Ok ladies and gents… grab your drink and get comfy. I got lots to say and little space to say it.

Calmly waits for you.

I’m serious grab your drink!!!

Did you get it yet?

Last chance here we go!

It’s Thursday and it’s time for Random Thoughts. I’ve been sick and I have so much to say. So here we go.

First thing is:

I was so touched by all the support that I get from you during everything that has been happening. It’s amazing to know that I have such incredible bloggy friends. I do count you all among my friends whether you are reading me on reader or on the post.

Ok ok…I’d like you to comment more though. I LOVE Comments. Did I mention that I love them? I do I do. Please leave me comments. I’ll comment back. I’m behind but I’m coming. I joined this incredibly new group, CCWA, that my friend, Lee at Headaches, Hormones and Hot Flashes created with two other great bloggers, Erin over at Mother Load and my good friend, Tracie (KYS too) over at Stir Fry Awesomeness. Now I really suggest that you check them all out since they are all awesome. CCWA stands for… are you ready for this? I’m still shocked but I love it. Comment Crack Whores Anonymous. Does it fit you? Well it surely does me. If you would like to join, please go here.

Number Two:

Thank you so much for returning my husband to me. He has been found!! I would have missed him terribly if he hadn’t been. Ok that is not totally true. We’ll wait yes it is. He does watch the kids sometimes. Now wait wait. Well can we call it watching? He does keep the kids while I run around some times. Not sure it’s called watching. I did come home to Monkeyboy’s new awful hair cut. Did I mention awful? I was so mad. He was the one who watched them with the Tattoo Disaster. He was the one that let Pumpkin become the green monster. I just realized I may have to make a post about this one. Future post. It’s a hilarious story. Pumpkin ended up in the hospital twice during his watch. Once when the dog bites her right in front of hubs and once when she fell in the tub with hubs standing there. Ok maybe my kids need to be protected from him. Oh well I still love him.

Item Three:

Remember me telling you that Pumpkin did not want to go down to the bus stop by herself. She made me walk her halfway and then she would stand by me until it was time to run down to the end of the street. Yesterday, she begged me not to watch her go down. She is growing up. I wanted to cry and celebrate at the same moment. It was odd. I felt so confused. It’s a good thing but do you think I didn’t watch?? Heck no, I stood by the window out of sight and watched. My baby doesn’t need to know that so be quiet…DON’T TELL HER!
Item Four:

I mentioned that I’m the new General Hospital Brand Ambassador. I have to tell you that my shoes about fell off when they told me that I had been accepted. I get new feedback about what’s going on every Monday morning. Are you watching General Hospital?

Have you been watching General Hospital lately? It’s getting really dicey. There is this awesome connection between Lulu and Dante. Lulu is Luke and Laura’s daughter while Dante is Sonny’s long lost son. Talk about a match made in heaven. Now the two of them are HOT made all over.

Not to mention the storyline between Sonny and Dante. Sonny is the king of the mobster in town while Dante is a cop. Yes, you got it. Dante was an undercover cop trying to bring Sonny down when he got to town. His mother, Olivia, kept even Dante in the dark about his father all these years so there was no conflict about him going after his father. If Sonny had known would he have shot his own son? I doubt it very much. The father/son clash is a great story line. I hope that they finally in the end make up. Now, Sonny is standing trial for the murder of his wife, Claudia who actually was killed by his other son, Michael. Will Michael tell Dante the truth before Sonny goes to prison for something he actually didn’t do? Sonny is guilty of all kinds of other things just not this. Will father/son get the chance to patch up the relationship between the two of them? Will Dante have a change of heart about Sonny if Michael confesses?

Now while all this is going on Johnny is coming on back side to take over Sonny’s territory since he believes that Sonny will not pay for his sister’s death.

Great stuff..Stayed tuned.

“I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other General Hospital branded items to facilitate my review.”

Item Five:
I told you it was going to be long.

Congratulations… You are a DIGIORNO Champions House Party host!!

Woohoo!! I can’t believe that I get to host a Digiorno Champions House Party on March 20th at my house. I have been applying for parties forever from HouseParty.com. I didn’t think I was ever going to be accepted but I was. Now let me tell you what they are going to send me for the party. It includes:

• 1 Party Planner Booklet — with 6 host coupons for free pizza and 15 guest coupons for $4.00 off pizza
• 1 Supreme Pizza Cutter
• 15 Party Rally Beads
• 1 Referee Apron
• 1 Refrigerator Magnet
• 16 Drink Coasters
• 2 Trivia Table Tent Cards
• 1 Basketball “Hoops” Beverage Can Game

So not only are they supplying me the pizza and bread sticks but this great stuff as well. I pretty much get to have a party on them except of course drinks. They even have an event program to send out invitations as well.  All I have to do is have a party and tell about it on their website.  It’s easy and free to me! 

Now you can’t get in on this party, but there are lots of other ones to try for. I saw a Windows party, card party, Eco party, and various other parties. All you need to do is go set up an account here and then apply for the parties. I wanted to be accepted before I told you about it.

Item Six:

Specials that I just found out about:

• Portrait Innovations – you all know that I have issues with them. I had a very nasty time with one of their photographers, check it out here. But I still love their work so the offer is as follows:

It’s their spring special for $9.95 plus tax is One 10×13, Two 8×10’s, Four 5×7’s, Four 3×5, 32 wallets and six personalized portrait cards.

Yes you can just get the package. Although I will tell you that they hate that. I love their work. Just to let you know they will take hundreds of pictures of you. You need to narrow it down to as few as possible. And be upfront if you just want the package.

• Snapfish has their spring special going on as well. When you make an Express Classic Photo Book, you get the second one FREE! Our Express Photo Books will let you create a memorable keepsake in just minutes. The best part is it’s fast, easy and fun.

Use coupon code SPRINGBOOK at checkout by March 9. Hurry! This is available for a limited time.*

I made one of these books for my parents and Ken’s parents for Christmas this year. They loved it.

Hope you stayed through all of this. I know it was a lot.

Ok I had a Power Surge today!! I want to share it with you. I got the kids all dressed up today to go get their annual pictures taken at Portrait Innovation. They have this great package every year. I hope that they never change it. Well worth the money so I will share the package with you and then tell you about the power surge I had.

It’s the Holiday Portrait Package which is over 40 portraits which means you get:

One 10 x 13
Two 8 x 10s
Four 5 x 7s
Four 3 x 5s
32 Wallets
and 6 Free Greeting Cards

Now this package is all of one setting. You have to pick which one you want out of all the pictures. There are no sitting fees or charges (other than taxes) for $9.95. So you pick the one setting, and then they try to build on that package with other pictures. It can be very expensive if you don’t watch it. They can even personalize your portrait with a wide selection of special effect. They are ready in minutes and without any sitting fees or charges. It truly is that easy usually.

I have to say over the years that I have been going there. The last four years I believe. They have always been courteous and pleasant to work with. The pictures have been amazing and usually I spend way too much. But this year, I had a budget to stay in which means I only wanted the base package. I explained to this nice photographer that I was only getting the $9.95 package. He said that was fine. I, even, went to the point of explaining that I had already had Christmas cards made.

So he goes about taking all of these pictures. He took over a hundred pictures. He was wonderful with the kids. He was joking around with them. He was doing a great job teasing the kids. I made sure to get the picture that I really wanted to see as well. I wanted a picture of Monkeyboy on a 4 because he’s 4 while Pumpkin was on a 7 because she’s 7. They were sitting back to back. We talked about how if they behaved they would get hot chocolate. They did an awesome job while taking pictures.

So we are finished taking pictures and he sits me down in front of the computer to go through the pictures. I’m telling you it is very hard to choose pictures when they are of your kid in your face. Honestly, there is usually where I screw up and spend too much. I told him that there are so many pictures to choose from I don’t know how I’m going to pick one. He said that he would help me out.

So we start eliminating pictures. We got down to 33 pictures at one point. Let me tell you that would be over $600. I was not going there. So we put more up and we take more of the pictures out. So we narrow down a lot more and I chose the picture that I liked the most for the package.

Now he still has the pictures up. I said that all I want. That’s when MR ATTITUDE arrived on the scene. He said, “Well you won’t get the CD if you don’t chose at this point.”

I said, “That’s ok. I really can’t afford anymore.”

MR ATTITUDE says, “Well, let’s eliminate one more of each of them and see if that works.”

Now the package is $77.70. I still don’t want to spend that much. I truly only wanted the one picture. So I say, “I really only want the package deal.”

MR ATTITUDE starts deleting the other pictures. Now let me tell you his next comment hurt, he said, “We just deleted some really good pictures of your kids.”

It’s not that he said it. It’s how he said it. It was almost nasty like I was doing a mortal sin. As a mother, the last thing I like is too not get pictures of my kids but I have to responsible to my family. I simply couldn’t afford it right now. You all know how much I love to take pictures of my kids so this was hard on me.

And then MR ATTITUDE begins again, “Will you be coming back during the holiday season?”

My response, “I probably will be after the season. I usually do every six months or so.”

MR ATTITUDE comes back with, “Well, you are only allowed to use this special package once during the season. And we do NOT make copies of the pictures that you are losing right now.”

By this point, I’m fuming. Power surge time.  Did my men-o-pause just go into over drive? I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way. I said, “That’s fine. I already have my Christmas pictures done.”

MR ATTITUDE responds, “If you go to the cashier, it will be $10.55 and the pictures will be ready for pick up in 10-15 minutes.”

So I go to the cashier, I pay for the pictures and then head off to Borders to wait for them to be ready. Kids and I spend some time at Borders reading books and drinking hot chocolate while we wait. I go back in to pick up the pictures. MR ATTITUDE meets me at the door with the pictures. He doesn’t say thank you or good bye. Just turned and walked away. I walk out to the car to check my pictures out. The receipt is in the envelope with the picture. It says, “I hope you enjoy your photo. Thanks”

Now I’m still fuming over this guy and I want to stomp back in there. I’m positive that I am not the only one that only gets the package. I realize that is the gimmick to get you in there but still. Now I’m asking you all for your honest opinion. Am I justified in my opinion or was I have a power surge momemt?

Even after all this has happened, I would still recommend Portrait Innovation just not MR ATTITUDE.