So we’re sitting at the kitchen table, and Ryan leans over and lets a huge one rip. I look at him and exclaim, “Ryan!”, and he cracks up, laughing so hard that he snorts. Yup, that’s my boy, and he’s just like his daddy.
Happy July everyone! June really came and went. Swimming, my birthday, mini-golf, Dan’s sisters spending a few days with us, the beach, Dorney Park last Sunday (so! much! fun!), and lots of working in between.
Dan and I have our monthly thing, and he got me for July. On Twitter, no less!
Well I will keep calling you to see if you’re sleeping, and if you’re sleeping are you dreaming, and if you’re dreaming are you dreaming of me? My new, favorite song of the moment is most definitely Blue October’s Calling You. I heard it at Dorney Park, while I was waiting for Dan and his sisters to finish their ride on the Dominator (ain’t no way I’m doing a free fall ride! :shock: I did it once in Pittsburgh, and once was more than enough!).
So, what’s going on? Not too much. We finally got our IRS stimulus check today. Finally! I deposited it in our bank account today, so it’ll be ready tomorrow to pay bills and make a few purchases with. Sadly, what seems like such a large amount will go in a relatively short amount of time, and it won’t go as far as I’d like it to! Who else got their stimulus check? What did you spend it on?
Ryan’s second birthday is coming up on July 26th! I sent out invitations last week, and I’m ordering the birthday supplies tomorrow (I really like the animal jungle theme at birthdayinabox.com).
I’m taking $160 of our stimulus check to reserve a nearby pool for a private pool party in early August. We’re inviting family and a few friends. It’ll be loads of fun!
Then, later in August, my mom and I are going with my brothers and Alyssa down to the beach — back to Ocean City, NJ. Dan has had his fill of the beach, and I know that Ryan will be better off at home, but Alyssa would lay down and die if I didn’t take her with me. We found two different swanky hotels that are less than $80 per night, thanks to my mom’s AARP discount and the hotels being ten miles away from the beach. Hey, I’m all for driving to the beach if it means saving a hundred bucks or more per night!
Since coming back from the beach, I’ve just been really busy catching up on work. I took my laptop to the beach, but I used it only when the kids were napping or later at night, and then it was just to check in and make sure none of my sites or Lavish exploded, and to upload photos to Flickr. So I’ve had a week’s worth of work pile up, plus current work. I still have about two hours worth of work to knock out, and then I’ll be caught up. FINALLY. I think I’ll celebrate later tonight with a nice drink. Seriously. Only I have to wait for Dan to come home and make it for me. ;)
Yesterday afternoon Dan and I did such a parent thing. He had gotten back from taking his sisters home, and Ryan was napping, but Alyssa wasn’t. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and we haven’t had any “us” time in over a week, so we set her up in her bedroom with a movie, a cup of juice and snacks, and then scurried back to our bedroom, locked the door behind us and enjoyed ourselves, sans kids and teenagers and work and phone calls. It was bliss. :heart: Minus the being quiet part. That requires some effort, boo. So I guess we’re now on board with the other parents who distract their kids with food and toys and movies and games and run off for an afternoon quickie!
Speaking of sexiness, I read an article today that found that most women prefer men with some facial hair/stubble. No facial hair of any kind represents immaturity, youth and lack of masculinity and sexual prowess, while a full beard is going overboard. I agree with both, and the majority of women who were a part of the research: some facial hair and stubble is sexy as hell! I know I love it when Dan has gone a day or two without shaving, and in addition to his goatee he’s got plenty of scruff going on. 
Rawr!
Well, time to go. Work calls, and Alyssa is begging for chocolate muffins!
That photo of Ryan is gorgeous, Jenn.
We got our stimilus check yesterday but just got around to cashing it tonight. Sadly, out of the $1200 we got, $1100 went to bills to get us all caught up until August. But at least that gives us all of Ian’s paychecks to play with these next few weeks.
I agree with the facial hair thing, too. My husband ALWAYS has a bit of scruff and I find it incredibly sexy. In fact, I’m always disappointed when he shaves, so I got him a trimmer. :D
I came across your site through Despair advertising. I must say, you’ve got some interesting reads. :D Your kids are too cute and precious and I dig the photos you post. All have handsome quality and I enjoyed your glitter makeup post too. Sorry that it was a bust but personally if it’s cheap, I don’t got with it. ;P
Hello
I’m new to your site, but i love it already!
I actually didn’t get a stim. check because my parents can still claim me (though I didn’t know that they didn’t…) But my fiance got his around June 5 and we spent it on much needed work clothes and little doodads. It kind of went away fast of course! lol I told everyone at every store we were stimulating the economy ha
Facial Hair + Bald Head = OMG!!! And AARP rocks man. I turned 32 and they started to send me advertisements. What’s up with that? I officially hate you for going back to the beach before I get to go once. Ocean City looks nice and not too crowded either.
My stimulus went into savings. My tax check, shall it ever grace us with it’s presence, will go for home improvements I suppose. You know, all the fun stuff homeowners have to do.
<3 facial hair. marc always has some sort of a (trimmed) beard.
I’m surprised you are just now hearing blue october? that song came out .. 4? years ago. maybe because they are a dallas band? I do like that song though!
I bought my hot sexy embroidery machine with my stimulus $$.
the rest went to savings. which, all my work I do on the machine… part of my money goes to savings to “pay off” the machine. and the rest to me :p
marc is spoiled so he was okay with getting nothing. heh
Ugh, our stimulus check was gone a long ass time ago. I can’t even remember what it smelled like anymore. Sad.
I LOVE when Jeremiah has a little bit of stubble. He’s a marine so he shaves every day except Saturday.. so I love Saturday/Sunday when he’s scruffy.. It’s SOOO hot. :X
Sounds like you’ve been busy! Seems like you had a wonderful vacation!
Have you tried http://www.celebrateexpress.com for birthday supplies?
Ryan looks adorable in that photo! :D
I love that Blue October song too
Haha I agree with you on the stubble, there’s this one particular place that I love on Stephen when he gets hair there, just at the start of his chin at the top in the middle. I always beg him to keep it but he never does
P.s. the jungle theme birthday things are too cute!!
That photo is beyond adorable.
That photo is adorable, what a joyous smile. Is he only two?! That’s so precious, the time must’ve flown by. Wow… geez I really don’t know much about children, I thought he looked 2-3 years old lol.
IRS stimulus check… never heard of that, but it sounds like a tax return? I’m getting frustrated just filling my forms out, and I only have a simple job lol. Your lucky to be getting a large amount back though, here its all these stories about how some people actually have to pay some tax back (or maaybe they are just stories to scare us little ones who are just starting to work, aye? Haha)
“Alyssa would lay down and die if I didn’t take her with me” lmao! Yeah, good plan. Saving hotel costs seriously saves a lot, if your staying more than just a night or two.
The parent thing sounds so adorable haha. Though you might be getting sick of that in times to come if you NEVER get any alone time. The only option then is to send kids away lol, stay over at a friends house or something.
I love just the perfect amount of facial hair… like, day two without shaving, just a little stubble but not too noticable or spikey that it hurts me lol. Mmm sexy!!
Hi Jenn, my name is Serena. I’ve been reading your blog for a while now. I think I commented a few times in the past. Anywho I taught a blogging 101 class yesterday and I showed the students your blog and put a link to your blog on a handout I gave. They all loved it and think you and your family are adorable.
Hey there, I lurk your site often haha. Just wondering what kind of camera you have – and roughly how much it was. I’m looking for a new camera, and yours takes AWESOME pictures.
I love it when Chris hasn’t shaved for a day or two, it makes him a hell of a lot sexier. Although I do like him clean shaven too, he looks so angelic and innocent that way.
The one person I know who looks like a kid again when they shave is my boss, it’s so funny. He doesn’t look old enough to be a manager when he’s shaved, he seriously looks about half his age all clean shaven, it’s weird.
I’m so glad all I need to worry about is shaving my legs!
Reading that Ryan is two soon has made me realise how long I’ve been reading your blog – not just since before Ryan was born, but well before Alyssa was too – making me feel old!