Camryn's Birthday Journal

2:30 am - woke Mommy up to complain about the bandaid she put on my finger before bed. Really just wanted to get the party started early, but Mommy wasn't up to it.

7 am - Mommy woke me up and sang Happy Birthday. I think that song is hilarious!

8 am - 10 am - Watched Elmo's world, played the piano, and ran errands with Daddy. This day is starting out great!

10:30 am - Quick snooze on the way to see Mommy

11 am - Visit all of Mommy's friends at work. They asked me lots of questions - What's your name? Is today your birthday? How old are you? What color is your shirt? I knew the answer to all of them but decided to bury my head on Mommy's shoulder and whine. That's just how I roll.

12 pm - Had pizza for the first time at lunch. And all this time they've just been feeding me fruits and veggies? If there's pizza in the world, I'll never touch peas and carrots again.

1 pm - Get FOUR birthday cards in the mail and think I am hot stuff.

2 pm - Mommy comes homes early, and I am now wired because of no nap.

3 pm - Beg to have cookies for a snack and get them. This birthday thing is pretty cool.

4 pm - Get a phone call from Aunt Alison and strut around the house talking to her because someone called ME on the phone.

5 pm - Beg to have hot dogs for supper and get denied. But it's my biiiiirrrttthhhday! Also get a birthday call from Grammy which makes the hot dog denial a little better.

6 pm - Open a present from Mommy and Daddy - a Wonder Pets DVD. We sit down to watch an episode as a family and Mommy and Daddy reminisce about my birth at 6:23 pm.

7 pm - Reaching the cranky point because I've had no nap but get a birthday call from Mrs. Beth which smooths things over.

8 pm - More Wonder Pets and cuddling with Mommy. Not a bad day!

Happy Birthday, Camryn!

Today my baby is two years old. Two years have gone by much too quickly. I can't begin to find the words to describe how much her daddy and I love our little girl. We are so proud of how beautiful, smart, sweet, and funny she is, and we are so overwhelmed with love for her. She brings so much joy and happiness to each our days. I sometimes sit and just stare at her or sit and hold her and am just amazed that God chose to entrust us with such a precious gift. Happy Birthday to my sweet Camryn!

So Proud of Myself!

About a month or so ago, my sister and I were looking for birthday invitations online for Camryn's birthday party. She found some really cute ones that I decided I just had to have. We're doing a Sesame Street theme, and these invitation had a picture of Elmo with a vellum overlay, tied at the top with a raffia ribbon. I was excited until I started calculating the price and realized it was going to cost $120 for 10 invitations (and I needed 17!). Now, I like to splurge every now and then, but I just couldn't justify that! So, after being bummed about it for a while, I decided to make my own!

I found a Sesame Street picture online and took it to the UPS store to have it nicely printed:

Then printed the invitation on the vellum on a home computer:

Then put them together with some colorful raffia I found at Hobby Lobby:

I thought they turned out looking great, and I was pretty proud of myself!

The Winner and Good Deals!

Thanks to everyone for your song suggestions. Jason and I really enjoyed reading all of your iPod favorites. Out of all the suggestions, his personal favorite was Radar Love. Mine was Lucas with the Lid Off, although no one besides me and Lindsay probably remember that one ... and possibly Erin. Anyway, after some help with the drawing from my beautiful assistant . . .

. . . the winner is Michelle at Newsome Notes!!! Congratulations, Michelle!

Also, for all of you bargain hunters out there, here are a few good ones. First, Gymboree has their Baby Sale going on. $10 for clothing regularly priced $12.50 - $20.00 and $20 for clothing regularly priced $22.50 - $42.50. Plus, this is the time to earn Gymbucks! As an early birthday present, Camryn's Papa let "her" do some online Gymboree shopping, so "she" was way excited! Also, Staples has a major President's Day sale going on and has this Dell all-in-one for $49.98 after a mail in rebate. Plus, they have free one day shipping! Jason and I have been wanting an all-in-one for quite a while now, so we were really excited to get this one! I think the offer ends today, though, so you have to hurry!

100th Post

This is my 100th post! Yay for me! In honor of the 100th post, I thought it was time for a change in the layout. Since I stated in the previous post I don't like change, this was obviously very difficult for me! :) (Actually, not really - I was starting to think the old layout looked pretty boring.)

Also, in honor of the 100th post, I'm holding a contest! Jason got an iPod for Christmas. We've had a lot of fun picking out songs for him to download. When he first got it, we would flip through the music channels on the TV and find some great songs that way. It's funny what you remember when you listen to the '80's and '90's channels! So, here's what I would like you to do. What's your must-have iPod song? Leave a comment and let us know! Jason's not picky - he has everything from Bill Cosby stand-up to classic Boyz to Men (that was for me!), James Taylor, the Commodores, Chicago . . . you name it, it's probably there. In return for your response, I'll draw a name from everyone whose left a comment for the chance to win a container of Tastefully Simple Caramel Creme Latte Mix and a single serving of their Chai Tea. For as many times as you leave a comment, I'll enter your name into the drawing! Hope you play along!

I've seen this on a couple of blogs I read/lurk and decided I wanted to steal it to do myself. I know this shouldn't technically count as a Friday Five because there are six things, but just look at it as a Friday Five with a bonus!

The rules for this meme are:
(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1) The most fun non-career job I ever had was the summer before graduate school that I worked at Chili's. I didn't even like Chili's at the time but applied because one of my friends and I were out summer job hunting, and she wanted to go there. That summer, I developed an appreciation for all things Chili's - chips and salsa, southwestern eggrolls, big mouth burgers, mushroom jack fajitas, etc. My friend ended up marrying our manager. So, I guess we both got something out of it in the end!

2) My retirement dream is to own a restaurant (preferably with my sister and brother-in-law ... don't think I've filled them in on that yet!). The menu will include all the great foods I remember my family making as I grew up. It will include my mom's spaghetti, my dad's pitas, my grandmother's vegetable soup, my chocolate cheesecake, and a few other great dishes I grew up with.

3) I can't keep my car clean to save my life. I don't have time to wash it at home, and I just don't think about taking it through the car wash. The outside of it usually just stays dirty. The inside isn't disgusting, but it's not clean either!

4) I hate change. I hate it so much! I worked in the admissions office a couple of hours each day while I was at Anderson College. We got a new secretary who came in and rearranged the front office. I pouted for a week because I really hate change that much. Don't even think about rearranging the furniture in my house!

5) My two stupid human tricks are that I snap with my thumb and second finger (instead of the middle finger), and I can regulate the pressure in my ears at will. You know that feeling you get in the mountains when your ears "pop" because of the pressure? Well, I can do that and fix it any time I want to.

6) I've never been to a water park. I don't really have any desire to. When I think about all of the things the kids are doing in that water, it just makes me want to take a shower.

Anyone who reads this and wants to do it, consider yourself tagged. Then we'll know all kinds of fun and frivolous things about you, too!

Skunks and a Stinky Night

What's up with all the skunks in the upstate? I don't get it. I'm from Cheraw, and if any girl had ever smelled a skunk, you would think it would be me. Well, to my best recollection, I never smelled skunk until I moved to the upstate. I have a 40 minute drive to work every day, and I am not kidding when I say I pass at least 2 freshly squashed skunks per week. The smell is HORRIBLE, and I almost gag every time I have to pass one. Well, yesterday was a banner day, as I passed 4 roadkill skunks in ONE DAY! The worst part is, in trying to dodge one, I hit it a little bit and now my car STINKS! I walked out in the garage this morning and could still smell the stench!

After a stinky day, I had an equally stinky night. Let me begin by saying we never let Camryn sleep in the bed with us when she was a baby. We just didn't think it was a good habit to start, so even when she was screaming her head off at 5 months old and it would have been easy just to put her in the bed with us, we didn't do it. For the past month or so, ONLY on Saturday mornings, I get Camryn when she wakes up and bring her to bed with us. I do it just so I can have 15 or 20 minutes to get myself used to the idea that I need to get up. She doesn't sleep, but she does lay there quietly and cuddle with me. Well, last night at 1:27 am, Camryn woke up crying. I went in to check on her, and she was standing in her crib. I hugged her and told her it was still night-night time. She told me she wanted to come night-night with me. I thought "Uh oh! What have I started!" and told her she needed to stay in her crib and to lay down with her babydoll. She lay down quietly for about 5 minutes then started crying again. This went on for an entire hour and a half. Jason and I went in several times - we couldn't figure out anything wrong with her but she cried on and off for the entire hour and a half. I don't know if she just didn't want to be by herself or what. We may have to stop this Saturday thing if she starts thinking she needs to come to bed with us every time she wakes up in the night.

Fun Weekend

We had such a fun time celebrating Jason's birthday this weekend. We have really special friends and family that made it great.

- Friday night we had friends over, watched TV, and ate cake and brownies.

- Saturday was birthday day! Our phone rang off the hook with all of our sweet family and friends calling to say Happy Day! Along with Camryn and me, my family and Jason's sister and brother-in-law pitched in and bought Jason a Wii. He was WAY surprised, and I was WAY surprised at how hard it would be to find one of those things! I literally stalked the poor little guy at GameStop in order to get one for Jason!

Playing the Wii is so much fun! I am a pro at the boxing game (I have sore muscles in my back from playing so much!), and Jason is a pro at ... well, everything else!

- Sunday we had a great day at church. Our group of friends hit Fuji for a birthday lunch after church. The food was great, but Camryn cried her eyes out when the fire show started. Here she is smiling in a cute picture I took before Fuji. There weren't many smiles after that!

I have had writer's block lately when it comes to my Friday Five. But, today was an easy one. Saturday is Jason's 29th birthday, so here are 5 reasons why I love my husband so much!

1) He's passionate

He is passionate about his family, about his friends, about his salvation, about his job ... when something is important to Jason, he is dedicated to it with his whole heart.

2) He's an awesome daddy!

Camryn adores her daddy, and it's obvious Jason adores being her daddy. The way he looks at her, the way he eats up her attention, the look on his face when she kisses or hugs him ... you can tell he loves his girl! He will do anything in the world for her.

3) He's a wonderful husband

He still loves to date me, love on me, surprise me with little things. I have never doubted for one minute how much he loves me, and I am proud to be his wife. He leads our family the way a Godly husband should and takes care of us.

4) His talent

I remember the first time I heard him sing in college, I was immediatly attracted. I thought to myself, "Whew! He's hot AND he can sing!" In the 10 years I have known him, I have never once grown tired of hearing his voice, and I'm sure I never will. He is really one of the most talented vocalists I know, and I love being able to hear him sing in the car, around the house, and to be a part of his choir because he is an awesome leader!

5) He completes me

Yes, cheesey, I know, but he does. We put up with each other, compliment each other, calm each other down, and strengthen each other. God definitely knew what He was doing when He put us together!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JASON!

P.S. Does anyone know why Blogger won't do spell check anymore? The last few posts I have done, I click the spellcheck button and nothing happens. So, if there are spelling mistakes in my posts, I have an excuse!

I Won Something!

I never win anything. Seriously - drawings, raffles, contests, etc. I don't win them. Just not one of those lucky people. But, Sunday night all of that changed. I'm now among the ranks of those who call themselves winners.

A few months ago, I got hooked on Tastefully Simple. My friend, Sarah Ellen, hosted a party, I bought some things, which led me to hosting a party .... you know how these things snowball. Anyway, I really love the food. It's good! Our consultant, Amy, has been encouraging both Sarah Ellen and me to become consultants ourselves. Neither of us really have the time or patience for it, but when Amy sent an email out a couple of weeks ago for a Tastefully Simple contest, I was in. The contest was this: for every $100 you sold in TS products, you were entered for $100 in TS products or the host collection. I sold $300 worth and won the host collection. Pretty sweet, huh? I'm a winner!

Our Weekend

Wow, we had a good weekend! Thursday night Jason and I started off with a date night while our awesome friends Sarah Ellen and Jeff stayed with Camryn for a couple of hours. We went to Outback (MMmmmm - Bloomin' Onion!) and then spent an hour or more walking around Target, enjoying shopping without a toddler. Camryn had just as much fun as we did because she loves SE and Jeff to pieces!

Friday night we ordered pizza and sat around in our hangin' out clothes. Saturday we did more of the same except I actually got some cleaning accomplished. Jason helped me out with some things, and our house is cleaner than it has been in a while. Always makes me feel good.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! We had three other couples over and had a blast. There was lots of talking, lots of yelling, lots of eating, and lots of laughing until 1 AM!!!! Needless to say, I called in a little late to work this morning.

As I've said recently, I LOVE all of the things Camryn is saying right now. I'd love to follow her around with a tape recorder. Here are some of the funny things she said over the weekend:

- My dad gave her an art table for Christmas. Over the past month, she has started a messy pile of half scribbled on papers that Jason has been asking me to do something with for a few weeks. After I put Camryn to bed Saturday night, I just tossed them all. Sunday morning she sat down to color before church and said, "Where my papers?" I didn't answer her, so she put her hands on her hips and said, "Oh, man! I lost 'em!"

- Whenever I ask Camryn, "Do you love me?" she giggles and says, "No." I always put my hands over my eyes and say, "Oh, no! That makes Mommy cry." The other day I asked her if she loved me. She said with a very taunting sound in her voice, "No. Cry." (She's so evil!)

- Yesterday at church, they moved her up to the 2-year old Sunday school class. She told me on the way home she colored a picture of "Za-key-zus." I thought for a minute and said, "Zacheus?" She said, "Uh huh. He went up in the tree." (I know this is not funny, but I was just so proud of her for knowing that!)

- Saturday night I put her in her PJs and sent her to the den so I could go to the kitchen to get her medicine. I walked in and this was our conversation:

Camryn: "The TV scare me!"

Me: "What's wrong with the TV?"

Camryn: "It scare my eyes!"