Author: alissachristensen

That’s a total lie? haha Ive been lazy is more like it. Sometimes my life just isn’t interesting enough to post a whole blog about. That sums up this week. I’m babysitting like mad. I’ll be with my pretend kids overnight all weekend. I like to think of it as parent boot camp. Just thrown into chaos. I’m going to bring Brandon since its overnight and I am still a big wuss and am afraid of the dark pretty much. And then after he wants to pull his hair out I’ll ask “so when do you want to make some of these crazy little monsters!” Haha Its a good thing I love those kids so much!

Highlights from this week: We played monopoly for the first time together and apparently for the first time ever for Brandon. He told me the only other time he had played was when he was still eating the money. Haha. It was another first time. First time Ive ever seen a game end. I am used to everyone just bailed three hours in. But it was always a favorite of mine, it reminds me of playing with my grandpa He made every move special. Especially the beauty contest card. So I crushed Brandon. I had no mercy for the first timer. He definitely put up a fight and Ive never seen someone go to jail quite that often. And then want to stay there so he didn’t have to hit my corner haha. We played another game later that night (two games of monopoly in one night unheard of in my family!) And Brandon learned too quickly and definitely was killing me when I bailed three hours in at midnight.

Our other highlight was buying a dog grooming kit. In the past Ive cut the dogs hair with scissors. Brutal is all I can say. And apparently they look worse than how I feel after doing it. So we broke down and bought one from target. Brandon was in charge since I was still afraid it was going to cut the puppy on every swipe. We did karma first since the second that thing turned on WallE disappeared instantly. We’ll catch him later this week. We’ll it was a lot easier and way faster. She looks pretty cute but wont pose for pictures. But it was a cute moment when we were giving Walter a bath and Karma sat patiently outside waiting for him. Like she was going to save him when we opened the sliding door. They are too cute together.

Other than that just babysitting. And Im baking pumpkin pie cupcakes as we speak! They are o so yummy! And with the buttercream frosting, well I might just eat them all tonight by myself!

I have a head ache. I had this great post planned. Well its been “post” poned Teehee blog humor. Anyways so instead all you get tonight is a little laugh. Found this the other day and thought this is me. And this is my argument next time my mom says she is coming to visit. Hope you have a little laugh with me.

Goodnight!

So Ive been bad at posting lately. That’s a big combo with a bunch of stuff. I meant to share a Banana Bread recipe with you. I bought the banana’s. Brandon bought fresh ones and I bought the discount already on their way out banana’s. His are worse than mine already! Mine have not changed at all, thus no Banana Bread recipe for you yet. Soon though I swear.

Then I did actually do some baking. But of all things didn’t take any pictures. Wow that is a rare occurrence. Since if you know me I take pictures of the dogs every time they move. Everything I cook or bake. And every time I can sneak a picture of Brandon without him getting mad. So sorry nothing to blog about those red velvet and cream cheese cupcakes. Though I really think I cracked the code on cinnabon frosting with the new cream cheese recipe! haha. Not a good thing.

Then there was some family stuff. Some happy news and a lot of sad news. And then more sad news. And it never seemed to end. Which is always hard when you are so far away from your family. I cant reach out and do the simplest thing to help. Just a hug. But I got to talk to my sister and my mom and dad today. Lots of laughing and love shared in those calls so I know everything is going to be just fine. Still doesn’t change that I miss and love you though.

So thats it. Normally I am better at excuses but thats all the lame ones today! And hopefully you can look forward to better stuff this week. I’ll be sharing cupcakes tomorrow. And recipes for mac and cheese lasagna. Because anything with kraft dinner in it is amazing. Hopefully some Banana Bread! Those dang things better change soon. And maybe if your lucky even some scrapbooking.

Until then its just another night with my hubby, the dogs, slippers and popcorn!

Every kid is asked at some point in grade school to write about their hero. And most choose mom or dad. I was not a chooser. So I’m pretty sure I wrote about my aunt? But I do have a book that I wrote in at a young age. All my wildest dreams. I remember reading that I thought I was going to be a hair dresser/ phone girl. Apparently I wanted to be both my parents at once. But now Ive turned out to be neither. And maybe that’s for the best. I mean we would have never discovered my amazing cupcake skills if not!

But I wanted to share some stories today. (And pictures because what better ways to share memories for a picture-holic like me.) Being that it is a special birthday. I bet you cant guess who’s. She is not just my mom. (My dad is going to hate this) she is my best friend. (Don’t worry dad you are too. But today is not your day.) I can talk to her about anything. We can laugh about nothing. We can cry at the same song on the radio. We can spend an hour on the phone and not realize its gone by so fast. I’m lucky enough that she visits me as much as she does. Sometimes I think I see her more than some people that live in the same city, let alone country. And I cherish that. The main thing is I love her and nothing can replace her.

My mom is not much taller than me and being that little automatically makes you cute. Plus she has her fair share of blond moments. I could remember more I wasn’t also blond myself. My favorite would be the doughnut ride. But that’s an inside joke and it wouldn’t be anymore if I told you. There is also the Disney coffee, and the sausage. I hope those made you laugh out loud mom. Because I love your laugh. And even more I love your laugh lines. It shows you’ve had an amazing life. And that should be nothing to hide.

My mom is also the one who inspired my love of creativity. Scrapbooking to photography. Home decor to shopping. She is very good at inspiring you to make anything your own. Now half the things in my house are handmade and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But she inspired so much more. Reading, and if you didn’t know I’m the crazy person who sometimes gets so into a book I need to read it all in one sitting. No matter how late it gets. Cheerleading, yup my mom was the one who let me reach those dreams of flying. Sometimes I wish she had pushed just a little harder that last year. I sure do miss it.And of course just being loving person in general. What goes around comes around. That’s what she always said. And she didn’t think it meant the mean things others did would come around to them eventually. She meant if you are a wonderful person wonderful things will happen to you. Yes she did have a lot of sayings. It was like she was a phrase book in high school. “whats meant to be will be,” “a minute on the lips, forever on the hips,” haha she’s not cruel just honest. And there was a million others. And we can laugh about some. And others I know she was telling the truth. She was helping me through every “horrific” high school break up and celebrating every time I was on top of the world.

And though its hard to be apart. I know our relationship never suffers. It grows stronger with each day. Because she is my mom. She will always be there for me. And I will always be there for her. So on this one day a year. I wanted to share how much she means to me. I love you more. Happy Birthday Mom.

This sentence is going to make my dad happy. In life you need rules. There I said it, Im no longer the teenager breaking all of them. Of course there is the general ones, wear your seat belt, don’t swim after eating, never give info over the Internet. But those are standard and sometimes standard is boring. So in my life I have some unwritten rules too.

Rule #1

Always, ALWAYS stop and buy lemonade from the kids on the corner.

Every time I see that pitcher of lemonade I have to stop. They are usually so happy and especially nervous. Sometimes I don’t get enough money back. Sometimes I get too much and have to help them out. Some are good like the kid in the next block who seems so be a weekly stand lately haha. And of course I’ve had some where I cant wait to get around the corner to spit it back out. But most importantly its about a good old tradition. I can still remember hanging outside my friend Justine’s house to sell lemonade on a rare summer day in Calgary. And then ripping down to the 7-11 to spend out earnings on penny candy. Nothing replaces childhood happiness so if I can help in any way, especially when its as easy as a dollar of lemonade, who can say no. O this rule applies to girl guide cookies as well!

Rule #2

The shopping cart always gets returned.

I’m not sure why this has always been a rule. Could be because the Safeway near us made you pay a quarter for each cart. As a kid rounding up a couple was an easy bag of penny candy in my hands. (have you noticed I did, maybe still do anything to get my hand on candy?) Anyways it bothers me to no end when people cant walk the ten steps to put their cart back. So when I’m taking mine back I usually grab a couple extras. Brandon even got in the swing of things today when he rounded up a stray one that people were literally driving around to avoid. When did people get so lazy?

Rule #3

Always celebrate with cake!

Anniversary, Birthdays, Christmas, V-day, Mothers day, April fools day, Saturday, Tuesday. Celebrate the big and the little days with cake. Because not everyone will always be there for you, but cake and icing will. Ok but these friends aren’t the nicest to your waist line so maybe don’t celebrate every day with them.

Rule#4

And this is the most important.

Always tell the people you love that you love them.

Nothing is certain in this life. So if you have the chance tell those special people how much you care about them. It may sound cheesy but I try to end every phone call with an I love you. Emails, letters, sometimes even texts. Love is the most important thing in the world so share it. You never know when you wont be able to anymore.

And between all those boring rules and your own unwritten rules. Try to have fun. Live your life. Love yourself.

Have a Happy Monday!