I love Halloween

Especially this year...

Welcome Back to the Hood!

You know when you have not posted in 83 years, you feel the need to start at the very beginning and tell your life story.

That seems all too overwhelming!

The next few weeks of post may be random and somewhat misunderstood, but I have got to get some sort of record of our summer!

It has been FABULOUS!!

Motherly Advice

I have read some articles, searched the internet and am reaching out for some advice...to my fellow mothers.
Bentley has been going through what I hope is a phase. She has major seperation anxiety. She will not let me leave the house, the room or be out of her sight. She LOVES her sitter and when Dad drops her off, no big deal. When I drop her off, she cries and throws a fit for about three seconds.
The real problem is at home. Brade is SO good to her. He is always willing to play with her, wrestle with her, get her whatever she wants, but she cries if he even looks at her.
She will not let me out of her sight. I can't shower, go the bathroom, go downstairs....ANYTHING without her having a complete meltdown. She loves to tease her dad and gets so excited when he gets home, but heaven forbid he look at her. I am thinking he associates dad with me leaving....unfortunatly. I don't know the answer or how to cope with it. It is very stressful on ALL of us!
WHAT DO I DO?

JEAN, PURSE and ACCESSORY PARTY!!

Mark your calendars...I am doing a little party at my house and you ALL are invited.

Yes, ALL of you.

I LOVE to throw parties and I LOVE to shop.

I am bringing you the best of both worlds.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 17th, 2009

Open House

6:30-8:30 p.m.

MY HOUSE

Email me or leave a comment with yours for my address-- Lindsey(at)Ogden(dot)travel

Designer Jeans- True Religion, Miss Me, and more

Designer Handbags-Louis Viutton, Coach, Juicy Couture, Gucci, Chanel and more!

I have seen most of the stuff and it is GREAT!

All items are at a very discounted price-$50-$60

Even if you don't want to shop, you are welcome to come hang out, have some treats and spend some girl time at my house!

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Late night flights so I can be with Bent as long as possible before leaving town, red eyes to be there when she wakes up, exhausting days of work so I can maybe have one more day a week at home. Swimming pools, swing sets, toys, trips to the Zoo, the library and the museum, countless play dates, and "memorable" experiences...something I never thought about before this last year.

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Before I was a Mom,I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much.

Thanks Camille for the darling poem!

Priceless

20 Chicken Nuggets, 3 Large Sodas, 3 Chicken Sandwiches, 2 Large Fries at Wendy's drive thru: $23.42

Three Adults and Four Children admitted to the Hogle Zoo: $44.50

Six Train Tickets-(Thrice)-$18.00

Thirty minutes of peace and quiet: Priceless!

These are the Days...

Life is good when you spend your days...

Eating your fair share of delectable Girl Scout Cookies...

Making yummy Easter treats....

Visiting Zion National Park...

Swimming white trash style in St. George...I forgot her swimming suit that day!

Happy Happy Birthday to One of my BEST Friends!

Stac,

Happy, Happy Birthday Gal! I hope you have one of the best birthdays yet, sailing across the ocean and having the time of your life!

Stac, you are the truest and kindest gal. I have so many funny, funny memories! Twenty two years is a long time to keep a scrapbook of our good times! Here are just a few off the top of my head:

Kindergarten will be remembered for cabbage patch bangs and attractive clothes.

First Grade will be remembered for "I want split ends so bad!"

Second Grade-there is nothing like those plaid shorts

Third Grade reminds me of carrots and bunny adorned sweaters

Fourth Grade- "I hate SAVAGE!"

Fifth Grade-Dress ups and Mary Kay-"Katie and Tommy!"

Sixth Grade- Lockers, Saved by the Bell cards and boy crushes!

Seventh Grade -My "surprise party" at Mel's! Don't worry, I really was surprised!

Eighth Grade-One word-INTERNET!

Ninth Grade-Wolf Lodge and the milk shed!!

High School-learning to drive the Astro van on two wheels, girls night out, Nair at Emily's, and of course BOYS!

College Days-midnight flights down to SG! Our "talks" at my new apartment!

Who can forget the FABULOUS girls reunion you planned! My how we have all changed!

I can't beleive how much we have been through together with raising our families, marriage, motherhood, pregnancy and figuring out was life is really about. Stac, you will always have a huge place in my heart and will always bring a smile to my face! I am so glad we got to spend a little time together last month in Vegas! I love you and hope you have a GREAT birthday!

Veronica!

She is a little like Madonna, she no longer needs a last name or any sort of clarification in that matter. She has become so well known and so world renowned, she could simply drop the last name. (something you really should think about Veronica-great brand recognition)

Because she does possess such extraordinary talent, I asked about doing some old time photos of our family. She did a fabulous job and they turned out just as I had hoped!

We also got some great full color and black and whites! I do realize they were taken in the fall, but I am just getting around to posting them and to getting them to Playful Pickles Design for a much needed blog makeover!

Thank You, Grandma and Grandpa East!

Even though Bentley does not have her Grandma Kathy, she will never be short on "Grandparents" that love her.
Grandma and Grandpa East are some of my "clients" I met when they came to tour Ogden almost two years ago. Gene and Kathy Petrowski quickly became our favorites and adopted them as our own parents. We affectionately call them "East" because they are in Jopper, Maryland.
We love them and thank them for the darling outfit and bear!

We Like to Party...

Bentley's first birthday party did not disappoint. i am been thinking about this for a long time, and as you can imagine, wanted it to be perfect. If there is anything I love doing and love planning, it is parties!!

Of course the birthday girl had to have an outfit to match the decor...I ended up making her a little something something that morning!

We did a small gathering of immediate family and Bentley's two closest second cousins, Cooper and Mace.

Bent was not so sure about the whole cake thing, but she was a good sport.
Pink and Black were the colors of choice, not too Valentiney, not too themed.

Of course, being the only girl, she was completely spoiled and LOVES all of her toys!!

Thank you again to everyone who came and for your generosity!!

Let's see...

Halloween, white trash style...Thanksgiving...the Best CHRISTMAS EVER...

(This is the reaction when my mom gets her long awaited swing set for the grandkids)

Bentley enjoyed the wrapping paper far more than any of her gifts...

I splurged this year for Brade...his "dream gun"...boys and their toys?
Bent looked a little trashed after a fabulous day with family and friends!! New Years...Superbowl festivities...

Bent and I wore Pittsburgh colors. I became a fan after I attended their game in November...

Oh yes...Bentley started crawling that night too.

She was just celebrating the victory of "her boys!"

New Orleans, Birthdays, Atlanta, and oh yah....the most important holiday at the Ketcham household...drumroll...Bentley's FIRST birthday.

Pictures to come-this was just the teaser to prepare!