Thinking about Kamber

I thought it was time to change up my background.... get it all summer-ready. When I saw the flip flops I knew I had to have it. Then I thought that I would dedicate my summer blog to sweet Kamber. She is known as the "flip flop queen" so it seems only fitting that it be in honor of her. Plus I changed our picture to a beach photo and one of my favorite and most vivid memories of Kamber is being at the beach. When she could hardly even walk Ethan or Jen would let her stand in the water, a wave would come up on the shore and knock her down. They would grab her arm and lift her up out of the foamy water, then stand her up to do it again. Every time she came up out of the water she had this little grin on her face.... She loved it. I've never known a child that loved water as much as she did. Tanner's favorite memory of her was being at the pool in Vegas. We would go every June. She would jump in the water with no fear, Tanner and Ethan would toss her back and forth in the air and let her land halfway in the water. And if you know Tanner and especially Ethan you know that they would throw her as high as they possibly could. She would just laugh and laugh.

As (what I am sure is) Kamber's favorite season is approaching, we all have to face it without her, and we have to face the last of the year marks. Next Monday will be one year since the last time I saw her. We were at Village Inn for Candi's birthday, and Kamber wouldn't sit on my lap. Ethan was trying to convince her to, but I just held her hand and said "that's ok maybe next time" I guess the "next time" will take a little longer than I thought. One year since Tanner played with her in the pool in Vegas, and one year since we got the phone call.

SO! As I pull out my swimsuit, suntan oil and most important my flip flops.... I will do it with the memory of Kamber in my heart, the daily thought of her family on my mind, the hope that she sticks close by them and makes her presence known, and the knowledge that she is happy, lucky and loved. I'm sure she's in the part of heaven that is summer all year long!

Kamber we love you, we think about you every day. Jen, you continue to amaze me. Not just because you're so strong but because you are such a wonderful mom to your girls. They're so lucky to have you!

Oh my gosh Help!

Ok we have a situation, we are making the final decisions on our house. I really wanted wood floors, but we decided against it a few months ago because I only want dark wood and apparently it's a huge pain to keep clean. It shows any dirt or dust so you have to constantly sweep it. So we decided to put tile in our entry way, kitchen, laundry room and half bath. Then put carpet everywhere else..... (I don't love carpet).

Now I'm second guessing myself, I think that dark wood is the most beautiful flooring in the world, I love love love it! I'm in the process of pricing everything but I'm fairly certain that once it's all said and done wood is going to cost less because Tanner and the rest of the guys can lay it them selves. The tile we would probably just pay someone to do it. (the guys think they can lay the tile, but I think it's more of a headache than it's worth.)

So here is where I need help...... if it turns out that we can do the wood for less there are still a few issues.


Is it hard to keep clean?
Do you put it in the kitchen????? If anything leaks, the wood will be ruined. Is it worth the risk?
If we did wood everywhere but put tile in the kitchen, have you ever seen it where it blends really well? I think that the wood to tile transition looks so terribly tacky! Have you ever seen it done well?

If you have wood or know someone that does maybe you can give me your advise.
I'm stressing so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Birthday & Goodbye!

Last night we had a pool party in honor of Kylee, Savanna and Ciera's birthdays. It was also a goodbye party for Kylee and Josh, they're moving to San Diago for the summer! Thank you Mark and Janet for letting us use your pool, it was amazing and we all had so much fun! I only took a couple pictures but here they are!
Happy Birthday girls! You get more beautiful and amazing every year!
So long Josh and Kylee! Can't wait to come and see your place over there! Enjoy the wonderful weather, watch out for sharks and we'll be excited to welcome you back in August!









We started the day off going to the swap meet so the girls could all buy new luggage. They got some seriously seriously cute ones.

Grey's Anatomy

Did anyone else watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy last night? Oh my gosh!!!!! The best finale I've ever seen! I started watching she show the season Denny was on. THAT season finale was incredible, I don't think I'd ever cried that hard during a TV show. Well after that I was hooked! BUT then I just got so sick and tired of the Derek and Meredeth back and forth, back and forth crap that I stopping watching it religiously. I've watched it here and there but just enough to know the current story line. I decided to watch the season finale last night because I was curious to see if they killed off Issy. I figured because she's been such a beast trying to get out of her contract, they would want to get rid of her. Well I watched it. It had about three minutes left and I was thinking "man there isn't going to be a cliff hanger, that sucks." Holy crap those next three minutes were insane! I was in shock, then I was yelling at my tv, then I was sobbing. I started making phone calls to my sisters so see if any of them had watched it. I had to talk to someone about it, I was dying. Kylee's TV doesn't get 15 so she came right over and I watched it all over again with her, she had the same reaction I had.
I might have to keep watching it until September when the new season starts. Bravo! Bravo! Their writers are unbelievable! So amazing! So fabulous! My sister Andrea has it on Tivo and is watching it as we speak....... I'm very excited for her phone call, she's going to freak out. She's an avid watcher so we'll see what her reaction is. Love to all!

A Tribute to an Old Friend

This is bound to be a long post.... Sad but mostly cheesy. Oh and you will probably lose all respect for me by the end.

Today has been a difficult day..... Tanner and I bought new cell phones, I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Blackberry Curve.


I've been looking forward to today all week. Well Tanner went into the Sprint store to get everything worked out. We're working for this new company and when you buy certain things you get a kickback on your bill each month. So we decided to buy our new phones nine months before our contract was up. They said it wouldn't be a problem since we were staying with Sprint, we were just buying the phones through a third party. So no termination fee or anything like that. I picked Tanner up and asked him how it went. He said "well my phone is in my pocket and yours is still in the box, do you want the good news or the bad news first?" I wasn't really in the mood so I said just tell me what's going on. He laughed and asked again, "good news or bad news?" Fine give me the...... I turned, looked at him and said "I AM NOT CHANGING MY NUMBER." He said "well leave your phone in the box then and I'll return it tomorrow." I was horrified! I didn't know if I should get mad or just cry.... then I see HIM laughing. My eyes narrowed and I thought to myself "this is the same bastard that made me change my name a year and half ago! I guess he won't rest until I've lost my entire identity."

A little preface:
Pretty much all my friends except for a couple were married before me... And not one of them ever mentioned how hard it is to change your name. I knew all about the wedding night, the first year, the being patient, the "never go to bed angry", the budgeting, blah blah blah that all came easy and natural for me. But not one word about the "changing your name" experience. Thanks everyone. Now I never had cold feet, or second thoughts, or worried at all about marrying Tanner. I always thought when I got married I would freak out and feel trapped, but it never happened. Then came the changing of my name..... That was the hardest thing I've ever done. I think I made Tanner feel bad because it was so difficult for me. It's just that, it's my name! MY NAME. It's who I am, it's who I know, it's how everyone knows me. People won't know who I am anymore. I felt like my identity was being taken away. It was hard.

Back to today:
Those feelings came rushing back. I know I know it's a phone number! But it's my number. It's the only number I've ever had. Since the day I got my first cell phone, over TEN years ago. I love it, I've always felt bad for everyone else because nobody has a number as fabulous as mine. It's such a huge part of me.
So I had to make a decision. The new amazing phone with Internet, GPS and I can plug it into my laptop and use it as a modem. Or I can keep something that as silly as it is, means an awful lot to me.

Well after playing on my Blackberry and experiencing the absolute fabulousness of it.... I've decided to say goodbye to my dear phone number.


So Goodbye Good Friend Goodbye.
Goodbye 703-7071
We've been through everything together.
Phones: How may phones have we been through? Countless
Guys: You're the number I gave to so many guys, some were wonderful and some I wish you had blocked.
Family: You're the only number that Heather had memorized because you were so easy to remember. Everyone knows you because it's always been you and me.
Friends: You were the number that friends would call to talk or to cry.
Tanner: You were the number I gave to Tanner when we first met. When Tanner and I were "on a break" you were the number that was on the $650 phone bill. (I spent a lot of time talking and crying on the phone with family and friends)
Cell Phone companies: how is it that even when I changed from Tmobile to Sprint you came with me without a problem, but now as I stay with Sprint I'm loosing you??

Good luck to whoever gets my beloved number next. I hope you love it and it brings you as much love and happiness as I have had. Good bye! sniff sniff

Items Needed

As our closing date draws near I still have a few items that I'm missing for our new house. I've been watching Craigslist and have stopped by a few garage sales, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to let everyone know what I'm looking for just in case someone is getting rid of something or knows of a place I can get them. Now anything I get I will be refinishing so it doesn't matter the condition they're in. Granted they still need to be usable. Also, it has to be very cheap. These are not necessities, they're just some things I would like to use in decorating.


Round or Oval table. This will be for my formal dining room, I'd prefer it has one large leg underneath as apposed to four.

Chairs: These will be for the table, I need four but I don't want them all to match. I want two that are the same and two others that are the same. (Shabby Chic look)

Headboard: Queen wood headboard.

Chandelier: I have six small lampshades so I need a chandelier with six or less lights. I'd prefer one of those old brass ones, I'll be painting it.

Highboy Dresser:

So if you or someone you know is getting rid of any of these items for a really good price please let me know. Leave me a comment or email me! blondedaisy3@yahoo.com
Thanks! Love to all!