She loves my jewelry, lipsticks and shoes. She doesn't take the binky anymore but still loves her bottle. Bottle only at naptime and sleep at night. She takes two 2-3 hour naps a day and goes to bed around 9p-7a. I love this girl so much because she is so incredibly loveable. She is tall and skinny. 99% for height and 50% for weight. Daddy loves to do her hair in like 6 different ponytails around her head.....mom would prefer just one! :)

We love you Layla Belle!

Layla at 21 weeks

2011-01-01T15:26:00.004-07:00

Alec and Layla with Santa

Layla and mommy

My dear dad and Layla

Sorry about the following images being so small. I took them from my phone. Well little Layla is quite a sweetheart. We can tell already that she is shy, calm, quiet, and gentle NOT like my boys, which is so refreshing. heehee. She is very angelic, dainty, small and has tiny feet and hands. She is definitely a GIRL. She whines wayyyyyy more than Alec did and Matt says even way more than Bryce or Kaden when they were infants.....even more proves she's a girl.

She is alomst 15 lbs.

Almost 21 weels.

Long and lush dark brown hair.

All smiles.

Belly laughs when tickled.

Sleeps at nightime no problem.

I can hold Layla tight and lay down with her and she will just suck on her binky and fall asleep so easily.

WHAT A GOOD BABY.

Still exclusively breast feeding and it is going great. I am SO glad I stuck with it.

This baby is the girly vibe we SO needed in our home, besides me.

WE LOVE LAYLA!

Layla with auntie Nikki

Layla in my LV.

Date night with the Bodell's.

2010-11-27T12:31:00.003-07:00

We had a really fun double date night with Sterling and Katie Bodell last night. Their kids were watched by our babysitter while she also watched our kids. Poor Janelle had to watch 6 kids! We took Layla. She did good.....only cried when her picture was taken....

Sterling and Katie. Love them. Such fun friends. We laughed SOOOOO much!

WHY can't Matt just make a straight face?
Sterling holding baby Layla. She is just looking up at him like, "Who's this guy?"

And Matt again, making an ever so handsome face again.....

Little Miss LuLu

2010-11-23T09:09:00.004-07:00

Layla is the most joyous little girl ever. She smiles constantly and the boys are having an absolute blast with her. Alec doesn't quite understand that she is still an infant and he wants to play with her all.the.time and thinks she can wrestle with him. He is quickly learning also that she is not a doll and she can't be roughhoused with. Kaden loves this girl so much and we all think she looks like him. That is good for him because he has had a hard time being the "middle" child so having a little sister is all this kid needed to feel like he has a special buddy, the way Bryce and Alec are towards each other. I have never seen Layla laugh so hard except when Kaden does these silly sounds with his mouth. She just busts up in her little 3 1/2 month old way.

Bryce is loving Layla as well and loves to hold her and be so sweet and gentle. He is almost 11 so he is learning that girls are precious and special and he really just adores this little lady in our lives.

Now on to Matt.....I have never seen him this way and I love LOVE L O V E it. He is absolutely smitten with her and it is such a sweet sight to see. He talks with her all the time. She loves to fall asleep on his chest. He loves to hold her and she loves gazing up at him. Such a beautiful bond they have already. I love it so much. His goal is to have the kind of relationship with her that I have with my father; best friends.

I am not ever getting enough sleep and my house is never quite as tidy as I'd like it and I'd love to lose 15 lbs but ya know what.....I am so incredibly blessed and I have 4 beautiful children, a wonderful, supportive husband, a great set of parents, both in laws and my own and just a great family.

Layla weighs 13.7 lbs and has two little rolls on each thigh. It's adorable. I am still exclusively breast feeding and it has gotten a LOT easier. I think we have gotten a handle on the thrush thing so that is making it more enjoyable. So many times I wanted to just give up and go for the formula bottle thing but I kept on keeping on and I am SO glad I did. Layla has never been colicky, sleeps so great and is always all smiles. She really only cries when she is hungry and slightly wimpers when she needs to be changed.
She has this amazing head of hair. Her hair is sooo beautiful and has a little bit of red in it, just like mine and Matt's natural color. Some people like the looks of bows and clips in their baby girls' hair, we HAVE to use them in Layla's to keep the hair out of her eyes.

Some fun things about Layla.

-She loves to blow bubbles with her spit and makes cute razzy sounds.

-Loves her little singing glow-turtle thing that G'ma got her. She has full on conversations by cooing to it. It is motion censored so when she makes the slightest movement with her hands or head, it talks to her. So funny.

-She loves to be changed. She smiles and smiles when she gets a clean diaper. It's like she KNOWS things are alright when she is clean.

-She has done a few belly laughs to Kaden's funny voices.

-The boys fight over sitting next to her in the car and she just stares and smiles. so cute.

-She loves her swing.

-She loves to say "ahhhgoooo"

-Loves to nurse to sleep at night

-She loves to watch her fishy mobile.

-She has these beautiful dark features like Matt and Kaden.

-She self sooths by sucking on her fingers and tries so hard to get her little thumb in her mouth but she hasn't quite gotten the hang of it. We think she will be a thumb sucker.

-She is SUPER DUPER cuddly.

Christmas cards!

2010-11-22T07:50:00.002-07:00

You can get 50 free Holiday cards from Shutterfly if you fill out a little form on the website. Pretty sweet deal! These cards will be nice and just in time for Christmas!

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly http://bit.ly/sfly2010
Check out some of their stuff!photo Christmas cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationeryholiday cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

I didn't get a chance to send out Christmas cards last year cause I was soooo sick from the new pregnancy and just didn't have the energy but I am totally going to send these babies out this year!

the Labor novel.

2010-08-14T20:52:00.005-07:00

These pics should be in reverse order....but I'm too tired to care to fix it.....sorry.

Layla was born last Monday at 2:23a. She weighed in at 6 lbs and 14 oz. She was 21" long. So she is tall and skinny. heehee.
Words cannot describe the love and completeness our family has for this baby girl. I can't even describe how open and ful my heart is everytime I look into her dark blue eyes and kiss her beautiful face. I love this girl so much!
This is how the day went:
-3pm on Sunday, 8/8/10, the hospital called and told me I was ready to come in to be induced. Matt and I had all our bags packed (even the kids') and we dropped them off our friends' house and then we drove to the hospital all giddy and excited.
-4:30pm, the IV was started and yea, that nurse was not very "loving". LOTS of pain, lots of blood, just for an IV. Ugh.
-5:00p, the penecillin for my Group B Strep was administered in the IV. OK, let me just tell you how PAINFUL straight up pen is in the arm. Nurse was supposed to flush it or give it with lidocaine. Yea ummm, SHE DIDN'T. It felt like a hot fire ball was entering my arm at rapid speed and shooting into every muscle fiber and exploding into a bigger fireball. I honestly do not know how to better explain the feeling. I cried out LOUD that 2 other nurses came in and quickly flushed it and gave lidocaine to numb the pain....muccccchhhhh better after that.
-7:00p, the penicillin bag was empty to they started the pitocin. Contractions started soon after that.....and they were fine for about 2 hours. I tried to see how long I could go without the epidural but after those 2 hours, I wimped out and asked for it.
-9:00p, the anesthesiologist came in and did the epid. It was much more painful than I remember with having it done for Alec's birth.
-9:45p, epidural is fully working.....on my right side only! I was sooooooo scared I was going to feel all the labor and birth on my left side BUT they simply tilted my body a little and voila, I was numb on the left side.
11:00p, Doc broke my water.
-----Labored comfortably numb til around 1:40a----------
1:40a, they checked me and I was dilated to a 7 and 100% effaced. Matt had gone to the store down the road to get some food. I called him and told him to come back cause I was at a 7 and this baby could come soon. 10 min later, as I felt a lot of pressure, nurse checked me and I was at a 10 and ready to push. Matt was parking the car but I called him and was like, "get your booty over to the room NOW, I gotta push!"
2:00a, with Matt by my side and my mom on the other, I pushed 13 times and out my little darling angel came at 2:23a on a magical day, 8/9/10!

Update #1

2010-08-06T12:02:00.003-07:00

I am dilated to a 2-3, 50% effaced and got the good ol membrane strip yesterday. Lost most of the plug. I have contractions but they are not consistant and they don't hurt as bad as what is needed to stay at the hospital. So I am waiting keeping busy cleaning, cooking, walking, trying to get every last touch ready for the big arrival.

Today's hospital visit.

2010-08-02T22:00:00.002-07:00

I thought my water broke today....well actually, I've had a feeling it has been slowly breaking the past few days. So after I got up out of bed and felt some fluid again this morning, I decided it was time to call the doctor just to make sure. She told me to go into the OB ward at the hospital and I did. Everything was fine. The culture sample of the fluid showed up negative for amniotic fluid, which is good. I didn't want Layla coming too early. I am dilated to a 2-3 and things are progressing wonderfully.
I am having this baby between now and Sunday 8/8 and I am sooooo excited to meet her. I can't wait to love on her, cuddle her, look at all her body features, her face, her lips, eyes, tiny ears and toes. I can't wait to kiss her lips.
Layla, I can't wait to be your mommy.

38 days!

2010-07-05T20:50:00.002-07:00

I always have to pee

I always am tired

I always am a little irritable

Been crying a lot (hormones)

Feel like no one understands

I have cankles (edema)

Face is round and pudgy

Weird freckles I never had (pregnancy mask)

Wedding ring won't fit

Feet are always on fire

Oh, did I mention it's 110 degrees these days?

BUT

I get to hold my little angel before, on or just after 38 days!!!!!

Baby girl

2010-06-18T18:51:00.002-07:00

My inspiration for Layla's room. I LOVE these things.

How it is right now

2010-05-24T13:21:00.005-07:00

My life right now:

Busy
Tired
Hot
Swollen body
Cheery
Makin money with weddings
Feeling blessed
Starting planning dinner meals for home on a calendar for every night
Ligaments hurt a little all the time
Frequent charlie horses
Ready to meet Layla and kiss her and hold her
But not all that ready with her room

I really just wanna go back here for just one more day....

D.O.N.E!

2010-05-16T16:11:00.004-07:00

Yup! I am DONE with school and never going back! Ok maybe when the kids are like in college, I'll do my masters but not til then. I feel so relieved. It's soooo nice to know that I will never have another paper to write, book to dissect, library to go to to do research, last minute homework due. Ahhhh, GONE are the days of being soooo tired and ready to go to bed after putting the boys to bed just to realize I have a paper to write by midnight that night. NOw I can 100% focus on being the best mother and wife I can be.

Hey pukes!

2010-04-15T10:36:00.004-07:00

Get lost! You are no longer welcome anywhere near me. You are no longer allowed to make me feel like absolute CRUD for the rest of the day when you decide to rear your ugly little head in the morning. I hate you.
I'm 23 weeks prego today and really truly are very sick of you.
-Sarah

Easters!

2010-04-08T14:06:00.002-07:00

2010-03-11T20:51:00.002-07:00

We are having a GIRL!

I have gotten 3 different doc's confirmations. We are stoked to have a girl in the house. I cannot wait to hold my little angel in my arms and look in her eyes. I cannot believe how blessed we are! It is a miracle to create a baby and we feel soooooo blessed Heavenly Father feels we are worthy enough of parents for one of his beautiful daughters.

Yay!!!!!!!

Sex and Paradise (get your minds out of the gutter)

2010-03-01T21:32:00.004-07:00

We are excited to know the baby's sex in 10 days and we CANNOT wait to see if our predictions are correct.

What do YOU think?

Boy

Girl?

Still puking every day. Today I even did it at a light, in a cup, on the way to costco. Sick. I was so embarrassed cause a few peeps saw me. Ugh. When will it go away?

Oh and we are going to HAWAII in May as a family trip with us 5 and my dad and brother. I am SOOO excited. We are staying in Waikiki at an amazing resort. Cannot.flippin.wait.

I wanna lay in the sun with the ocean breeze, palm trees swaying, virgin pina colada in hand, hearing my kids laughing with all my main men (dad, husband, brother). Paradise!

Don't read if you can't stand a whiner!

2010-02-03T13:22:00.003-07:00

I am sooooo sick!!!!!! i have a cold flu now. ICK! So I am in bed, IV in my right hand, pump in my stomach pumping me full of zofran, and coughing, hacking, having itchy eyes and throat and mouth and ear infections a-brewing. I am miserable and I now know what death feels like. Poor Alec is just watching tv all day long and building lego's. He does go play at friends houses who are amazing to take him for a couple hours every few days so I can get some rest. I am in bed hungrier than ever from the zofran but unable to eat a lot because of this flu.
I need a nurse. I need relief. I wanna be in a drug induced coma til I am all better. It would be great! I wouldn't know the difference.
I now know what depression feels like. I may need to go on some meds. I'm serious. I am depressed.
Wah wah wah wah wah!

Singing praises!

2010-01-31T20:34:00.003-07:00

Today was the first day in a LONG LONG time that I didn't throw up! Yes!!!!!

Rants and stuff

2010-01-27T18:55:00.002-07:00

Well the days are feeling very long and I am a little depressed, I will say. We are down to one car now. Have been for about a month. We wil be getting quite a substantial tax return so we will buy a car for Matt then I CAN HAVE MY FREEDOM BACK as I get my car back! Matt gets rides when he can but the past couple weeks he's been approved for overtime which not everyone on his team is able to do so he has been working loooong days thus needs the car. My friend Agnes has called me when she goes out so I can join her, during the day. I have never expereinced this bad of cabin fever EVER. It sucks. I know I have it good though and I shouldn't complain. I could be this nauseas and pukey living in Haiti right now as a local. I'm sure there's thousands of sick and pregnant women there who are suffering in intense ways. I need to just get over myself and my sickness and be happy!!!!!
We are anxious to know if the baby is a girl or boy. Of course I say it's a boy cause that's all I know but secretly, and very recently I came to this conclusion that I really do think it's a girl. I just have a feeling. We will name her Layla Belle Painter and she will be S-P-O-I-L-E-D and if I find a cute, semi expensive outfit, doggonit, I will BUY it for her!
Well, that is it for now. I AM blessed and everytime I pray, I get a sense of relief and joy knowing that my little baby is healthy and snug and cozy growing in my belly and soon I will be able to kiss its little lips. But not too soon...I've still got 28 weeks left!

This baby better appreciate!

2010-01-05T12:30:00.004-07:00

I hate being preggo. I love my baby but my body is just not agreeing with this pregnancy....again! BUT my preg with Alec was WAY worse so I am feeling blessed it isn't THAT bad. the zofran is not working al the time. Probably 30% of the time. I am craving certain foods. I am sure it's my body's way of telling me to eat healthier being that all these foods are healthy. Here is what I am craving.

Hard goat cheese

Greek kalamata olives.APPLE JUICE
Cheesy chicken enchilada's with no red sauce. Preferably the ones from Courtney Faerber's Mexican themed rehearsal dinner (yes, I do remember them.)A bed of really organic local mixed greens with mini heirlooms and shaved parmesan. Olive oil and lemon as a dressing.

I know I'm weird.

Preggy Preg Preg

2009-12-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

YEs I am PREGNANT! Due August 13th. Hoping for a girl...of course. We are EXCITED!

My website is up and running!

2009-10-04T12:41:00.003-07:00

www.sweetiefaces.com

I named my business Sweetie Faces Makeup Artistry. I'm EXCITED and have already booked 6 bookings for October! I cannot even tell you how blessed I feel. I made more money in 2 hours at a photo shoot the other day than a whole weekend at MAC. My last day at MAC is next Saturday the 10th but I am still going to be doing freelance for them. They have a whole freelance team that is basically on-call to fill shifts, fill hours for Holidays and special event weekends and stuff. The cool thing though is that you don't HAVE to work all the days they ask you to! You can PICK AND CHOOSE! I love that! No more Saturdays if I don't want. No more missing girls night outs! no more working on BLACK FRIDAY! No more SUNDAYS!!!!!

Sourpuss Alec

2009-09-20T12:35:00.004-07:00

Alec could not WAIT to play soccer this season. He would talk NON STOP about "kicking da ball in da met!" He was so excited....until the game actually started. He stood there, folded his arms and did not want to run or do anything. In fact, he just wanted to bury his head in my lap and leave.

Sprinkles!

2009-08-30T21:44:00.002-07:00

Some of my besties and I went to Scottsdale on Frid and then to Sprinkles. Here's Alec and Sophie (Emily's littlest) eating their frosting shots. YUMMY!

We've decided....

2009-08-19T22:15:00.003-07:00

to go private with this blog.

I love my kids.

I don't want nasty pervs staring at them (or worse).

Hope ya'll understand.

Email or leave your address so I can add you to my list!

sarahapainter@yahoo.com

I will change it to private in one week.

Thanks!

incubus

2009-08-09T00:50:00.003-07:00

The time has come, ladies and gents, where my bestie Emily and I are going to what now, our 5th Incubus concert? I think she's gone to more but whatever, I am EXCITED! With family, kids, work and what NOT, life has gotten crazy and my fav band has taken a back seat but not this time! So Ems and I are gonna rock out Aug 25 and be once again enlightened by their music. And no, we are not gonna be in the pit this time....we are getting too old.

Eye Opening.

2009-07-22T23:12:00.002-07:00

This left me with a heavy and sad heart. I have always hated circus's but I really hate Ringling Bro's now. I didn't know it was this bad.

Visit RinglingBeatsAnimals.com

4th of July in California

2009-07-06T11:20:00.003-07:00

Can I just say?

2009-06-22T23:28:00.001-07:00

Man, I am blessed!

Sprinkles!

2009-06-05T22:08:00.004-07:00

So, I've got a cold. I had to call in sick to work today and I hate doing that. BUT, it's amazing how one of these baby's can truly turn around a yucky, coughing, sore throat kind of day into not such a bad day after all. Sprinkles is my VERY favorite dessert stop. My favorites are lemon, coconut, strawberry and lemon coconut. I don't like red velvet. Matt LOVES red velvet so that works in the fact that I don't ever have to share with him....heehee.
Thank you Matt for bringing home two of my favorite's today; strawberry and lemon coconut. I forgot I was sick for a few minutes! ( I can only eat about 1/3 of a cupcake in one sitting and no these are not the two Matt brought home. I actually stole these off google images just to tease you all at how YUMMY they are!)

Way to go Kaden!

2009-05-21T09:14:00.004-07:00

Kaden, I first met you when you weren't even 2 years old! You were still practically a baby. I fell in love with your daddy and decided to marry him, thus, I married you and your big brother Bryce too! You have always put a great big smile on my face and have filled our home with laughter, humor, goofiness, smartness, comedy and the best darn movies I can think of. You have always been more interested in watching movies and being drifted off into a wonderland of imagination than anything else. I love that about you. You ask the funniest questions and think of the silliest jokes. I love that too. I am honored to be your mommy. May you soar to new heights as you gear up to go to 1st grade. But first, enjoy Summer (and try not to drive me crazy for 2.5 whole months). I still cannot believe you are growing up so fast. You are such a protective big brother to Alec and I cannot thank you enough for how many times you have warned me that he is getting into something not so safe or being sneaky. You rock Kaden and I am proud of you for graduating with STRAIGHT A's from Kindergarten.

You HAVE to watch this.

2009-05-17T22:05:00.001-07:00

Some venting.

2009-05-13T21:29:00.004-07:00

I wanna go back to this. Having a Kindergardener, a 4 year old and a 1 year old. It WAS harder in feeling like I had any independence but now it's all just HARDER...a lot harder! Bryce always makes strange sounds (9 year old), Kaden is attitude CITY (Kindergardener) and Alec is CURIOUS GEORGE times 10,000. (He ate another lipstick of mine today). I miss the ages wen they were like puppets, you ask them to do something and they do it. Now they are sooooooo independent....and I am know it's a good thing but it is just sooooooo hard!

can't put a price on it.

2009-05-09T22:46:00.002-07:00

Scientists and researchers have come up with a "salary" for mothers. This is what they say, according to their "studies:" This year, a stay-at-home mom performing the 10 most popular "mom-job functions" does the work equivalent of a $122,732 salary, up 5 percent over last year's calculations. A mom who works outside the home 40 hours a week does work that equates to an annual cash compensation of $76,184, an 11 percent increase. A lucrative second job--if that second shift were actually a paid gig.
Ummmm, you cannot put a price on carrying a child to term or going through the cost and time to adopt one, finding a gyno, a hospital, a doctor for the newborn, pushing an average 7 pound bowling ball out of your yoohoo (8.9 lbs over here, thank you very much Alec) or being cut open to have one delivered from your tummy, caring for a baby, nursing, feeding, spitting up, late nights with no sleep and so on and so forth....and that's not EVEN counting the terrible 3's (as they are now called and I'd have to agree) OR teens....sorry guys, you cannot put a price on being a mother. All in all, you are needed, loved, appreciated and adored so enjoy your day dedicated to YOU!

Happy Mother's Day!

Is this funny...or sad....?

2009-04-28T09:06:00.002-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_fe_st/odd_chihuahua_touchdown

Why?

2009-04-20T08:47:00.002-07:00

Why do they have to make this face when they win? This is the newly crowned Miss America from Sunday night.

Ladies man

2009-04-16T15:26:00.002-07:00

Bryce is 9 and has always been a lover of the ladies.
He is so charming and is definitely not
the type of kid
to be mean to girls or hurt them when really,
he likes them. I have always
known that he is a tender heart in the "love" department
and a softy but today marked the best quote from him ever.

"Mom, I like this girl in my class and today I made her laugh 4 times!"

I love this kid and I can't wait to watch him grow and
develop into a little man. He is such a fine,
refined kid already
so I'm just sitting back and enjoying the youth.

My poor poor husband

2009-04-12T20:10:00.003-07:00

Poor Matt was having some major pain in his right
shoulder so he went to get it
checked 2 weeks ago.
They realized he needed an MRI and needed
a shot with dye to check out where the problem in his
shoulder was. They realized it was bursitis.
So the next week he went in to get the shot of cortizone.
Matt really doesn't like
shots.
Who does? Well if that wasn't
enough, the next day, he got stung by a hornet. What are the odds?

We went...

2009-03-25T10:50:00.004-07:00

and saw Les Mis and once again, it blew me away to a land of imagination, anguish, love unrequited, the love of a father to his child and that of mother to child, power, strength, integrity, pure Godliness and just overall magic. This remains my favorite story of all time. Matt LOVED it too. It was his first time seeing it.

Wow kid! Serious talent!

2009-03-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday sweet man o' mine!

2009-03-17T21:26:00.010-07:00

And Happy St. Patty's Day too! April Goff made this cake. Click here for her website. This cake is UNBELIEVABLE! It's a lemon cake with raspberry filling and white chocolate mousse. We ate the top tier with friends....OK and someone snuck a SMALL slice from the middle tier.....maybe it was me...maybe not! I think it was the leprechaun....

Oh and that's a fondant golfball! Actually, it's ALL fondant! April is amazing. What talent!

Bryce's birthday and Alec's mascara!

2009-03-14T22:22:00.007-07:00

Yup, my oldest is 9! WEIRD! He had a party with just 2 friends cause all the other 3 he invited were either grounded (funny I know) or out of town as we had the party at the beginning of Spring Break.

We call this picture of Kaden "the Joker". It's taken from the pic above. I also like Alec's expression in the above.

So Alec is getting into EVERYTHING now. I mean, EVERYTHING! He dumped out my whole purse, got into my mascara and put it on! At least he knows where it goes right?

What I like most though, is Alec "drawing" on our comforter with my mascara wand. Thank you Alec for being a little TERROR!

this just about sums it up!

2009-03-13T21:56:00.001-07:00

Funny Answers

2009-03-09T08:20:00.004-07:00

Ask your child(ren) these questions. It's interesting what answers they come up with!

I asked Kaden, our 6 year old.

1. What is something mom always says to you? Eat your food.

2. What makes mom happy? Taking care of us.

3. What makes mom sad? When we get hurt.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? When something's funny like when we all dance crazy.

5. What was your mom like as a child? Cute

6. How old is your mom? 29

7. How tall is your mom? big

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Do makeup

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Go to school at ASU

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Singing

11. What is your mom really good at? Cooking and making brownies.

12. What is your mom not very good at? Wearing flip flops in the snow

13. What does your mom do for a job? Work at MAC

14.What is your mom's favorite food? Swedish meatballs

15.What makes you proud of your mom? That you love us

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Sandy from SpongeBob

17. What do you and your mom do together? Get treats and go eat lunch out.

18. How are you and your mom the same? We both love to play with Alec.

19. How are you and your mom different? I don't have long hair and you do.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Because you're my mommy.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad? Because he loves you

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? At the mall. But the one that you don't work at. You like Scottsdale.

To my Husband

2009-03-01T09:52:00.003-07:00

Lately I have been thinking about all the men in my life and the different roles of men and women and how each sex is so important in our Heavenly father's plan. I reflected on all the men I come in contact with each week...faithful men who serve with diligence at church, my home teachers, my brother, father, and more importantly, my husband. My husband works sooooo HARD every day. He takes 12 credits at ASU, works 40 hours, (almost a 2 hour commute every day) AND watches the kids and keeps a fairly clean house when I work my 20 hours a week evenings. This guy amazes me! He was up all night the night before last working on Bryce's pinewood derby car for Scouts and it was a dang good car cause Bryce won 2nd place! Oh did I mention Matt coaches Bryce's soccer team?
Matt is turning 33 on March 17th, St. Patty's Day and even though Matt doens't have an ounce of Irish in him, he likes to believe he is Irish. Matt you are such a fantastic guy! Thank you for being an amazing father and loving husband. You work SO hard and I don't know how you do it but THANK YOU!

To my father....

2009-02-25T08:47:00.006-07:00

Well my dad isn't afraid to tell people, in fact he is excited, so I'll just say it. Today is his "Senior Citizen" birthday. Yup, he is 65. I want to dedicate this post to him. Happy birthday daddy!
In the Muslim culture, the first born son is always named Muhammed then you are named your first name, then your father's, then your grandfather's then your great grandfather's then your last name. That is your full name so my father's full name is Muhammed Hisam Adib Sherrif Ibrahim Shaboon. Say that ten times fast! He shortened his name to Sam.....
He was born in Damascus, Syria in 1944.
He grew up in a middle to upper class society and home.
He has 2 younger siblings who are 3 and 5 years younger and from what they tell me, he was always the bravest and kindest older brother ever. He never picked fights or picked on them. Amazing!
He grew up normal and loved the ladies. In fact, one time he was on his little scooter and while passing a girl he liked, he put out his hand to softly graze her face and when he looked back, she was on the ground in tears cause he was going faster than he thought and slapped her onto the ground.
He went on to the American University in Beirut and got his Bachelors degree in Business.
He moved to the States with only a few hundred dollars in the 60's and opened his first restaurant called Sam's Place. It was a burger joint. He actually made a little meal for children with a burger, fries, a small drink and a toy and named it the Happy Meal....but he didn't patent the name.....too bad!
He lived in West Hollywood where he met a model from Sweden and 45 days after they met, they got married in City Hall.

Acapulco, Mexico 1981 They later moved up by San Francisco. That model is my mother!
When I was a baby, my dad opened a restaurant with a low to non-fat menu called The Skinny Gourmet. I remember there was a soft serve machine there and I used to love gettting free ice cream cones.
My dad opened a cafe on Market Street in downtown San Francisco called Pastell's and that was real fun! I remember seeing a naked man run down Market in the cold of Winter....always something like that in San Fran.
My dad was so dedicated to this bakery/cafe that he used to get up at 4:30am every morning to be at the cafe at 6:00a for the morning commuters. He worked so hard and stayed until evening to provide for us. I remember him coming home all the time with bags of candy for my brother and I. What fun! He always played hide and seek with us and was such a great father. He never spanked us....not that we didn't need it from time to time, but he never laid an unkind hand towards us. He provided the kind of money that made it possible for us to travel every Summer to exotic places and eat at very nice restaurants. I always felt so loved by him and mother. They both provided mea nd my brother with such a happy and healthy, loving childhood.
In 1989, we moved up to Sebastopol, Ca and my dad started a restaurant called The East West cafe and to this day, that is his legacy. This restaurant has brought so many blessings to our family but it is my dad's dedication and hardwork that has made it all happen.
My father and I have gone on many father daughter dates. I remember in 8th grade, he needed to drive down to San Francisco and get some restaurant supplies and he pulled me out of school to go with him for the day. We not only got the supplies but we went shopping like crazy in Union square! That was a blast! He also used to take my brother and I to A's and Giants games all the time. We were a huge baseball family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! You are the BEST father I could have ever dreamt of having and you are an amazing grandfather too as you treat each one of your grandsons with love and playfullness. Thank you for being my shining star and as I always say, you walk with angel steps through your compassion, kindness, generosity and general love and zest for life and people.
Some songs that remind me of my dad when I hear them are:
More than a Feeling by Boston.
Wildest dreams by The Moody Blues.
Stir it up by Bob Marley.
Thriller by MJ
What a feeling by the Flashdance soundtrack.
Any Chicago or Eagles song.

Dad and I Summer 2003 at a little New England town outside of Boston.
ready for another one? Wait for it......

wait for it.............

wait for it.............

Here it is. This cracks Matt up almost daily.....Dad and I on a camel in Egypt 1989

Still sick and a little tag

2009-02-15T10:44:00.005-07:00

Well this stinking cold that has been going around our house has not let up one bit. I am still battling it, Kaden is getting it again, Matt constantly has a sore throat and poor Alec has 2 ear infections! The only one who really never gets sick is Bryce....the one who brings all the germs home from school. How lovely. His defense is so strong to the germs I guess.
So as I sit here thinking about how I have to go into work this Sunday afternoon and thinking about how much that sucks, I am going to do a tag from Tiffany! So here it goes.

6 Random Things About Me

1- Post the rules on your blog
2- List 6 random things about yourself.
3- Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
4- Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am addicted flossing my teeth. I cannot get enough of it. If I feel anything in my teeth, I HAVE to go either get the floss that is on a spool or get the toothpick floss things (I love those) from either my vanity or my car (yes, i am all stocked up with floss in my car)

2. I'm not much a movie theater kind of girl. I'm not much of a movie kind of girl at all actually. I get restless and anxious and ADD (not diagnosed, I just feel like I have it when I watch movies) and I lose interest about 20 min. into it. Matt hates that cause he is a total movie watcher.

3. the only part of my body I wish I could change is my stomach. I have done every kind of sit up possible and eat right yet this little "shelf" on my tummy from how much my skin stretched while being prego just will not go away. I hate it.

4. I have a condition called Restless Leg Syndrome. It is so annoying. At certain times randomly, usually when I am tired in bed and can't sleep, my legs feel like they are shooting fire balls down from my thighs to my feet and feel like my muscles are uncomfortably tightening. They came out with a new drug called Requip for it but I'm afraid to try it cause you have to devote 8 hours to sleep and I just can't do that with 3 kids.

5. I cannot get myself to buy expensive jeans. I have Charlotte Russe brand and some old Lucky's from Nordstrom Rack but 7's, Citizens, those kinds, the kinds that can make anyone's booty look amazing, I refuse to drop $175 on them....BUT, I WILL spend that much on makeup. I guess we all know where my priorities lie.

6. I have a fiery attitude when I get spoken to rudely from a customer at work. It takes every single ounce of my strength to bite my toungue so I don't get into any trouble. I am not one of those people who can just take crap and let it go. I can let someone flipping me off or cutting me off while driving not even bother me but when a customer is downright rude, I either have to just bite my tongue til it bleeds or have someone else help her. I don't know why.

I tag anyone who wants to do this.

Our Cali trip!

2009-02-08T21:58:00.006-07:00

I love the fact that my husband is from an area of California that snows in the Winter. It's about an hour from Yosemite and the little town he's from is called Oakhurst. We love the snow! It makes for a pretty cozy trip! Here are some pictures from our trip in January. Matt and I left the kids with grandma and grandpa and we headed up to Tahoe for 2 days for some nice time together. It was so fun and even though it rained for a couple hours when we were snowboarding, it was a blast!

Matt and I in the lodge at the ski resort getting toasty by the fire.

I love the view of the mountain. Matt likes this view I guess....Look at all that snow! Heaven.

Back at our hotel, we ordered room service at 3 in the morning and we got cheesecake and a sundae! I looooooved being able to sleep whenever and eat whenever. Such a great vacay Matt and I took to Tahoe. if you have kids, you know that this kind of thing is MUCH NEEDED once in a while.
Back with the kids. We found a fun little place and went sledding.

Norman Gentle

2009-02-05T08:50:00.001-07:00

I love this guy!

Pregnancy tag

2009-02-04T08:47:00.005-07:00

yeah yeah yeah I want another baby but alas, I know we must wait a little while longer. In the meantime, I'm going to do this pregnancy tag for Alec. I tag anyone who has ever been preggo!

1. Where were you when you first found out you were pregnant? In my bathroom. I kinda had a hunch cause I wasn't taking the pill anymore and a certain two parts of my body were super sore....plus I was late! So the test only confirmed what I was thinking.

2. Who was with you? It was a lazy Saturday and the boys were watching a movie and Matt was taking a snooze.

3. How did you find you were pregnant? test for surety.

4. What was your first reaction finding out you were pregnant? I was ELATED!

5. Your husbands reaction? I woke him up from his nap and he had a HUGE smile on his face and we just held each other.

6. Who was the first person you told? After Matt, it was my uncle Hilal. I couldn't get a hold of my parents!

7. Did you plan to get pregnant? Yes and no. We weren't doing anything to prevent it.

8. Did you go out and celebrate? I can't remember! I know that I made a girls night out to BJ's brewhouse to tell my girlfriends a couple weeks later.

9. Did you want to find out the sex of the baby when you were pregnant? YES! And of course, being me, I wanted a girl but I was so happy when I found out it was a boy.

10. How much weight did you gain? a whopping 48 lbs!

11. Did you get any stretch marks? major ones on my tummy in my 9th month of pregnancy. I thought I was lucky until one day, I kid you not, I woke up and saw these nasty cream colored lines all over my lower tummy. they were disgusting. They are almost faded now though.

12. What did you crave the most? Lots of carbonation. I wanted to just DOWN soda's all day long. If it was flat, forget it. It had to have lots of carbonation.

13. What made you feel sick? Oh I was sick the WHOLE time. EVERYTHING made me sick. I still cannot stand cooking chicken because of the smell. I can't stand one of Matt's colognes or shampoos. I was just a mess when I was preggo.

14. Did you have any complications with the pregnancy? I did have hypermesis which is a condition of severe morning sickness. I was in the hospital with an IV feeding me fluids cause I couldn't keep anything down. I also got into a bad accident my 7th month which put me into pre-term labor. had to get a shot to stop the contractions. The accident also pushed the baby down into birthing position and what should essentially happen in your 9th month happened in my 7th. That sucked! Very uncomfortable.

15. Where were you when you went into labor? I was in the guest bed. I couldn't sleep in our bed anymore cause it was not only uncomfortable but I tossed an turned all night. So yeah, in the guest bed and I woke up with like the WORST cramping ever. I ran into our bedroom and said to Matt, "Something's happening and I need to go to the hospital." I've never seen Matt wake up and get ready so quick. We called Kathy Shoopman next door and she came over and stayed with Bryce and Kaden. It was 4am. Thank you Kathy!

16. Did you go early or late? RIGHT on my due date baby!

17. Who was in the room when you delivered? Matt, aunt Ann, cousin Jenny and my mother. I wanted my dad in there too, off to the side of course (ew) but he wasn't able to get a flight so fast from San Francisco. If you know me, you know that I'm all about a party!

18. Did you have any drugs for the pain? Epidural epidural epidural! My LIFE saver. I loved that thing. I instantly felt warm, cozy and zero pain.

19. What was your reaction AFTER you gave birth? OK, that wasn't so bad. He is soooo cute! I cannot believe that huge head came out of THAT!

20. How big was your baby? 8 lbs. 6 oz.

21. What did you name the baby? Alec Jason Painter

22. Did the name have any significance to you? Alec was a name Matt and I had FINALLY agreed on. It wasn't any name I had ever thought about before. I think we got it from a baby book. And Jason cause it's Matt's brother's name and we wanted to pay some tribute to him.

23. How old is your baby now? He just turned 3! can you beleive it?

24. When is the next one coming? We logically and our brains are telling us to wait til after Matt and I are both done with school which is another year and a half but my heart strings are PULLING...so are Matt's.

25. If you could would you do it all over again? I hope to not be so darn sick! But of course I would. And next time a girl!

Alec turns 3!

2009-01-29T08:34:00.004-07:00

Januray 29th, 2006 was the best day of my life. I had been in labor for about 11 hours and only about 2 of those 11 were painful (thank you epidural, my life saver) and I could not wait to meet my sweet little baby boy. I pushed for about 12 minutes and out he came! A beautiful, healthy 8 pounder, 6 oz little bean! It's been 3 years. Happy birthday to my beautiful baby boy...well, hardly a baby anymore. Here are some nicknames I have for Alec. Cookoo-bear, alligator (cause he swaddles himself every single night with his blanket as he rolls and rolls like an alligator. He stops rolling when the blanket is tight around him....cute huh?), and my little goose. He really is a great little boy. He does say shut up a lot (we are working on that with frequent time outs....hey, he has 2 older brothers to learn bad words from!) but he has the kindest, sweetest most loving nature. He loves to cuddle, touch your face and just smother you with kisses. He will be a little lover of the ladies for sure!

Funny thing is last night was the very first time I have ever seen him throw a full on fit. He dropped to his stomach, extended his legs, kicked them, wailed his arms and cried, the whole bit all cause he didn't want to go to bed. So hey, no fits that big til the eve of his 3rd birthday? We're ok with that....but I hear the terrible 3's are the new 2's....i just cannot wait! (insert sarcasm).

I love this picture. Alec does this even now with his bottom lip when he's sad.

Les Mis

2009-01-19T10:57:00.004-07:00

Matt and I got tickets for the March 21st show. I can't wait! I love this musical. They are traveling and coming to Phoenix Theater. I saw this musical twice already and I start crying the second the curtain opens in the first scene....haaha. I'm a sucker for a great musical. This is by far my favorite!

Other great shows that are coming to the valley are "Wicked" and Elton John together with Billy Joel. I am wanting to go to those also SOOOO badly. Matt MIGHT do "Wicked" but would never do Elton and Billy. He's not a fan of those two. Me? I always said I will not die until I see Elton in concert at least once in my lifetime.....so something tells me I GOTTA see him when he comes to Phoenix. Gotta save up cause those tickets are PRICEY.....but totally worth it!

Top 3!

2009-01-12T09:09:00.006-07:00

There is not much new news to report so I decided to post a fun topic, PERFUME! Ever since I can remember, one of my most strongest senses has been my sense of smell and when I smell something yummy, I wanna smell it forever! So I decided to post my 3 most FAVORITE perfumes in random order.

"#9 Blackberry and Vanilla" by Trish McEvoy.

Amy Geitz introduced this perfume to me in NYC back in 2004. We were in Bloomindales on 5th Ave and after she showed me this delicious scent, I just had to have it and now every time I smell it, it reminds me of being in NYC and having an abslutely good time. PLUS, the blackberry and vanilla together is an amazing combo. Seriously SO yummy.

"Flowerbomb" by Viktor and Rolf.

I was at work the other night and this girl came in and I was like, "what are you wearing?" It smellt sooooo good and she wrote the name down for me and told me I can only get it at Nordstrom. So Saturday night, Matt and I went to Nordy's and I just drenched myself in it. It's got 100 layers of flowers in it and hints of vanilla, pear, lillies and bergamot. Ok it's kinda pricey. It's $95 for a SMALL bottle. That's insanity to me...so I picked up a few samples til I can afford it. I can't stop wearing it. Matt can do without me putting it on so heavy....I say "deal with it!" hahhaa

"Angel" by Theirry Mugler.

My aunt Nancy introduced this one to me. She had a huge bottle of it and gave it to me about 15 years ago. I LOVE it and it will always be one of my favorites. It is said to have real notes of chocolate, vanilla and other dessert smells. It supposed to have pheromones in it to attract the opposite sex.....maybe it worked for me in wrangling Matt in....

THE BACHELOR.....

2009-01-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

premiere's tonight and I am excited to watch it. Anyone else?

I couldn't believe it!

2008-12-22T09:44:00.004-07:00

So last night at work, I had an encounter with a customer. We have these beautiful Holiday gift sets in shadows, glosses, brushes etc.... I was helping a lady (lady #1) when another lady (#2)walked up waiting for me to help her. #1 was asking about the neutral lipgloss set and really had her eyes on it. Well #2 was listening and when Jeni my store manager called out to me that we have one more neutral lip gloss set, #2, grabbed it and walked away. #1 and I looked perplexed. #1 looked kinda upset but was gracious and said she's just go to another MAC and get it. I just had to say something. Have you ever been to Last Chance and had someone take something from your cart? It was like that. I told #2 very professionally that I really need to honor #1's interest in the glosses and since I was helping her first, I needed to give that last set to her. Well all HELL broke loose with #2. Finally #1 just gave in and said it's fine, #2 can have them.....Then #2 told #1, who later told me, that I was being SNOTTY! ME? ME? WHAT ABOUT YOU #2! Oh I hope I never see that lady again!

Ken Lee!

2008-12-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Click HERE. I PROMISE you it's a good one!

4 years!

2008-12-16T09:46:00.009-07:00

4 years baby! Thank you for being my best friend, shoulder to cry on, companion to laugh with, movie critic to watch movies with, diner to dine with, partner to discipline with, buddy to travel with, confidant to trust and my EVERYTHING! Thank you for the 2 boys you brought into my life and for the 1 little one you helped me create. You're everything to me and I look forward to our lives together for the rest of eternity. Happy Anniversary!

Our first date! Oakland A's game in Oakland, Ca.

Dating....
The night we got engaged.Few weeks before the wedding

December 16, 2004
Dining on our honeymoon in Cancun
Second honeymoon in Monterey, 2008
Nowadays!

My little Alec

2008-12-10T23:34:00.004-07:00

Oh how I love this boy. He is definitely my "roll dog". He goes everywhere with me and for 3 hours a day, it's just Alec and I having our special "mommy and me" time. I truly love that time with him. He makes me laugh, we play, eat lunch, sing, nap, (me a little. He a lot) dance, laugh a LOT and just bond. The other day though, he decided he wanted to try to snuggle...nuzzle....or BITE my cheek! He put his blankey on my face and came at me to nuzzle I think and he BIT me! He actually broke some skin. Here's the pic I took right after wards. Click on it if you can't see the bite marks. I yelped like a dog. He looked so sad. He was saying, "mommy I sorry" over and over and kissing it better. I just held him and said it was ok. He felt so bad. I know he wasn't trying to hurt me or anything. He was seriously in a cuddly mood. I think he just forgot my face was behind that blankey!

New SUV

2008-12-05T09:25:00.002-07:00

I got a new Honda Pilot and I LOVE it! 8 seats! What a blessing! No more minivan! I hated that thing. the radio and just whole system went out a while ago in the minivan (the boys and I call it the Mini-Spinny. It's from Yo Gabba Gabba) and I've noticed something was missing from my life. Well now that I have music, my life feels much more rich and lively! I always need music.

It's that time of year......

2008-11-27T21:00:00.003-07:00

where my gratitude cup overflows with feelings of overwhelming thanks. My top ten reasons to be thankful. In random order.

-Having a body that was able to sustain a violently nauseas pregnancy.

-Being able to give birth in a clean, sterile environment that paved the way for a healthy beautiful baby boy who is coming up on his 3rd year.

-3 little boys who never miss an opportunity to tell me they love me and that I'm the "bestest mommy in the whole wide world."

- Having a husband who reminds me constantly that I'm beautiful, be it in random texts, little "I love you" calls and a simple stare of adornment from him. Also for always being on my side when I feel wronged or hurt by someone.

- Parents who raised me to love with all I am and with every inch of my being. they have given me the roots and foundation to be the kind of parent they were and I still learn every day from them. Also parents (step too) and a brother who support me in everything I do.

- A functioning and strong, steady, and precise right hand that ables me to do my craft, makeup artistry. My senses. My eysight for seeing all things, especially detail. My hearing so I can listen to my sweet sons voices. My sense of smell so I can appreciate all the scents of the Earth. Taste so i can enjoy the cuisines of the worlds and touch, so I can feel the sweet caress of my husband.

-A home that keeps the cold and heat out and protects me and my dear family from danger.

- Food which sustains our bodies and feeds my hungry and growing boys (all 4 of them...Matt included).

- A Gospel which has given me the knowledge of life after death, a living Christ, all things created from God's hand and the splendor of life which we get to experience every day.

-A Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ who sent me to Earth to be a child of my lovely mother and father and who entrusted me to be the mother of my 3. Also to send Matt my way so that my life can be blessed with a loving, caring, and healthy Eternal marriage.

Oh so sweet...

2008-11-16T21:37:00.002-07:00

I was cleaning up the kitchen earlier and heard a male voice singing very softly. I went into Alec's room and saw Matt with my almost 3 year old in the rocking chair like this. My heart melted.

We never rocked Alec to sleep because we didn't want him getting used to it. Now that he's almost 3, it's impossible to get him to be still for one second, let alone enough time to rock him to sleep...but my sweetheart husband I guess wanted to feel the newborn baby feel (we're a little baby hungry).

My Saturday

2008-11-09T10:21:00.007-07:00

I had one of the most funnest Saturday's I've had in a while yesterday. It started a little hectic as Alec would not stop getting into EVERYTHING imaginable while I was trying to get ready for work. Matt took Bryce and Kaden with him to play basketball (or sbasketball, as Alec says) so it was just me and Alec. I love this boy, even though he can stress me out sometimes. He makes me laugh so much though. He always wants to hop around like a bunny, read books, LOVES the cartoon, Max and Ruby, loves to garden and care for the outside with daddy, loves eating salami and taquito's, really enjoys playing with his big brothers, loves to snuggle like a little baby and is just the giggliest, most adorable little boy ever. I love him so much.
Anyway, work was sooooo much fun yesterday. We are selling these Christmas cards that children with AIDS made and all the money paid for them goes straight to MAC's AIDS fund. We all dressed like children at work.

Me as a little pigtailed girl, Katie as a little girl who got in all her mommy's makeup and Jeni as a little blonde girl.me and Luis, as Little Boy Blue.
Me, Katie, Pooja and Luis.THEN straight after work, Matt picked me up (I washed off the rosey cheeks and freckles) and we went to the Scottsdale mall where we met up with my cousin Jenny and her husband Billy for Jenny's birthday night. It is Scottsdale Fashion week and all the designers, models, and paparazzi were there. It was a fun night. We ate at Sauce, walked over to the MAC store, got hot chocolates then went up to the Camelback Inn for desert and sat by the huge fire and listened to live music. We had chocolate fondue and peach cobbler....YUM! It was soooooo nice. Such a great night! I missed the kids but seriosuly, I needed a little "day off." Felt like I was on vacation. Rejuventated me.

some thoughts.....

2008-11-05T09:15:00.006-07:00

First off, I want to say that I am HAPPY about the election results. I have great hopes for President elect Obama. I hope he can make some changes in Washington. Most of all, I hope he changes our economic crisis, failing health care system and keeps our homeland security strong.
I am also SOOO glad that Propositions 8 in California, 2 in Florida and 102 here in Az passed. I have faith in the American people for coming together and voting on something that I hold SACRED, marriage. Marriage IS between one man and one woman and as yes, my views sometimes are liberal, I am STRONGLY opposed to homosexuals having the right to marry legally.
ALSO, did you know that there are 227 calories in ONE Texas Roadhouse roll? AHHH, I ate like 5 the other night! Bad me.

Trunk or Treat

2008-10-29T08:24:00.005-07:00

2006
My Buzz, Ironman and Power Ranger. If I were ever in any kind of a bind, like say, being chased by a big dog, these superhero's would for sure be my rescue...meow! (and why is it that I can't just get everyone to smile in a picture?)

2008

Way back when....

2008-10-24T09:51:00.005-07:00

Back in 1966, I looked like this. Was living in Califronia, had a letterman jacket from my boyfriend and LOVED Elvis.

Then when my dad bought the farm in '72, I decided to go with this haircut....I was so innocent then.
I quickly grew out of my innocent phase and decided to be a hippie in 1976 and did lots of drugs....
which made me get kinda chunky but soooo ready for prom in 1986 with Jake Ryan (points if you know what movie that name's from.)
But, as when all is said and done, I truly love Kurt Cobain and the grunge era of 94.
But let's face it, nothing beats my bleach blonde hair in this 1996 portrait with my assymetrical hair cut.....Loved that look. The Real McCoy rocks.

This is about as crafty as I'm gonna get......

2008-10-14T08:53:00.002-07:00

I have ZERO crafty bones in my body (weird since I'm a makeup artist, but the face is different) but I wanted to try doing something cutesy for the Halloween season coming up. This is actually from last year. The outcome is kinda cute, I must say so myself. This is about as good as it's gonna get folks!

Curvy woman rule!

2008-10-09T08:04:00.004-07:00

Just when I thought Angelina Jolie cannot possibly be any MORE gorgeous, she goes on and has 3 children within 2 years and looks like this!

Get.... in.... my..... belly!

2008-10-04T16:29:00.004-07:00

Ok I saw this on another blog (thank you Aubrey Carter) and I think it's really a funny idea so I'm gonna do it. Ok, go to your picture file, go to the 4th file and 4th picture in that file and post the picture and tell about it. So here it is.

This is a pedicure appointment Jamie, Court and I went to when we were all preggo. I am a fatty in this picture. My face blew up when I was preggo. I look CROSS EYED! Jamie looks adorable though!

Excited!

2008-09-27T09:12:00.006-07:00

Almost 4 years ago when we bought the house, we were strapped for any extra money. Matt was in and out of odd end jobs and I was not bringing in any income as I didn't have a job yet. We held a garage sale and sold all our old things we didn't need anymore. We sold my beloved snowboard for $50...the parting was dramatic for me (not really) as it was my old faithful friend for 10 years. It had been scraped, banged, bruised, grinded on, taken some seriously heavy falls and has carried me down many a mountain in my younger days. Fast forward 4 years. Matt and I plan a Utah snowboard trip in January.....but I am sad because my old friend is gone until I got home last night and found THIS waiting for me!My dear sweetheart bought it for me while I was at work. He said it was a late birthday present. The bindings are white and pink and even the stomp pads are pink hearts. I LOVE it! Thank you honey. You done good!
I told Matt to pretend it was HIS girly board.....so he did this girley faceBryce and momma

Great lineup this year!

2008-09-26T11:26:00.001-07:00

I wanna see Mary J, Goo Goo Dolls, LL, and Sheryl Crow.

Anyone wanna join!?

2008 Arizona State Fair Concert Series

Reserved Seats On Sale September 6, 2008

All shows are FREE with your Fair admission on a first come, first served basis. Or, you may purchase reserved seat tickets through Ticketmaster and the Coliseum Box Office in September. Separate fair admission required.

Larry the Cable Guy
Oct. 11 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $20

Goo Goo Dolls
Oct. 16 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $20

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
Oct. 17 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $20

Weezer
Oct. 18 • 6:00 pm
Reserved seating $20

Sheryl Crow
Oct. 21 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $20

Mary J. Blige
Oct. 22 • 7:00 pm
Reserved Seating $20

Old School Jam
Oct. 24 • 8:00 pm

Featuring:

NAUGHTY BY NATURE...Hip Hop Hooray, O.P.P
TON LOC...Wild Thing, Funky Cold Medina
COOLIO...Fantastic Voyage, Gangsters Paradise
YOUNG MC...Bust A Move
KLYMAXX...Meet In the Ladies Room, I Miss You
CLUB NOUVEAU...Lean On Me
TIMEX SOCIAL CLUB...Rumors

Reserved seating $15

Meat Loaf
Oct. 30 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $15

LL Cool J
Nov. 1 • 7:00 pm
Reserved seating $15

I knew it!

2008-09-23T20:24:00.001-07:00

Worst dressed?

2008-09-22T15:45:00.003-07:00

These two dresses are on the worst dressed list at the Primetime Emmy's that were on last night. I really love these dresses...could do without the most annoying person on the planet, Kathy Griffin and I'm not too fond of Lauren Conrad, but I really do love these dresses. Someone's got this worst dressed list totally wrong.

Lizards and tests

2008-09-19T13:32:00.003-07:00

So I had to take a 40 minute 30 question timed test in one of my ASU classes online. I put Alec to bed for a nap, sit Kaden in front of the tv so I can concentrate and asked him to please not come ask me any question til I let him know he can. This test was important for my overall grade. So everything is going well. All of a sudden, I hear Alec crying telling me he is poopy. I RUN to his room and he has already taken off his diaper, wiped his OWN butt and is ready for a new diaper. I don't have time so I just tell him to go get in the bath. He goes in, turns the water on and after about 5 minutes, I tell him to turn off the water. He does. I finally feel like I can concentrate as I only have about 29 minutes left of my HARD test and am only on question #6. Well it was a half day today at school todayand Kaden stayed home from school today so I knew Bryce would be home any minute (we have a carpool). So I hear the car pull up to drop him off and by this time I have about 15 minutes left and am on question #17. I'm stressing out big time. Alec's still in the bath and is just fine. the bathroom is right next to our office/guestroom where I am taking my test. Ok so I hear Kaden go open the door for Bryce then all of a sudden I hear "Kaden don't let that LIZARD IN! KADEN GO GET MOM. IT'S IN THE HOUSE IT'S IN THE HOUSE!" So yeah, a HUGE lizard runs fast into our house and goes underneath the couch. the boys are screaming, I'm screaming out of panic and fear of that bacteria infested sewer lizard running to my bedroom onto my bed, underneath it, WHATEVER! The thought of it going into my dresser and clothes or just BEING somewhere I don't know was not gonna happen so I now have a mission, FIND THAT LIZARD!!!! We remove the couch, start lowly swinging the broom handle and finally it runs off into Alec's room.....no way. I go in there, see it climb up his curtain, finds a hole in the seam of the curtain and goes in it. So now the lizard is INSIDE the curtain. Kill me. So I take that darn curtain off the wall, go outside and now have to rip it apart to find that stinking lizard. By this moment, I want to torture the thing. I find it and HUCK it about 20 feet across the yard. My little boys are creaming with glee and fear. Fear because they are afraid I'll get bit and glee cause they can't beleive their MOM just acted like Godzilla throwing a bus across the New York skyline.
now I am exhausted.......

2008-09-18T09:55:00.005-07:00

We're planning a ski/snowboard Utah trip for January. I love to snowboard. I have been doing this sport for 14 years and love it so much. It's been a while since I've gone but it's just like riding a bike, once you master it, you will never forget. I can't wait! It's the only sport I can actually say I am quite good at. (I'd like to say I'm good at soccer or softball since I played those in High School, but I'm not. I suck at them.) I love the feeling of carving low down through fresh just snowed powder and sliding my hands across the snow as I carve. I love the fresh freezing breeze on my nose (even though it runs like a water faucet every second) and I love eating yellow snow..JK. But really, I love boarding in and out of a forest and just feeling like as light as air. I love going up the lip of a half pipe and coming down it with lots of speed. Every single time I see some boarders on tv, my adrenaline starts pumping. And the best part? We're going to have our boys take lessons and someday, I get to board with them....that is awesome!
We are staying with Matt's friend there but I'm trying to convince Matt of just one night at least here. It's the Marriot on Park City and oh yeah, you can board to your room. So if it's 11pm and I can't sleep, I can just strap on my boots, take my board and go for a night run...(ok I'll prob need some warm clothes on too).

Oh and I KINDA want another one of these....but alas, it is not the right time right now. I feel it coming in the next year though....

can I get a (un enthusiastic) yahoo!

2008-09-15T20:59:00.003-07:00

So I got home today from running errands with the boys and Matt meets us at the door with a huge smile on his face and says, "Guess what we're going to do tonight as a family!" We all say, "What?" and he says......wait for it..............wait for it....................wait again.... "GO HIT RANGE BALLS!" All the boys were like, "yipee, yahoo!" I was like, "step aside, I gotta go pee" (not one ounce of me enjoys golfing).....So yeah, that was our family home evening tonight. I spent most of the time reading my People magazine while Matt showed the boys how to get more distance....fun fun! But at least my boys looked cute with their own individual golf bags.

29 what?

2008-09-07T08:16:00.006-07:00

I feel old. It's weird. I loved my early twenty's. They are now just mere memories....great ones at that. Well, I felt young last night out to dinner with Matt as we laughed a lot, did not have any cares and just enjoyed each other's company out to dinner. We went to The Green House in North Scottsdale at the Kierland Commons. It's our favorite little "vacation" (cause it's so darn far) eatery on special occasions. It was dee-lish! It is all organic, locally grown healthy foods with free range meats. I love that! That kind of stuff is very important to me.
Here are some pictures of my birthday (which is really today) night.

Matt checking the ASU game scores. heheheMy dinner was unbeleiveably good. Scallops, snap peas, cauliflower and a yummy sauce.

Oh how I love Shirley Temples.
Make a wish! Strawberry rhubarb cobbler.

Pictures from our California trip.

2008-09-03T10:23:00.006-07:00

Visit and sushi dinner with my dad

Monterey

Dinner with the Spurgeons. Matt's good friend from High School, Jay (left) pitched for the Baltimore Oilers.

California dreamin'

2008-08-31T11:51:00.003-07:00

We've been in California for about a week now. It has been sooooo wonderful...the weather is to die for, the food is great, the seafood is fresh, the people and family are inviting. This is a true vacation.
We stayed a few days in the mountains at Matt's parent's newly built beautiful custome home (can you say HEAVEN in the forest?), then just Matt and I drove to the coastal town of Monterey and had our romantic 2nd honeymoon. Our room was newly renovated, fireplace, flat screen tv, robes, SO nice. Then we drove to pick up all 3 boys (Bryce and Kaden were with their mom and Alec was with Matt's mom), drove up North to the Bay Area and saw my family. Unfortunately my mother and stepdad are out of town so we didn't see them but we enjoyed every minute with my dad and brother. Life is good in California. Pictures to come!

The Dark Knight

2008-08-28T11:37:00.002-07:00

We finally saw it last night. Well Matt saw it before but he wanted to see it again and wow, what a movie. You truly feel the loss of such a great actor as Heath Ledger. He was captivating in a sick way, psychotic, twisted, charismatic, sickly funny, crazy, animated, and really showed the insane side of his character. It's a true sadness thinking that he won't make anymore movies to entertain. What an actor! If he doesn't get a nomination for an academy for this movie, then something's wrong. I looked forward to every scene he was in. Christian Bale was amazing too, real easy on the eyes... lol. But that Heath Ledger, I've never seen a better actor in any movie, except maybe Russel Crowe in A Beautiful Mind.
RIP Heath (gay I know but you'll get it after seeing this movie)

Cult of Cherry

2008-08-22T07:11:00.008-07:00

We are having our event for the Cult of Cherry launch. We have these adorable "apron" brush belts we have to wear and cherry earrings. And all the new colors are dark chocolate browns, sugar and spice colors and reds. It's a fun one. Probably my favorite launch to date. Here's some pictures. Oh did I ever mention that I love my job!? :) I feel so blessed that I only have to work part time, as opposed to full time. It's so nice to be at home and be able to take my children to school and be able to be home with Alec then be able to have my girley time in the evening at work.

A twista a twista!!!

2008-08-20T16:20:00.003-07:00

We were driving home on Ocotillo road earlier around 1:15p and I looked over to the right and maybe a mile away, this is what I saw!
I shot this pic from my camera. Soon afterwards, the twister broke up and thinned out to just scattered dust in the air. Now I know that we get lots of dust devils here in the Summertime but man oh man, this looked like a total tornado. I have had so many fears and nightmares of tornado's and see ZERO reason to live in the midwest where they are, unless you had to obviously for a job or whatever. I mean, I grew up in earthquakes galore living in the North Bay Area of California and I'm sure people are shocked anyone would live there, but for some reason, tornado's scare the beJEEbers out of me! What the heck man, this 'aint no KANSAS or OKLAHOMA!

My brother Alain

2008-08-17T23:48:00.006-07:00

At the end of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in background.
First time ever holding Alec.

In Tiburon with 7 month old Alec at a restaurant on a dock overlooking the San Francisco skyline.Gotta love this one.

dad, Alain, me and momma. Wedding Day 2004
Doing his thang.

This is my brother, Alain (pronounced "a-lawn". It's French). He's an incredible guitar player and plays in a band called The Concept of Zero in the North Bay Area of California. I think I developed my incredible love for good ole rock and some metal music from him. That's all I heard growing up as he used to BLAST Zeppelin and Metallica causing me to lose a lot of much needed teenager sleep. We didn't always get along. He's just a little under 2 years older than me and wow, did we cause my parents some insane moments. I miss him. It's just us. No other siblings besides some wonderful step siblings that became our family in 2000. I think because it was just us and my parents, just the 4 of us, we were able to travel so much growing up. My parents took us to some AMAZING places. France, Jamaica, Lebanon, Syria, Sweden, Mexico, Hawaii and many other great vacations. I know that's how my love for culture and good ethnic foods were developed. I grew up about 50 minutes North of San Francisco and we used to jot down to the City all the time and see off Broadway shows, eat ethnic food, shop and drive around in the city. Oh and every year around Christmas, we would go to the Santa Lucia performance at this Swedish place in the city. I LOVE the city by the Bay and sorry all you DBacks lovers out there, the Giants will always have my heart. These city adventures are definitely where my love of big cities have come about. Oh how I wish I could introduce all of those things to my children. Bryce has developed a HUGE love for ethnic foods, rock and roll and big cities too. I LOVE it!
Anyhow, I was thinking earlier how many memories he and I have and how important it is to journal those memories so we don't forget them cause when my parents pass on, it'll only be him and I who can share those memories....kinda weird. Anyway, I just miss my family BUT we ARE going to see them in a couple weeks when we take our 1 and 1/2 week vacay to Cali. I can't wait!

Such Fun!

2008-08-09T22:07:00.004-07:00

It's 10:30pm on Saturday night and as much as the children should be in bed, we are doing this....watching the Olympics cause they are just AWESOME this year in Beijing. Did anyone see the opening ceremony? Um yeah, I almost cried when 2,008 incredibly talented Chinese men played those drums. How amazing was that!!!!? As oppressed as the Chinese people have been in the past, I am so happy that they are having their time to really shine and show their beautiful culture and country.

So happy for School!

2008-08-07T09:34:00.004-07:00

Life is goooooood when your kids go back to school. This school has a dress code where if you wear shorts, you have to wear the Ben Franklin polo shirt but little did we know (til I got the call from the nurse at around noon yesterday) that you have to wear uniform shorts with no more than 2 pockets and they have to be either khaki, navy or black. So anyway the nurse let him borrow a pair of navy shorts. we washed them and brought them back today. nice. Apparently, we didn't get the whole memo about the dress code.....woops!

Jonas mania

2008-08-05T12:22:00.003-07:00

Ok I can understand the obsession little tween girls are having with these guys cause I was obsessed with NKOTB at that age but man, if NKOTB dressed like this back in my day, I'd barf. What is the deal with the whole "classy emo" look anyway. And what are these tweens girls, blind? How femi do these guys look!?

Very happy!

2008-07-30T11:19:00.003-07:00

We have been trying to get Bryce and Kaden into the Benjamin Franklin Charter School for a WHILE. We were put on the waiting list and we FINALLY just got the calls that they both were accepted. Yay! Bryce was first, we enrolled him and they moved Kaden up the list because he is a sibling and they called yesterday and said they can get him into kindergarten so I just went earlier to enroll him! It's great cause this school actually has the CHRISTMAS program, rather than the "Holiday" program which Bryce's old school had which had zero songs about Christ. They have a "back to basics" approach to teaching. They do the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at the flag raising ceremony and also have rows of seats in the classrooms, instead of 6 kids to a desk, which I always thought was way too distracting, which is the way they did it at Bryce's old school.
But the best part about it is that the second half of the year, they learn at the level of the grade above them so they are totally prepared for the next year.
We are all very excited.

YUMMY YUMMY! I'M SO THERE!

2008-07-23T11:33:00.002-07:00

July 30th is The Cheesecake Factory's 30th Anniversary and all slices of cheesecake are $1.50.......should we make a girls night out of this? It's a Wednesday...Anyone in? I gotta talk to my hubbs first cause he may want to do date night that night but I'll let you all know! If we don't do girls night, you all gotta stop in and get a slice!

Arabian princess and sushi!

2008-07-18T09:23:00.004-07:00

My beautiful cousin Yasmine is getting married this coming December and I am so happy for her. She is full Lebanese and lives in Beirut. She and I are very close. To me, she is a true Arabian Princess. Look how gorgeous she is!
I wish so badly I could go to the wedding but there is no way I could leave all 3 kids with Matt and his full time job and full load of classes he's taking at ASU. And taking everyone all the way to Lebanon would be like THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of dollars.
Oh and I had a fabulous time with my Mesa girls last night at Kona Grill. Half off all appetizers and sushi. Yum yum! Thanks Alyssa, Amy, Melissa, Kim, Leah, Sheri and Lanae. What a fun time! And to the desperate guy with the pink shirt on who didn't notice we all had wedding rings on, you will find a lovely lady some day, I'm sure.

Another One of MATT's Random Posts

2008-07-11T11:35:00.010-07:00

Isn't she great?!!! Some of the many reasons I love my wife.....

She loves to go to baseball games with her boys. And she actually watches them and doesn't ask me what a walk off home run is...

She is one of the most spiritual people I know. I admire her strength and resolve to have an eternal family. She is a spiritual GIANT!!.....

She has a great sense of humor! We love to laugh at the same things. Our newest tradition is watching WIPEOUT and laughing at the uncoordinated people doing these crazy obstacle courses.

She works extremely hard to provide some extra income for us to have a better life. I am extremely grateful that she has a desire to do this because it gives me more golf money...jk

She never gives up......

on trying to get the perfect picture!!!

She is a great friend. She constantly is making new friends and is quick to make them feel loved and appreciated. She is the most loyal friend a person could ever have.

She is so, so, so Beautiful!! I couldn't have dreamed of having a more beautiful wife and mother to my children.

Tag Time!

2008-07-09T19:46:00.003-07:00

i am: a strong woman
i think: I need a shopping spree
i know: I am so blessed
i want: to have a daughter some day
i have: no desire to have another baby right now.
i wish: August would hurry up and get here so the kids can go back to school.
i hate: dirt
i miss: my parents, brother and Matt's whole family.
i fear: sharks, heights, losing a child, and losing my husband
i feel: cozy and comfortable.
i hear: the crunching of my ice
i smell: my new Ed Hardy perfume.
i crave: a night out with Matt and no kids.
i search: the scriptures.
i wonder: why there has to be starving people in the world.
i regret: some of the harsh things I've said to Matt.
i love: my husband and children more than anything else.
i care: about the environment a lot.
i always: kiss my children and tell them "I love you" a lot.
i am not: a stupid girl
i believe: in Heavenly father, His son Jesus Christ and in the Holy ghost.
i dance: with my boys in the living room all the time.
i sing: a lot
i don’t always: have patience in my children
i write: in a mix of cursive and print writing.
i win: at guitar hero when I play against my husband
i lose: my black hair ties all the time and I have no idea where they go!
i never: slack off while working at MAC...it's just too fun of a job to not work hard.
i listen: to Bob Marley a lot.
i can usually be found: doing my makeup
i am scared: by myself if Matt is playing basketball at night.
i need: more sleep.
i am happy about: watching my children and my marriage grow.

I tag Mary K. , Alyssa, Janae, Jen, and Jamie.

Kinda cool.

2008-07-06T20:52:00.004-07:00

During the superbowl this year, being that it was in Phoenix, I did quite a few people's makeup for red carpet events. I did some models, some football player's wives and a couple playboy bunnies (not something to really brag about), and a couple months ago, I did a woman's makeup who's sister was marrying the actor Michael Clark Duncan, this guy. He was in the Green Mile, Sin City and lots of other movies. That was really neat cause the lady was getting her makeup done to go to their engagement party. If anyone knows me, I get kinda starstruck but of course, I've played it real cool with these "VIP" customers. Yesterday, a young woman came in who I noticed instantly. She's on The Real World: Hollywood, which is on right now. Her name is Sarah. Here's her picture, in case you don't recognize the name. I thought that was kinda cool. She was super nice and yes, I acted totally normal, even though I wanted to ask her a TON of questions about all the stupid people she lived with on the show. She was sweet and had a huge rock on her ring finger. Neat huh?

4th of July

2008-07-05T07:34:00.003-07:00

It was so much fun. We spent it with the Garlock's. They are Kasey's family. It was great. We laughed a lot, ate yummy bbq food and swam. What a great family Kasey has. Lots of happy people and funny stories. Here's a few pics. Unfortunately there were no fireworks in the sky that we could see cause it was soooo windy. Oh and Alec was there, he was just running around with all the little ones and I hardly saw him.

Me and 2/3rd's of my little boys.My husband is a nerd.
Me and my golden girl.

Me and Kaden

Bryce, you are the best!

2008-07-03T10:34:00.004-07:00

So we were at the grocery store the other day and I was flippin through a magazine with Angelina Jolie on the cover. I showed Bryce and said, "honey, some believe this woman to be the most beautiful woman in the world." He said, "mom, that's so not true cause YOU'RE the most beautiful woman in the world."
Ummmm, isn't that soooo cute?

Here goes nothin...

2008-07-01T17:10:00.002-07:00

I was going to wait til Fall when Bryce and Kaden are in school to start to potty train Alec cause I could give him a lot of one on one undivided attention, but he has been telling me lately that he needs to go "pee-pee" so I guess it's going to start now....wish me luck!
Oh and, I won another brush at work....

I love brushes!

2008-06-29T00:20:00.003-07:00

So, I have the most AMAZING boss ever. Her name is Jeni and she is seriously on e of the most real, lovey, down to earth and warmest people I know. I had mentioned to her that I really needed to go get a #150 brush ( a large dense powder or blush brush). A MAC favorite for applying any powder to the face or body. It retails for $42 and seriously, in passing I said I needed it. Well today she said that if I can sell 5 of any of our older launched products, she'd give me a brand new brush. We have been having a hard time selling all overstock on our older collections so this was a great deal to sell them. Yeah well I trippled that challenge and ended up selling 17. Needless to say, I got the brush!

Charlieeeeeeeeeeeee

2008-06-22T21:25:00.001-07:00

Quite possibly the funniest video I've ever seen.

Baptism

2008-06-19T22:30:00.002-07:00

Bryce was baptized last Saturday. It was so amazing to see my son be baptized and confirmed by Matt. I am so thankful that I have such a beautiful family. It was an incredible baptism and the Spirit was so incredibly strong. All Matt's family minus his 2 brothers came and it was such a great, BUSY, but great weekend.

Sorry guys!

2008-06-05T09:01:00.002-07:00

I know it's been a while. We are sooo busy and our computer is out right now (I'm using a neighbor's comp) so I will post something fun and worthwhile soon (not that there is any new news, I just know my blog is a bit boring right now)
Toodles!
Sarah

Figure of speech.

2008-05-14T12:30:00.003-07:00

Kaden is too much. He is the funniest little 5 year old ever! So he's playing the Tony Hawk skateboard nintendo game and part of the game is where he goes up to a guy and slaps the guy who in turn punches him.
Kaden: " Mom, look, this guy punches me when I slap him.
Me: "Hmm Kaden, this game is a little too violent for you. I want it off ok?"
Kaden: "Why?"
Me: "Cause you just said that the guy punches you after you slap him and that is not ok."
Kaden: " Aw mom, it's just a figure of speech."