It's Wednesday. How are *you* today? :)

So, I totally forgot to write about -A Thousand Splendid Suns-.

I don't want to say too much, because I really hope that all my readers will read this book. I will describe how I felt throughout, though. I felt several emotions throughout this book...

Appreciative, Thankful, Sadness, Shock, Happiness. Without giving anything away, you do learn the life of Afghani woman as wives. How being a wife there *can* be scary, and horrible, and so unsettling. This book made me cry in parts of it, which is extremely rare thing for a book to make me cry. I didn't only cry at sad moments, but I also cried at moments where there was such surprising joy that I immediately teared up, and tears were just pouring out of my eyes. Khaled Hasseini knows how to draw in his audience, and leave them wanting to read more. I love writers like that. I love that from start to finish the book was great! It started great, and ended great. With just a little bit of mystery to make you wonder how the character's lived on, and what happens down the road. I give this book and The Kite Runner a standing ovation!!

If and when you finish reading these books, please tell my what you think! I am interested in hearing what other people think of them. :)

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Went to the gym this morning, but other than that not much else is happening. It is SO hot here that all you can do it avoid going outside. "Who wants to get the mail?" Seriously! It's that hot! Today it is supposed to be 101 degrees. Not only that, but I think 75-80% humidity, which is what makes things miserable here. The air is so thick you can almost eat it! SICK!

Here are a couple pictures for you all!

HOLY COW! An unexpected picture ... of ME!! [gasp] ;)

Always lookin' cute!!

Waiting to get her ears pierced. Full of anxiety!

Playing with her dolly.

This is Zoe right after she pushed herself up from crawling to sitting... and all while clutching that baby doll! LOL.

WHOA! ME again!! *alert the media*! ha ha!

Have a great Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

::Day Number *Twenty Four* :: My Hair :: & Other Updates ::

First things first... I keep forgetting to show the end results of Angelina's now finished {except for artwork} bedroom... check out before and after pics below. ;)

:BEFORE:

:AFTER:

The below picture is just showing the colors up close. :)

So. Mike comes home tomorrow! Can you say *ECSTATIC*? Ecstatic doesn't even say the half of it, but that's OK. :) I, of course have been trying to stay as busy as possible, and, I have obviously succeeded, because these 12 days have flown by!! :) Which, makes me happy. I got my hair done today! Wanna see?

I *LOVE*LOVE*LOVE it!! My hairdresser seriously rocks! What a great job she did. :) I will take more pictures of myself tomorrow in the sun light. Usually, you'll get better pics of hair in natural light rather than using the flash.

In other news... Angelina got in to YEAR ROUND SCHOOL!!! Ummm, another exciting bit of news in the Benner household!! We are thrilled! :) So, school starts in July instead of late August. :) This should be great for her, considering that she was *really* upset that school was over in May. ha ha! She loves learning, so we think that year round school is the best thing for our daughter, whom loves to learn, and can't get enough of it! I love that she loves learning! I want to keep that love for school in her!

So, we are leaving for Arizona soon, and we are getting very excited!! I practically have to take everything except the kitchen sink with me, so my mom let me borrow their ginormous suitcase. I am not kidding... I could pack both my kids in their and they would be totally comfortable. ha ha! Not that I am doing that, nor am I implying that I ever would. ;) Just stating the fact that this suitcase is so big, I bet I could fit my suburban in it! I am not complaining, though, because this suitcase will hold all of my clothes, the girls' clothes, and I may even be able to squeeze in the kitchen sink too... if I so desire. ;) In fact, just to showcase how massive this suitcase is... I will pose my children with it tomorrow for their blog pictures. We'll make it fun!

Oh. Did I tell you that Mike comes home tomorrow?

Today I had to go to court! Why? Because here in North Carolina, if you get a speeding ticket, which I did, then you have to go to Downtown Raleigh and visit the judge! Ummm. How weird it felt when I said the word *guilty* to the judge. Like I was a real bad criminal. I mean, I really only hear *i'm guilty* on CSI or Judge Judy. To actually say it. Well, that's just plain weird, and I did not like saying it... I mean, yes, I do say it at home. Like... who didn't fold the laundry, or who ate the last skinny cow... oh. Uh, that was me, *I'm guilty*. But, let me add that saying it like that is so much less criminal like than it was today saying it to the judge. "Yes, Judge, I am guilty of driving way to fast, and not paying attention to how fast my old beastly car was going." (ya, putting the blame on my car instead of myself would go over well, right?) Maybe it would have been less criminal like if I had added, "oh, and I am also guilty of eating the last of the sherbet ice cream in the freezer."

OK. Enough with the sarcasm. Much more scrapbookin' to do, so I am outta here! Check out the day 24 pics! Oh! Like one of my favorite shows!! 24. ha ha! Bye already, right?

Yes, Zoe is sitting all by herself in this picture!! She is beginning to sit alone for a few minutes at a time! It is *very* exciting! She is also pushing up like she wants to crawl, which is way cool, since that is a *very* advanced movement for her age {since she is developmentally delayed due to her prematurity}. Pretty great, though! The next few weeks should be exciting!

Scrapbooking {Can} Make Me *Silly*...

Taking a break from scrapbooking to post some silly *self-portraits*. I was brainstorming the other night, and decided that goofing around would help my brain think... low and behold... it did! :) So, here are some silly pics of ::me::!

I took this picture the other day while driving around... I love how it looks!

:) Back to scrapbookin'!

Needing to *scrapbook*, so...

Here is day 21 pictures!

Me and my *Girls* Here's to a busy night for me, and it's already late! Had a day full of house cleaning, and now a late night full of scrapbookin'! :) Need to do 12 more layouts to enter in the *Scrapbooker of the Year* contest! Lots to do, and off I go to do it!! Wish me luck! :)

Night!

Shealynn Got Some *New* Shoes!!

I got these new shoes last night!! I love them. Took 'em outside today ;) ha ha! Just a random thing I wanted to share, because these shoes are *totally* blog worthy!

Today, It's My *Birthday*...

::Top Secret:: revealed!!
Here is the project I was working on last week for Mike... :) Will explain more later. I love it!

*Love* that song. hehe!

I don't have any deep thoughts for my birthday... because, I swear that I will LOVE my birthday even when I am Over that hill! :) Birthday's have ALWAYS been a very big thing in our family, so I *love* to celebrate birthdays to the fullest! Each and EVERY one! Whether it's your first birthday or your 7th or your 35th or your 90th! Just *love* a birthday! :) I am having a great birthday so far. :) Today is a beautiful day here in North Carolina!! Not too hot, but PERFECT! :) It has rained a lot lately, so it smells *GREAT* outside! Like fresh plants, and clean air! :) I love it here! Love it love it love it! My parents are coming to take me to lunch today. YAY! They just got back from Europe last night, and they had a blast, but are so GLAD to be home! :) I am glad too! :) Missed them terribly!

Mother's Day was really nice! Just relaxed for the most part. Went to Old Navy and bought MYSELF some new clothes!! :) And, of course, CAN NOT go to Old Navy and not buy my girls some clothes, so we all made booty. :) Angelina is going to take me to get our nails and feet done, and I am SO excited about that! I will definitely be photographing that! Mike is going to take me to get my hair done! THANK YOU BABE! So in need of some primping! You have NO idea! :) We went to dinner, and just spent quality time together! Every Mother's Day, I realize how blessed I am to be a Mama! My kids are GREAT! This year was my first Mother's Day with 2 kids, and it was so special! :) Being a Mother is a very tough job, and every year it gets harder and harder, but it's all worth it and rewarding. I realized this year that I am doing the best that I can! I don't wonder anymore if I am a good Mother, because {I} know I am! Yes, I lose my patience, I get mad, I get frustrated, and I sometimes get annoyed, and tired of being clinged to, but you know what? When I look back, I am so grateful for all of those things! With none of those feelings, what kind of Mother am I, really? Having babies and older kids isn't all flowers and bubbles! It is HARD work! Sometimes you want to just go hide for a while, but you get through it! And, for all of those hard times you go through, it makes you a better person, and more importantly a better Mother! Being a Mother is a blessing! And, I love being one! :) OK, so those are my deep thoughts. haha! Here are some pictures of ME and my girls! Yes, you read that right! ME!!!

Zoe Kisses!!!

Laughing with my girls!

Oh how I *love* them!

Look at this card my *loving* husband got for me for Mother's Day! OK. Ummm, best husband award goes to Michael B. Benner!!! I cried!

::Love you Babe::

So, it was a good weekend, and so far a good Birthday!! :) Off to Michael's to spend gift certificates that I got from my parents and my grandparents!!! WOO HOO! Then off to OUTBACK for dinner! YUM YUM in my TUM TUM! OK, I am giddy with happiness and now leaving! Bye! ;o)

Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to quickly stop in and wish everyone a **Happy** Mother's Day!! Enjoy the day!! :) Oh, and tomorrow is {my} 26th *Birthday*!!! :) YAY!

.i heart may.

So, this month *Rocks*! :) And, of course for the obvious! It's my {birthday} month! Today is NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY!! It's *Mother's Day*, and it's Angelina's {birthday} month too! And, those are *only* a few things that are going on this month! :) Angelina is just like me, meaning, she can not wait to give me the presents she gets for me! :) So, I got my Mother's Day and Birthday presents from my {girls} last night! Check out *all* the scrapbooking lOvE I got!! WOOT! How fitting for today, huh? hehe!

Scrapbooker of the Year, HERE I COME!!! *haha*

Hopefully I will have time to scrapbook, between Mike going out of town next week, ballet class, ballet rehearsals, my birthday, Angelina's birthday, Angelina's b'day party, Angelina's ballet recital, Mother's Day, My birthday dinner with my parents, friends' birthday party next week, my grandpa's birthday in a few days, Angelina's last days of school, Angelina's graduation, end of school parties. and taking care of Zoe all at the same time... haha! :) Stressing just reading this!

As I think about the school year coming to a close, I can not believe that Angelina will be going to Kindergarten next year!! It's crazy thinking that she will be in *Elementary* school!! Wow! She is growing up SO fast! The only thing I will miss about Angelina in preschool... is Fridays.


Peace out! Be back on Monday!

*Me*, {Myself} and -i-

Reluctantly I am putting this picture of *MYSELF* on here! Not liking it, but many people have "subtly" poked me for answers as to why there are no pictures of {me} on here... I am my biggest critique! That is why, but I am going to "man" up and post a picture of myself from the other day. As usual, not a fan of the picture, but, I will get over it! *haha*

The Soundtrack of a 25 year old...

Yes, below is my Zune that I photographed... *hehe*... I am a total {Nerd}, but, The Zune *ROCKS*!!

OK, so my birthday is in a couple of weeks... May 14th to be exact, which has gotten me thinking about my life in the past year, and what I want to document, and remember. So, the first thing is, the soundtrack of my year 25. Meaning, the music that I have loved for an entire year. Not gotten sick of "them", but still to this very day *LOVE* listening to "them"... So, here goes... it's going to be LONG!!

Daughtry {My favorite} Loving: this, this, and this song, OK, so the whole album is great!! And just for fun. :)

*311* especially this, this, this, and this. Oh, and this. Yes, I do *love* 311. :)
Alana Davis {32 Flavors}
*Carrie Underwood* especially this, this, this and this, and this.
Evanescence. Loving this, this, and this!
Eve 6. These, these, these, these, and these are great songs!
The Fray!! Awesome, awesome, more awesome!
{Flicka Soundtrack}... liking this, this and this. This and this too!
Hinder... This, this and this... GREAT!
Incubus.... LIKE ALL! hehe! Too many to list... OK! Maybe a couple... this and this(memories with Summer come to mind. haha!), and this LOVE!
*Linkin Park* {Another Favorite... not only because I know the bass player...) Love: this, this, this, this, and this and this .... just to name a few. ;) Oh, and this has an AMAZING message! (New Song)
Maroon 5!!! Likin this song, this song, and this song.
Panic! at the disco ROCKS!!! Love this, this, this, and this ... there are more... just check out their whole album! It rocks! :)
Rascal Flatts... do I need to link videos? haha! Maybe just one... beginning is a tear jerker.
I ::LOVE:: Staind -- Especially this, this, this, and of course this! Staind is one of my *all* time favorites, so it's really hard to choose which song to share with everyone... Check Staind out, Aron Lewis is a FANTASTIC singer and a heart throb! haha! Love this band! {Will} go to his concert ONE day. :)
.Stone Sour. This band is *really* hard core, but he has 2 songs that I absolutely *love* that are -not- hard core... those songs are here and here.
Tim McGraw... nothing more needs to be said or linked... :) Tim McGraw is *awesome*!
Trapt::: Like this song, this one and {LOVE} this one.

OK, tag you're it! What is the current soundtrack of *your* life? :)

{Night}

Discontinuation...

I'm no longer going to be doing a miracle Monday post. I have run out of premature baby stories, and don't have the time to try and find a miraculous story to post. So, when I do see an amazing story, I will post it, but not on a set day.
And, Random Post Tuesday is staying... since my husband helps me a lot with that one (He is so *sweet*, and ALWAYS sends me links to random things) I will continue to be posting the Random Tuesday postings.
I hope everyone's Easter was blessed and full of *Joy*! :)

*Happy* Monday!!! :)

Missing my BIG Dog, Azlyn...

January 8th was a very sad day for me... I had to find my Big Dog, Azlyn a new home.
If any of you know me well enough... Azlyn was like a 3rd child. I had a love for that dog that I never had for any other animal. She was my pal, my listener, my friend, my protector. Now she is gone. To this day (almost a month later), I still cry about giving her up! I miss her so terribly! As I type this, my eyes fill up with tears! I can't stand that I can't see her everyday anymore. I miss waking up to her big face in my face. I miss the sound of "thunder" as she came down the stairs. I miss her great big kisses... some may not understand this or think I am crazy, but others may understand that the real bond between a person and their dog is priceless. I could never put in to words how sad I really am about loosing Azlyn, but this kinda sums it up. I mean, I am still filled with so much sadness over this. I wish everyday that the people that adopted her would call me and say they needed to bring her back. Is that bad? I miss her so much! However, I do know that the people that adopted her are great people, and they are taking great care of her. I really don't think that I could have found Azlyn a better home, so I am happy about that.
My golden retriever is now gone as well... no dogs? What will I do?!?! Having no dogs is so depressing! At times, this house is so terribly quiet it scares me. (yes, even with having a baby here.)
Sometimes I don't even know what to think! I miss her so terribly!! I didn't think that I was going to have this much trouble not having her. I thought it would only take a week or so. I guess it just goes to show that Azlyn held true to her loyalty... she was my best friend. As cheesy as it sounds, I could tell her anything, I could look ugly or be overweight, be mad, sad, happy. None of that mattered to her. I nurtured her back to health. I cared for her when nobody else in her past did. I loved her unconditionally as she did me. That dog was definitely wo"man's" best friend. She was mine.

Noob!

Hey! I am a noob to this blogging stuff. I was turned on to doing this by Suzanne McKay. Thanks, Suz! This can be a way for me to get my life's journaling out when I need to. Not to mention, I am an avid scrapbooker, so I can keep a computerized list of my life's happenings as they are actually happening and have an archive of feelings ready to release in my scrapbook.
I am pretty excited about this whole thing. Don't ask me why, but I am. I have some crafting things to get done for valentine's day, and while my little babe, Zoe is sleeping away, and my oldest, Angelina is asleep, I need to get some things done. I will post some pics of the hearts that I craft when I am done!

More soon!

Pregnancy

Well, I am feeling pretty good so far... I have had a couple of nausea moments, but nothing too bad. It makes me think that we are having another girl, because this is exactly how I felt with Angelina. A little nausea but nothing too terrible. Other than that, I feel great! The heat is hear, and I am miserable, but what else is new. I hate the heat and always have. But, being pregnant during the summer is a big time bummer.