Party Girls!

This past Monday some girlfriends and I threw a small surprise party for a friend. Alycia and her family moved here from out of state last year and they are such a joy to be around!

So anywho...she totally tried to plan her own 80s themed birthday bash but we got a hold of her husband and took over that nonsense! Nobody is allowed to plan their own birthday party!

Do you think she was surprised?!?

Darla had her dinning room all decorated, made a yummy dinner AND baked a cake for the birthday girl!

Alycia's husband secretly packed a bag with her 80s getup and snuck it to our friend Ashlie. Alycia totally looked like something straight out of The Breakfast Club!!!
All of us girls
Happy Birthday Alycia!

We had such a good time and laughed so much! You girls bring so much joy to my life, love you bunches!

Bursting At The Seams!!!

No, I'm not speaking of my expanding waistline! I am talking about my heart! Today sitting at the kitchen table with Joe and the boys eating lunch I had a moment... I AM SO BLESSED!!! Not only does my husband still have a job but he gets to work from home. The boys adore their daddy and love having him here everyday! Speaking of my boys....oh how they melt my heart! They are funny, smart, healthy, ADORABLE... pretty darn perfect! To top it all off we are being blessed with another miracle. I know God has a plan and perfect timing for everything...it's just so hard to believe that I deserve all of this.

Thank you God! Thank you for picking me for this life! Thank you for giving me a husband that loves and adores me and two little boys that couldn't be any more perfect!

Just A Small Announcement...

Does Anyone want to take a guess at why I might be stocked up on these items for a while....?

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YES! The Russo home will be BLESSED with another little bundle of joy!

I haven't been to the doctor yet...but by our own "guesstimates" I am around 8 weeks PREGNANT! Joe and I weren't planning this but are so pleasantly surprised! We didn't think there was any possible way that we would be able to conceive without fertility drugs but God does still work miracles! We thank God for this miracle and pray for a happy and HEALTHY baby!

I can finally breathe!

I have been a busy lady and there are SO many reasons why I'm glad that August is OVER!

1- Mom diagnosed with Cervical Cancer
2- I turned the big 30 and the anxiety over it was enough to make me sick
3- Mom had surgery
4- Finding out who we can really depend on

5- Mom got the pathology report back and they were able to remove all cancerous cells! (PJ)
6- We had some concerns over Joe's job and now that is resolved
7- Mom was BACK in the hospital over complications from the original surgery

8- Worked a ton of orders
9- Joe and I took a weekend trip and Devin & Corbin didn't sleep thru the night after for 3 weeks

Hopefully a new month will bring a fresh view on everything! No more negative influences are allowed at The Russo Home! Only positive and uplifting is allowed! Pretty Please ; )

Corbin turns a year old this month and I have been a busy bee crafting away for the big celebration. Joe tells me I go overboard on it, but I enjoy it and it makes for great memories.

And the DAY AFTER Corbin's first birthday party I am pulling out ALL of the fall decorations.

I can't even believe it is that time of year again! Where did this past year go?!? I am looking forward to pumpkin patches, hayrides, leaves on the ground, trick or treating, Thanksgiving dinners...and then CHRISTMAS! ; )

This is what a broken toe looks like...

(the picture is a little blurry but you get the point)

Yes please, call me Grace! So... yesterday morning I had to run and get my address book out of the car, which is in the garage, and on my way back into the house I HIT my left pinkie toe on the vacuum cleaner in the laundry room... The room went black and I got all sweaty and hot and then the PAIN hit! Devin was running in circles around me asking "what's wrong mommy, what's wrong, did you hurt your foot, are you ok mommy...mommy mommy mommy?" I wanted to scream and cry and pass out all at the same time! But I didn't! I suffered in silence so I wouldn't freak out the kids and then crawled to the kitchen table and elevated my foot. I didn't even have to look at it to know that it was broken...

See...when I was in junior high I broke THE SAME toe! You know how when you were a teenager the telephone was your life. Day or night if you were expecting a call or not you RAN to the phone. So...this one day , way back then, I was in the "ladies room" doing "lady" business and the phone rang. So naturally my "business" came to an abrupt end and I managed to get my "underpants" up but my pants were still around my ankles as I went running for the phone in the next room. (maybe this wasn't so lady like) As I entered the room with the telephone I caught my little pinkie toe on the door jam and fell on my face...with my pants around my ankles, my "glory showin", IN PAIN and my little sister laughing HYSTERICALLY at me... I JUMPED up to get the phone and they HUNG UP!

So no, yesterday I didn't need to go the the doctor and have x-rays to know that indeed my poor little pinkie toe was broken and suffering yet again....after I made it to the kitchen table and had my foot elevated I was able to IM Joe, because I couldn't make it to the phone, at work and tell him to please leave work ASAP. Luckily I still had almost a full bottle of prescription Ibuprofen from when Corbin was born and that has helped with the pain but it doesn't solve how a SAHM gets around with a broken toe. Today we were so grateful that my mom was able to come out and help me with the boys! I am pretty confident that I will be able to get around better now that the swelling has gone down but it takes me a while.

I am definitely going to start wearing shoes in the house to protect my little toe!

Enjoy some pictures of my mom giving me a break by playing with the boys out back.

I Am Honored!

One of my VERY favorite blogs is featuring one of MY crafts today! Go check out the Tip Junkie HERE

Flashback Friday

Eleven years Ago... Oh to be young, tan and size 4 again...

(I am the one on the very right)

A Mother's Day Treat For Me ; )

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=S1GFMUXFmnWQc5ShZzXpajc2MTgw&referred_by=15604839-zr6NZUx

"I'm Awesome!!!!!"

(anyone see the SNL skit of Justin Timberlake making fun of Ashton Kutcher on PUNK'D?)

E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-O-N

BE PREPARED FOR A LONG POST!

AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY HERE

I don't think I can quite put into words how exhausted I am... Last week was a fun and very busy one. Last Monday was Devin's 3rd birthday and we spent the day playing and while Corbin was napping Devin helped mommy bake cupcakes.

He LOVES to help. He helps clean up toys, put his clothes in the hamper, clear off the table after lunch/dinner, throw trash away, help mommy and daddy with little brother, he tries his best to help daddy in the yard and garage...you get the idea, he loves to help!

Tuesday evening my parents came out to help Joe finish putting together Devin's playset in the backyard. (it was his birthday present from PePa & MeMa and Mommy & Daddy)

Friday Joe had the day off of work to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary but Devin had a doctor appointment that morning and then we spent the rest of the day running errands and preparing for Devin's birthday party on Saturday...needless to say after the week we had we didn't make it to church this morning...we spent ALL day in bed or on the couch.

I have sssooooooooooooooo many pictures to share so I will spread them out this week in different postings.

In today's posting I am going to post about My Love.

I can't believe we have already been married for 5 years! I guess time flies when you're havin fun. ; ) Joe and I met when we were 13 or 14. A childhood friend of mine, Josh, would bring Joe to church with his family now and then. I remember that first meeting...it was in the Family Life building of our church and I remember Joe being very quiet. I was always intrigued by this "quiet guy".

A year or so later my family moved to the same town as my friend Josh and him and Joe were the only two people I knew in this new school. The guys and I were a grade apart so I quickly made friends in my grade and we stayed acquaintances.

We "dated" for a few months and I broke up with him...after all I was an "older" woman that couldn't be tied down. ; ) We stayed friends but after high school we got back together and he proceeded to "pay me back" for breaking his heart in high school...but after 5 years of dating one day something changed in him and he was 500% committed to me and he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.

We were married less than a year later, the next year we bought our first home, the next year Devin was born

and now we have Corbin....

Life has thrown some wrenches at us here and there but it only makes our bond stronger. I look back at the day we got married and even after dating as long as we did we had noooooo idea what love really was. There is something about those wedding vows...when you really value those vows it just gets better and better. I love, adore and need Joe more now than I ever have. We may be two individuals but we are one.

And those sweet little boys we have....they are absolutely the icing on the cake!

Joe, I know I have told you this a thousand times but I thought I would put into "writing" for you. "You are never getting ride of me! I know a good thing when I see it!" LOVE YOU HUN! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Blessed Beyond Belief & So Unworthy

Sometimes my heart feels like it will burst... It is so amazing to me how you can love three people equally but in completely different ways... I love and ADORE these three amazing guys more than anything on this Earth!

I still think that God mistook me for someone else when he gave me this life...

I Gave Into The Sickness

So Joe and I gave in and got the Twilight movie and I LOVE it!!! I didn't want this movie to end like I didn't want the Sex and The City series to end! I totally get the hype over this movie. I am not at all into "vampire stuff", scary movies, bloody stuff, etc. so seeing that I haven't read the book saga yet I had no idea what I was getting myself into... The movie was so intoxicating. Watching the movie reminded me of teenage love, not the cheesy teenage love but it reminded me of how consuming teenage "love" is.

I can not wait to get the books and read them!!!!

P.S.-i am secretly in love with Edward ; )

I DON'T LIKE PRIVACY!

What is the point of a blog if nobody can see it?!?!? To appease my very protective husband there will be less personal information posted but I'm not going anywhere!

To answer the question "What Happened?". Nothing. There wasn't a creepy man lurking in my email box or a fanatical "follower". My husband has been asking, aka nagging, me to make the blog private since I started it and I finally caved in. (the cave in didn't last long...) I do appreciate all the kind emails making sure everything was ok and asking me not to leave bog land.

I love all of the wonderful ladies I have met out here in blog land and I don't want to lose that. For a stay at home mom making posts and reading other blogs is like standing around the water cooler at the office having small talk with other ADULTS. It is wonderful to have a place to share advice, ideas and of course I LOVE all the crafty stuff out there!

I have lots of new posts just waiting to be typed so stay tuned.

ATTENTION: Blog Readers

Beginning Monday, March 16th The Russo Corner is going "private". There has been some privacy concerns and since this blog is public for all to view...there is no privacy. If you would like to have access to The Russo Corner please "follow" this blog. (if you don't know how to "follow" a blog click HERE) Just in case please send me the URL to your blog along with your name to therussocorner@gmail.com and if I have to I will manually add your access.

Thanks!

Jessica

The Purse

Because of popular demand ; ) Here is the purse and this is the first time I have taken it out of the dust bag. It is the Black Leather Large Zoe bag. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (handbags are the greatest accessories!)

Look at all of the stuffing that was in it!

I love the buckles!

Isn't the inside so pretty!

Virtual Window Shopping

I LOVE Nordstrom's shoe department and since I am not the brave mother to go shopping with both my kids bymyself I will have to settle for a little "window shopping". Maybe I can talk my hubby into taking a detour on our date day on Saturday.... (kiss kiss hun)

Look at the gorg Juicy Couture 'Maxwell' Flats

Or these Biviel 'BV1505' Flats

What about these?!?!?! Me Too 'Garner' Flat in yellow snakeskin

I wish I had an office job just so I could wear these Modern Vintage 'Erica' Pump in brown!

I am in love with these Betsey Johnson 'Reese' Pump in Navy & Red!!!

This kate spade 'kelley' pump in camel is so versatile!

Well, until Saturday I will dream of them...and I WILL visit my two very very very FAVORITE places in the mall

7 Things

I followed in Melaine's lead over at My Sweet Savannah. What a neat little quiz.


7 Things I Want To Do Before I Die...
1. Travel cross country with Joe and our boys
2. Learn to crochet
3. Have more children
4. Be the best mother and wife that I can be!
5. Learn another language
6. Participate in the Komen 3 Day
7. Travel to Spain

7 Things I Can Do...
1. Drive a stick shift
2. Sew
3. Make people laugh
4. Bake a mean Italian Cream Cake!
5. Make a pb&j while feeding Corbin a bottle (takes talent!)
6. Water Ski
7. Have Tex-Mex everyday of the week!

7 Things I Can Not Do...
1. Deliberately be mean
2. Go camping!
3. Put up with excuses
4. Snow Ski
5. Speak another language
6. Ride a motorcycle
7. Yard Work (more like I won't do it)

7 Things That Attracted Me To My Hubby...
1. He loves my unconditionally
2. He is as wonderful as my Daddy
3. He isn't a moron...most of the time ; )
4. He works so hard to give us a good life
5. Treats me as an equal
6. He can fix anything!
7. He is my best friend!

7 Things I Say Most Often
1. I am so tired.
2. Juice or Milk?
3. Cut it out
4. Devin, say thank you.
5. Devin, say please.
6. Love you bunches
7. No way!?!

7 Celebrity Crushes -
1. David Boreanaz
2. John Corbett
3. Jason Lewis

My Favorite Things

I am participating in Thrifty Decor Chick's Favorite Things post today. This was a pretty easy one for me! (I am a woman who knows what I like!)

Arobonne is the best skincare EVER!!!!

YUMMY

I think we all know how much I love this store!

Best makeup ever!!!

My 3 Favorite People!!! I love my boys!

These next 3 things are my favorite worldly possessions:
My husband gave this to me on our wedding day. When we dated in high school he would meet me after class and would walk me to my locker... One day he met me in the hall and gave me a magazine cut out of a field of flowers and said "Look, I got you flowers". I kept this magazine cut out and 8 years later when we got married he had my mom dig thru my high school memory box and he had it blown up and framed. This is truly the most amazing gift I have ever been given.


This bible was given to me by my great-grandfather on the day that he performed my dedication service when I was a baby. Inside he wrote me a note and listed all the family members in attendance that day. This is my most priceless possesion and will be passed down to my children one day.


This is my favorite picture! It is me, my sister and our dad. I think I was about 5...super precious! (I was too lazy to scan it so I just took a pic of it)

I hope you enjoyed the list of my favorite things!

Welcome To The Tea Party

My husband and his buddies have this ongoing "joke", that I don't think is really that funny, that stay at home mothers have it easy.. That we get together while the husbands are hard at work and have tea parties.... Don't take it the wrong way, MY husband knows how much I do and makes a point to tell me that he appreciates what I do. However, I did feel like making a point in my posting today and share with you all how much fun I had at my "tea party" today using photos...

Look, I have my very own torture device that I get to use 5 times a day!!! Lucky me!

Devin doesn't seem to enjoy the toys that he has...he likes to play with Corbin's playmat and boxes...go figure! (that is AFTER he destroys his playroom)

"More juice mommy!!!!" "PLEASE NOW JUICE MOMMY!!!" The manners sometimes go out the door when Devin is thirsty...

Obviously Corbin doesn't speak yet but he sure does know how to communicate when he is hungry!

Time to get clean

Unload...

Sippy Cups & Bottles Oh My!

Nice and content in the living room...

...mommy goes to give Devin a bath...

...Corbin doesn't like Mommy leaving...

...thank goodness Devin was in a good mood!

Finally asleep

lots of laundry to take care of


time to unpack diapers...the best way to get them!!!


I thought I would spare everyone the pictures of actually changing a diaper

The book for today...

Devin decided to get comfy and snuggle up with a book

My chores are starting to pile up again for tomorrow...

Mommy's work is never done...

Too bad this thing can't empty itself...

So boys, this Sonic cup was as close as I have come to a Tea Party... Let me know when you would like to join the next one you are always welcome to join in.... ; )