BEHOLD YOUR NEWEST RESIDENT!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ME, CONGRATULATIONS TO ME...........I can NOT begin to express my joy right now, it's like a hundred pounds has been lifted from my shoulders. Yes you read that right, I did my INS interview and was approved, I'm now a Permanent Resident of the United States and I couldn't be happier.

To some it may seem like no big deal, but when you're born in a different country and come over to the States looking for a new beginning and a new way of life, something like getting your Green Card is HUGE.

I don't think I need to tell you that I love this country as if it was my own....obviously the fact that my husband and children are born here is also a plus BUT that's not the only reason. I truly believe that this is the place to give my children the best education and future they could ever have, and now I can do that.

Image credit: GettyImages

Anyway, after my interview yesterday my hubby took me and the kids to Red Lobster for lunch, to celebrate. I'll be honest, we all know this restaurant is not exactly cheap and it's not one we go to often, if we did we would be broke LOL
Since it was a special day we made a special exception.....here's a question for you all.....is there ANYTHING in that place that is not good??? I mean seriously, could there be anything served that would make one gag or be disappointed??? I have yet to find ONE thing I don't like about it. Not only is the service excellent, the wait is minimal and it's amazing food.

I had the Broiled Seafood Platter (Tender bay scallops, garlic shrimp scampi and stuffed flounder). HEAVEN is the word that comes to mind....to wash it down I got a Long Island Iced Tea. BIG NO NO for a SAHM who does not usually drink LOL

You can always spot who the SAHM's are, they usually walk in all stressed out and disciplining the kids, "sit down, be still"....."please just color with the pretty crayons"...."would you PLEASE not go under the table". After a drink they're the ones sitting there with a goofy smile on their faces, constantly planting kisses and hugs on their kids and laughing when a piece of biscuit goes flying across the table. Or was that just me?!?!?!?




After lunch we went to the mall so I could run to the bookstore. I picked up Fannie Flagg's book called "Welcome to the world Baby Girl".

Once again, Flagg's humor and respect and affection for her characters shine forth. Many inhabit small-town or suburban America. But this time, her heroine is urban: a brainy, beautiful, and ambitious rising star of 1970s television. Dena Nordstrom, pride of the network, is a woman whose future is full of promise, her present rich with complications, and her past marked by mystery.

I also picked up another one called "The thing about Jane Spring" by Sharon Krum.

There’s something eating Jane Spring. At thirty-one, she has everything a woman could ask for and seemingly everything a man could long for—great legs, brains, rising star status in the Manhattan D.A.’s office—but she just can’t find a man who’ll fall madly in love with her. Men are always lining up to ask her out, but for some reason no one wants a second date.

So Jane resolves to change her tack, but what is it that men really want in a woman? One snowy night while watching a Doris Day marathon on cable it hits her: Doris Day always got her man. Trading her nondescript black pantsuit for petal pink Chanel and pearls, Jane dyes her hair, stops cursing, softens her voice, paints her nails—even her apartment—and embarks on a fun-filled journey to find the smart, sweet, gorgeous, capable, ambitious, courageous, loving, adoring, hard- working man of her dreams.

You know me I can't go near a bookstore without buying more books, it doesn't matter that my TBR pile is overflowing and threatening to take over the house, but whatever, as long as there's books all around I'm a happy camper.

It was a great day and I'm extremely happy so that is what matters right????

While visiting my favorite blogs this morning I see that the wonderful Laura from "I'm an Organizing Junkie" and Irene at TheGreenGreek tagged me for a meme, the same one, then I went over to Bev at "Blessed Beyond Measure" and she had also tagged me for it, how funny is that.....it's been forever since I was tagged so I'm really excited to do it.

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
So, here are 7 things about me you do not know already!

1. I actually HATE talking on the phone and will do a happy dance when I loose a number (yes I know it's wrong but I can't help it LOL)

2. When I was about two years old I grabbed a glass bottle and broke it, cutting my thumb open, til this day my right thumb has a scar and a little bit of the tip missing....gross you may think, but you don't even notice it.

3. My paternal grandfather was a mechanic with Caterpillar Machines, those HUGE tractors. My maternal grandfather played guitar for one of the well known Portuguese Fadistas in Portugal. Fado is the national song of Portugal.

4. I used to be a radio DJ in South Africa and also sang for the portuguese community, I actually recorded a few songs and have sung in front of thousands of people. Don't ask me to do it nowadays because I absolutely REFUSE to LOL

5. I'm totally in love with anything medieval, victorian, edwardian.

6. When I was in school in south africa, I was the Deputy Head Girl for the primary school I attended. You can read more about Head Girls/Boys, Deputy Head Girls/Boys and Prefects over here.

7. My ideal summer day is spent sitting on a beach front restaurant, overlooking the ocean, drinking a cold cold beer and eating a platter of seafood.

Wow that's my 7 already, that was fast....I'm not going to tag anyone because I've noticed most people have done this meme, if you haven't and would like to go for it, just let me know so I can come read yours.

Alright, it's saturday and I have a house to clean and then at noon a birthday party to take Jasmine to at the Bowling Alley.....since we all love bowling so much, Curt and Nicholas and I will be eating lunch there and bowling while she's at the party. Will have pictures later :)

Have a great saturday, God Bless,

Calling all Homeschooling Moms!!!

Image credit: Scholastic.com

I NEED HELP PEOPLE!!! I don't know where to go, who to talk to or even what to do when it comes to Homeschooling, all I know is that if I do have to homeschool I want to have a christian curriculum and that is about all I know, hence my stress! So if you have any tips or are currently homeschooling your children, I would LOVE some info or advice please....pretty please with a cherry on top???

The move is coming soon and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed, there just seems to be so much to do and plan, it's truly stressful. The biggest thing for me right now is Jasmine's school, not until we have base housing do we know which school she is able to attend, and as things stand right now there is a very strong possibility that I will be homeschooling her.

Cool Slideshows

This weekend was wonderful, we had warm temperatures and took advantage of it to the fullest. I think we were only in the house to sleep and eat and oh, use the bathroom of course LOL
Other than that we were outside in the pool, tanning, grilling and just having a ball...I'm nice and brown and I feel wonderful :)

I also got to sit outside in our swing and read my Fannie Flagg book "Can't wait to get to Heaven"....IT IS HILARIOUS. I can't believe I had never read this author before, who by the way wrote the very well known and wonderful "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe"......she's so funny and the book really captivates you from the first page. Here is a little blurb just so you can see how funny it is:

As predicted, around ten AM, just as Norma had finished applying her special Merle Norman facial mask for dry sensitive skin, the phone rang for the fourth time that morning. "Norma, if Adam and Eve were the only two people on earth, then where did Cain and Abel meet their wives?"
"Oh, I don't know, Aunt Elner....at Club Med? Don't ask me. I don't even know why the chicken crossed the road."
"You don't? Well I do!" said Aunt Elner. "Do you want me to tell you?"
Norma gave up and sat down. "sure," she said. "I'm just dying to know."
"To show the possum it can be done."
"Aunt Elner, where do you hear these silly things?"
"From Bud and Jay. Did you know that another name for the potato bug is the Jerusalem grasshopper?"
"No."
"Did you know there are forty-seven trillion cells in the human body?"
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, that was the correct answer yesterday. It won somebody and electric knife."
Norma had just put the phone down and was headed to the bathroom when the phone rang again.
"Hey, Normal, you just wonder who had the time to count all those cells, don't you?"

LOL I swear this book is just too funny, I am loving it and I'm definitely picking up any Fannie Flagg books I find from this day on. You have GOT to read them. (Anabela, let me know if you like the book)

Saturday morning I gave the house a good cleaning, actually Curt and the kids helped too, so now we have a spotless house. Here's the thing though, why is it that kids associate cleaning with someone coming over???

Jasmine's best friend came over for the afternoon, and yes while I did make sure she had her bedroom clean, the rest of the house cleaning is done because it's what I do everyday, especially on the weekends when Curt is home and can keep the kids busy, I get a LOT more done.

Anyway, I was cleaning the house and asked Jasmine to help with some stuff to which she quickly says....well, this is how it went:

Jasmine: Why are you cleaning mommy?

Me: Because it needs to be done Jasmine.

Jasmine: But why, is someone coming over?

Me: Yes your friend is coming this afternoon but that is not the reason I'm cleaning....

Jasmine: Oh, is someone else coming over?

Seriously, come on, if anyone hears this they're going to think that we live in a pigsty which only gets cleaned out if someone decides to come by.

It's like the day she stayed home sick and saw me cleaning (this cleaning thing just really confuses her lol) and she asked why I was doing it and I told her that it's what I do everyday...she replied with "really??? Oh I thought you just did your blog" LOL

If you're interested in seeing what I'm cooking this week, just head on over to my food blog where I posted my menu.

BTW we watched "Night at the Museum" yesterday and it was brilliant...we all watched together as a family and loved it.

Alright I'm headed out, I have a 4 year old that believes the couches pillows look better laying all over the living room floor...what is with kids and couches??? At least once a day you can find them diving off the couch onto a pile of pillows.....it does look fun but the mommy in me cringes everytime.

Have a great day everyone, God Bless,