Oh New Jersey...

A very good friend of mine posted this last week on Facebook...yes I re-opened it...picture sharing while on our trip is much easier this way...anyway....

What are your thoughts on New Jersey Governor Christ Christie's decision to lower American flags at government buildings to half-staff Saturday to honor singer Whitney Houston on the day of her funeral?

This would be total act of disrespect for all of those who have put their lives on the line for this country, even more so for the men and women who have given their lives ... No celebrity should be held with the same honor as those who have served our country ... We don't fly the flag at half mast for all the soldiers that have come home in body bags.... I'm sorry but this makes me sick , Men and women have died for our honor. but a drug out singer gets a flag half mass for what???

NOT ONLY...is this a HUGE act of disrespect for everyone who has put their lives ON THE LINE to PROTECT people like Whitney Houston and the Governor of New Jersey but it is insulting that he would even think to suggest such a valiant show of respect be put forth to a diva, superstar who did what? Addict herself to drugs...go in and out of rehab...reach iconic status in the music industry...sorry but

BIG DEAL!!! WHO CARES!

I have friends of whom I consider my dear family, closest friends I will ever have who have lost their loved one's...these are the men and women who get the honor of having the flag lowered because it is an honor...not a gimmick...not a show....not a stage...an HONOR!!  They sacrifice their lives, their families when they go to work every day...superstars sacrifice what? Their personal lives? Being stressed out and hounded by the paparazzi is no excuse for any behavior you put yourself through.

Whitney Houston was a sensational music artist with an incredible voice...she won awards...she's in the Guiness Book of World Records...GOOD FOR HER!! NONE of this constitutes an honorary gesture involving lowering the American Flag to half mass...you may as well have played TAP's at her funeral...

Again...we still have soldiers dying in the war...it's not over...but do you know why you don't know? Do you see every flag at half mass every day?...No...so it never crosses your mind unless you hear something on the news or read something in the paper.  

Flying the flag as half mass would be like giving her daughter the flag...my friends don't have Grammy's...The President of the United States has never invited them into the Oval Office and our spouses work for him; they don't entertain him.

This makes me sick and yes it is an over due post but I had to get my thoughts out there...it is sad she died but it warrants NO act like this. She was found in her hotel bath tub...not on a battlefield...not defending our country

This act is earned not received by just anyone...If I were her family, I would be ashamed that the Governor would even suggest such a thing

Say what you will but in the end I stand by my word and this is a shameful act of disrespect to every service member.

Lisa

5 of the many men and women who receive this honor...we all miss you guys!!

Valentine's Gift Mug through SHUTTERFLY

ok...I received an email from Pampers with a code that gave me a free white mug through Shutterfly!!

UM HELLO...OF COURSE!...So here is what I did!! 

Good ol' construction paper...markers...glitter glue...scissors of course :-)...and...

VOILA!!!

I mean...seriously...came out pretty snazzy eh? and it's the perfect gift to send off since we are not home :-)...and ps...I love Shutterfly...I mean how cool is this picture below!! You can scroll right to left to see the whole mug!!!

  Collage Mug

Send Shutterfly Valentine's Day cards to those closest to you.

View the entire collection of cards.

DUBAI!!!!!!

SOOOO...Saturday we went to Dubai!!..Minus Taitum...sorry Taitum...I am going back so I will take some more pictures...like of the amazing shopping in the Dubai Mall buuuuahahahaha...

LIKE THIS...CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN STORE!! SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?! Next time I'm trying on a pair....notice I said trying on...aka drooling over and not purchasing hahahaha

I mean come on...the store front in itself is AMAZING 

aaahhhh yes...me...in the amazing store!

<---

World's Tallest Bldg...

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A castle in the middle of the city??!!

No...those are apartments/condos...that just looks like a HUGE castle!! haha

OK...so...it was a good day!! We went and shopped...I got a pair of UHMAZING Steve Madden boots and an UUUUHMAZING Diesel handbag...for some reason I didn't take pictures...stay tuned :)...OH WAIT...HERE'S THE BAG!! OK...I'll get a better picture of it hahaha

Funny story...So...we are sitting at this cafe, Eric Kaiser, for a before lunch coffee and I ate food haha and Emma had a chocolate milkshake...thick...so...at first she is drinking it just fine out of the straw...fantastic! THEN I look at her (she is sitting across from me) and I see her pick up the glass as if she is drinking water with no straw and attempt to drink the shake...in my head I'm thinking "ooooo she should NOT do this...it's going to..." and then SPLAT!!! CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE AAALLLLLLL OVER HER FACE AND EVERYTHING!!!

What did I do...

BUUUUUUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

....YES...I laughed in my 3 year old's face because I saw it happening just before it happened and I thought it was HIIIIIILARIOUS!!!!!

Emma...MOM!!! IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! STOP LAUGHING AT ME!!

UM...NO! heehee...it was so funny...yes I had a change of clothes and yes she was fine afterwards but come on people...so funny!!! I couldn't get a picture quick enough though :-( hahaha

OMG...then we had lunch at Mango Tree...SO GOOD!! Thai food yummmmm....of course I picked spicy as HECK lobster with chili sauce...MY MOUTH WAS ON FIIIIIIIRE

 aaaahhhh...yes...and I had a strawberry lemon martini YUMMMMMMM

FIIIIIIRRREEEE...but it was so gooood

LMAO..did i mention the shell was in the dish? and when I put the lobster together to show Emma she got suuuuuper scared??!!...No?...hahaha OMG...I had to ask the waiter to take the shell away from the table hahahaha

BUT...it was sooooo goood...

OK...so then we had High Tea at the Burj Al Arab aka Sailboat hotel in Dubai :-).....sooooooooo fun!!! 

I mean this hotel is amazing...the architecture is so beautiful and everything is super nice and it's just amazing...we got a little lost took a detour on the way but you know as long as you can see your destination and it's getting bigger and not smaller, then it's ok hahahahaha

so our reservations were at 6...we were there at 630...meh...whatevers haha

ok so then drooooooooooove back to Abu Dhabi and the week started Sunday and Emma went back to school and pilates and then yoga today and all is well :-)...OH and we skyped with Nona!!

I leave you with some more pictures :)...

<---- Emma can you pleeeeeeeeeeeeease take a picture with me?!?!

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Being classy as usual in a 10 star hotel hahaha

<---- Looking up as far as I could from the lobby!! Everything you see that is gold...is real gold!! 

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WHOOOOOOOA!!!!

<----- Super cool "dancing" fountain!!

I swear...more touristy pictures next time :-)

~ Lisa

Super Slacker...my bad :-/

HELLOOOOO ALL!!

So we made it to Abu Dhabi!!! Here is the long and short of it all...Emma got here 2 weeks before the Tater and I...The Tater and I got stuck in Chicago for 2 HOURS...on the plane...it literally looked like the snow was burying the plane and then they had to de-ice the plane..that was "comforting" hahaha but, nevertheless, we MADE IT!!

*** OK...I always get asked "You're going where?? Abu what??" and then I always "Do you know where Dubai is? Like an hourish away"...OOOOOOOOOOOOHHH....SO...This is where Abu Dhabi is :-) ***

SOOOOO...we've been here 1 week and Taitum has adjusted fantastically to the 12 hour time change which is so nice now...Emma is having so much fun!! Emma goes to a "nursery" aka school here 5 days a week for 6-7 hours a day which is super nice and she LOVES it!! I've been going to the gym with my step mom 4 days a week..pilates, yoga, cardio...feels good...and of course shopping around :)

Nothing too crazy exciting as of right now BUT we are headed to Dubai tomorrow!! Many pictures will come soon I promise!! And I am going to try and get something posted at least 2-3 times a week..so...it will probably happen 1-2 times hahahaha :-)

I get to fool around with my fantastico Silhouette software and create some stencils which is great fun for me so once we get home...I'll be a printing MACHINE!!!

OK...I hope everyone had a fantastic week!!! We are having a great time and enjoying all of it!!

More later :-)...have an amazing weekend!!!

~ Lisa

Short and sweet

I just want to give a BIG shout out to my super talented husband...you need something done and he'll get it done...especially wood-work!!

For Christmas, he helped Santa make this AMAZING dollhouse for Emma!!! 2 DAYS!! He was working a lot right up until Christmas so he literally went to the store, got the materials, started the 23rd all day and finished it Christmas Eve; just in time for Santa to deliver it Christmas morning!!

THIS...is amazing...no he didn't make it for me...I don't need one haha. But really...I don't need one haha.  This is a birthday gift for his buddies wife.  His friend called, well probably texted, him and asked if he could make his wife a jewelry box...I mean for reals people...this is amazing...I went and got some felt for the inside (that was the only thing I did haha) and the top red part has indents for rings and slides to and fro and can be taken out and he put in the drawer...it is amazical!!!

The lid has an engraved "C" that his friend helped him out with BUT...my trusty Cameo printed out the stencil heehee :).

no joke...if you need something from a shadow box to bed frame...he can do it haha...so awesome!!

Well that was all...Taitum is feeling a little better...taking her back for a check up tomorrow and then Wednesday also...so frustrating when an infant is sick :(.

I hope you all are having a great weekend!!!

~ Lisa

Oh MAN...Yes...The holiday's...OVER

Now the fun begins hahaha...Christmas was great...I got beyond spoiled...a Cameo...a red KitchenAid...Tory Burch Sunglasses...I mean really...insane!!!!

I guess someone did read my Amazon WishList!!!  WOOO...The hubs got a new phone since he dropped his phone in the toilet...it was clean...I still think it's gross haha...The girls got beyond spoiled!!! Dad helped Santa build this amazing dollhouse!!! He even routered the "tile" on the flooring with a monogrammed "E" at the "entrance"...so cool...she LOVES IT!!

Either my swap partners didn't ever receive my gifts or they sucked that bad and they're being nice by not saying anything haha...it's ok...my feelings aren't hurt haha...I'm sorry if you work for the USPS but I LOOOOATHE them during the holidays!! So many people did not get things I sent out!! Even after I re-sent them!! I would have gone through UPS or Fed-Ex but they were too expensivo for this military wife/momma...I guess a shipping savings fund is order for next year also..hmmmm. I think I might send them something via a website so that ensures delivery since I haven't heard anything...so lame...I'm sorry either way!!!

Well...A LOT HAPPENING!! My baby girl is seeing the world for 2 weeks so it's going to be a little quiet here...you can tell Taitum knows something is wrong because she has been extra attentiony lately with big sister not here but the flight will be MUCH easier (UAE...yeah...with the chill 6 month old ALONE it will be much easier hahaha)...We will be gone for...ready...READY...

2 MONTHS

Brutus misses her too...he's been sleeping on her tutu the past couple nights...

The hubs is doing a lot of work ups and I don't think he'll even be home when we get home but so goes our life...my mama is planning a visit out here when we get back so that will be super exciting!!! But yes...this trip will be awesome!! We figure...the girls aren't on any kind of strict school/extra-curricular schedule so this is the greatest time to do these trips!

**A.D.D MOMENT** I just noticed my show...NCIS...started again..I LOOOOVE THIS SHOW!!

ok...the trip...this will be super fun!! I will still be blogging and posting pics :-)...WOOOO.  The only downfall to this trip...my super awesome christmas gifts (aside from my sunglasses haha)...will not be used...by me anyway haha..OH AND my brother and his fiance got me a crockpot too!! Hopefully my husband doesn't break it hahaha

Ok...I gotta go to bed...but yes...A LOT OF EXCITING STUFF HAPPENING!!!! I will keep you all posted as it happens ;-)

~ Lisa

Holy Poo

So this is a vent...sorry...I know...it's the holiday's...my bad

I have decided to delete my personal FB page...holy adults and their drama rama!!!

I mean for reals...grow up and get over it...dust it off..start over...you aren't a tree stuck in the ground, so if you don't like where you are or what's going on...MOVE ON...

OK...that's all..I am going to make sure I have all of the pictures saved these next few days.

You will find me still on here (more often because I think this is more fun anyway), Pinterest & Instagram.

I figure...if you have my phone number and/or e-mail, well then that should be enough if you truly need to get a hold of me.

Yes, this is also partly why I haven't posted lately...Christmas this year is not decorated in our house (we won't be home and my husband wanted to wait until he got home but now he's home a week before Christmas which was later than we thought...sorry...I'm not pulling it all out for a week)...the spirit is there and Emma is SOOOOOO excited...I am kind of grinchy because I see all of these crazy sales and "2 DAY SUPER DEALS" and due to craziness that is life and unexpected BIG bills...oh well...big gifts next year and I am trying to make as much as possible without Emma noticing...haha I know...funny...trying to hide ANYTHING from the nosey 3 year old is almost impossible!

ok...THAT is all...I swear I will be my old, chipper self once all of this is done...I actually think it will be a relief...I mean come on...it's the internet and a page...on the internet...it's not going anywhere...BUT I AM...BUUUAHAHAHAHA...take that you addicting facebook-ness hahahaha

ok...I hope everyone else is ready for the holiday's!!!! haha ;-)

~ MOI