Cupcakin

Pink Haired Momma is back in full swing wearing my homemaker apron and busting out some fabulous sweets to enlarge my families bootie! Take a look at my newest creation. Don't know if you remember, H4L was the greatest and got me the fabulous jumbo cupcake pan I have been lusting after but refused to buy myself for Christmas. I finally snagged a few moments of alone time, well really Baby DIVA was snugly tucked into her high chair, "directing", so semi-alone time to bake I suppose. My little Baby DIVA director opted for a strawberry top and vanilla bottom to our enormous cupcake. We gathered the ingredients and went to bakin'!

We mixed up some cake batter and poured into the pan and then shoved that bad boy in the oven.

45 minutes later we had this...


Baby DIVA required a brief slumber after we baked. She was exhausted from all her "directing". When she awoke, I presented her with this...

She was quite pleased with my decorating choices!

When H4L arrived home from work we presented him with this lovely treat!

I LOVE my jumbo cupcake pan. I can not wait to explore more options and possibilities with this cool little cooking tool. I am thinking a pinto bean cupcake with some homemade cinnamon ice cream may be next up on the list.

The NEW Domino's

You know I really do love cooking, really I do. But sometimes I am just about as lazy as they come. Some days I really just don't feel like strapping on my Pink Haired Momma homemaker apron and firing up the old elbows and making up some homemade goodies. I am only human you know, and a full time mom; even I need a day off now and again. On these fabulous days, H4L and I often can be found ordering some yummy and delicious PIZZA (one of our favorite foods, baby DIVA too).

We recently discovered that Domino's had made some "changes" to its pizza. Basically a complete face lift; so we thought we would give the old company a try. They were offering a cute little special of 2 mediums with 2 toppings each for a sweet little price, so pepperoni and mushroom for H4L and Canadian bacon and pineapple for me were quickly in route to our house.

**To read all about this face lift click HERE.***

Honestly, we couldn't really tell you what changes have been made to the pizza. It seemed delicious to me (of course my home made pizza is tons better, but we will just keep this out of the competition for now). The sauce was nice and tomatoey and a touch of sweet. The bread was baked to a nice firm yet smoosh consistency; and the toppings were flavorful and fresh. All in all I couldn't find a reason to not order from domino's again. Thumbs up guys!!

NOW!! Here is a really cool feature that I found fantastically fun. We ordered our lovely dinner online. Yes it is true I am one of those people. I hate calling and getting some 16 year old kid on the line who only half listens to me because she is texting her boyfriend about where the next meet up is and then my pizza arrives all wrong or she "huhs" me 50 times through the conversation. Drives me bonkers. So anytime I can order online, I do. Helps keep my sanity in check.

Well, I jumped onto the website and got my order rolling. Then this little timing red bar popped up on the screen. This little timer allowed me to see the moment my order was received and by whom. Then it continued to alert me as to when my order was in prep mode, was being put into the oven, was being checked by quality, and when it was boxed up and headed out with my speedy delivery man! All while noting who was doing the work and the time, to the minute. It was really cool. Yes H4L and I may find humor and entertainment in some strange locals, but we really enjoyed this fabulous feature. It was really entertaining watching what my pizza was up.

The pizza is pretty yummy. Watching your order online is fun and entertaining. The food arrives fairly quick. So I guess I am telling you go ahead and give the "new" domino's a try!



And let me just say Domino's did not recruit me to write a review for them. They did not give me money, pizza or the like. I simply experienced something cool out there in the world and wanted to share my true experience, thoughts, and opinions with you.

Freeze Clean

We are having quite the winter here in Texas. We have had snow a couple of times and several days in a row where temps stayed below freezing for more than a minute! This is just totally out of character for my hot and humid hometown. I am not sure what to think about this atypical behavior. Usually we light the fireplace and enjoying sitting and looking at the warm flames, but only for cosmetic purposes. We never use it as an actual source of heat. I usually admire winter coats and imagine what it might be like to be forced to wear these on a daily basis; I can even be found trying them on on occasion when I am shopping. Never would I have thought that my puny little "snow" coat would not quite be warm enough here in Texas to venture outside. When running an errand on this below freezing day, I bundled up Baby DIVA in multiple layers to keep her warm only to find she didn't fit in her car seat. Awesome! Even "Texas" car seats are not prepared for real winter weather.

So all this cold and all this being trapped inside where the warm of the heater and fireplace keeps me in line has invoked an inner demon. The cleaning demon! I say demon because this bully is kicking my butt! I have been furiously going through cabinets, drawers and closest. Boxes and bags galore. The entire house is getting a once over full clean out and re organization. All the furniture is being moved and re situated after a solid cleaning. All the closest, drawers, cabinets, boxes and bags are being organized and labeled. This cold weather is great for my house but not so great for me, I am exhausted!

But my home is looking rather swell, if I do say so myself!

Red Light

Have you ever noticed how becoming a parent changes your viewpoint on just about everything?

Take stop lights for instance. I recall a time when I used be that stupid loon that would floor it and "go for the gold", if you know what I mean. I would get all flustered and fussy and some choice words might escape my lips if a red light caught me in a long pause and ruined my cruise about the streets of town. Now these were the days of tube tops without back fat and having the sun roof open, radio blaring and letting the sun kiss my my perfectly tanned skin.

Now that I am a Pink Haired Momma with a huge SUV of a ride (that I commonly refer to as the toddler limo) and pasty white skin, I welcome red lights, for the most part, or rather at least when Baby DIVA is chilling out in the back seat. Red lights provide the perfect 90 second time frame to find that missing pacifier; To hunt down that tossed sippy cup; To spin my head around and make up an impromptu comedy routine complete with facials, hand gestures and scratchy fabulous singing to whatever happens to be on the radio (commercials included) that will invoke laughter out of my kiddo; To reach into the "goodie bag" and reveal a special entertaining new toy for the Babe! Ah!, yes red lights are now my friend. They are fabulous. They are 90 seconds of a car ride that are not full of Baby banter or screams that are inconsolable. Found pacifiers, sippys, toys and goofy momma dances provide 90 whole seconds of Baby laughter!

And I even find myself longing for an extra red light or two when I happen to be alone in the toddler limo. You see alone momma time is few and far between. I admit I find satisfaction when coming home from the grocery to have an extra 90 seconds of alone time to jam to the radio without having to turn around and provide comic relief to a screaming child. Now I just scratchy fabulous sing out loud to a comedy routine just for me! Who knew!

Wordless Wednesday

Baby DIVA playing at the park in winter!

Hunting Houses #1

I went and saw a house that I just absolutely adored on the Internet. In person, not so much. The Internet version of this house was fabulous. And the Internet version did let me know that the house was in need of some cosmetic TLC, so I was prepared. However, the Internet led me to believe that the house was spacious at over 2500 feet with 4 bedrooms and tons of living space and a great large backyard. In reality this is a dump. With tons and tons of cosmetic TLC that needs to be done, which we enjoy doing, however this was too much. And the fabulous tons of living space? Well I didn't see any. The walls that are just randomly in awkward places and it causes a breakdown of any flow and any precious living space. I felt like I was in a tiny fun house. UGH!!! Oh and there was no bathtub in the master bath! Bye Bye ugly house! If momma can not soak with a giant glass of wine at the end of the day it ain't gonna happen!

The one positive was a room off the master. It was connected by french doors and also had its own entry. It housed a closet. This would make a fabulous nursery and future office or sitting room, however the rest of the casa sucked a big one! Turns out that this house is a pre foreclosure, so the current owners pretty much destroyed it. Oh and talk about weird. The current owners are moved out, but happened to "stop by" while I was viewing the home to pick up some chopped wood they left in the garage. WEIRD. I know they are about to go in the forclosure and I am looking at their trashed house. EWW! Wonder if they felt as uncomfortable as I did. I took some pics and will share with you my devastating tour.

The front! Very pretty. Sorry so small mobile pic!


The weird walls that look cool but ruin the free flowing space feel!

Cool fireplace.

Backyard has potential to be fabulous.

Horrible. Needs much TLC. Would have been okay if the rest of the house was nice.

Needless to say our search is still on. I just wish that our perfect 4-5 bedroom 2 plus full baths (ummm with bathtubs) 2 car garage with a game room and big backyard would just plop into our lap ASAP, oh and that someone would offer to buy our house before we have even officially put it on the market! That would make my day! I guess until that happens I will just continue to get my house ready for market view and search the net for our dream house!

Mabel's Labels

Right before Christmas, Love to shop mom announced to the world that I was the winner of a fabulous giveaway over on her blog to Mabel's Labels. Mabel's Labels is a wonderful store that provide us parents with all sorts of labeling mechanisms for all those pieces and parts that travel with our children and frequently get lost.


I received an email very soon after winning the giveaway from Mabel's Labels . I was instructed to go over to their site and have a look at the mama cards. I could then maneuver about the mama card section and personalize my cards to how I want them to be. I was very excited about how easy it was to use the Mabel's Labels site and choice options. I quickly found the style of cards I wanted and entered the information I wanted to have printed on the cards. I went to my shopping cart and VOILA, Mama cards were on the way! Now whenever Baby DIVA and I are out and about I can simply hand a Mama Card to other Mommas and they will instantly have my name, whose mom I am, my email, my website, and my phone number. These cards are adorable and I have already passed out several!


When the cards arrived they came in a fabulous box that included a Mabel's Labels pen, information packet and samples of other types of labeling products that the store provides. H4L and I sat down and had a good look at the various products and will be placing an order very soon, so that Baby DIVA's items can stay Baby DIVA's!

The fabulous and cute box that my Mama Cards came in! I would show you my mama cards but all my personal information are on them. When I blacked out the information it ruined the look of the cards. Sorry! I love my readers but dont trust the net with my 411, you knopw what I mean. So Scout on over to Mabels Labels and have a look at the cards. They really are fabulous!

Birthday/New Years Recap

My perfect size Tiramisu Birthday Desert!

New Years Day aka My birthday. Each year is started off bittersweet. A fabulous new start but always a year older. This year was no exception. At the stroke of midnight I aged an entire year, from 30 to 31, but it wasn't so bad at all. I was in the arms of my beloved H4L and we kissed our sweet sleeping Baby DIVA and wished her Happy New Year as the minute passed and we watched me age and entire year. It was amazing though. A new year, a new decade, a new husband and a young Baby DIVA. Life really doesn't get any better than that!

I think she has had too many milk sippy's!


Baby DIVA, FEA BEA and me on New Years Day!


H4L and Baby DIVA on New Years Day!

We spent New Years Day dining on PF Changs with my family for lunch and enjoyed great conversation and drinks with H4L's family for dinner. In between family food festivities we strolled around in the gorgeous sunshine with a wee bit of cold slapping our skin, in the outdoor shopping centers and leisurely enjoyed each others company. I feel very blessed and very happy and must say I have a fabulous family of 3 as well as incredible extended family and in law family! It is nice and wonderful to spend the New Year and my birthday with those I love! H4L gave me a fabulous gift, the collectors edition of Sex and the City on DVD! Can you guess what I will be doing with my free time over the next few weeks? And so will he! heeheehee

My kid LOVES Calamari! Who would've thunk it?

*Free time is supposed to utilized by adorning my feet with sneakers and taking a little jaunt around the neighborhood, according to my resolutions. I am feeling butt planted to couch and eyes watching the SATC collector edition is more a reality!*

Elves at IKEA

The "Elves" of Christmas, AKA Grandma and Pink Haired Momma, have been out and about conquering all the after Christmas sales and have delivered, on schedule, some fabulousness to Baby DIVA. As well as starting the stockpile for birthday gifts throughout the year and Christmas 2010! Yep I am that good!

First stop: IKEA. Baby DIVA scored a $1 ice cream and even shared a little with mom, while the Elves scored a pink potty chair, new curtains for the playroom, STORAGE for the playroom because we all know those "Grandma Santa's" can get a tad carried away, and super awesome new bibs that even Baby DIVA can not remove! You see the last item here, bibs, are a fabulous find. Baby DIVA became quiet skilled at the removal of bibs oh about 2 days after we introduced solids. This left us with two options: eating naked, our favorite option, or ruining an outfit, our not so favorite option. Now we have these fab plastic shirt style bibs with food drop pockets. They fasten around the neck and Baby DIVA thinks she is super stylin', chills out in her high chair and doesn't have to eat NAKED!!!! LOVE IT!!!

The AWESOME food pocket!

Shirt Style Bib for Baby DIVA: Godsend!!

Baby DIVA was calmly introduced to her cute little Pink Potty. I was thinking several months of introducing would possibly result in a potty trained child come late summerish. Well with a splash of Elf magic dust Baby DIVA took a poopie in her potty during her initial introduction!!! Hallelujah!! Coincidence? Most likely! Will I brag like hell the next few days that my 13 month old is using her potty?!? You bet your ass! I have already called all my friends and family and told them all in a matter of fact I am the best momma voice ever, that Baby DIVA is using her potty!! Now what I don't share is we haven't used it since the initial poopie. A little side note I think I will keep to myself, oh and you of course!

The Famous Baby DIVA poopie potty!! At only 13 months! My child is AMAZING!!

I have been really working on Baby DIVA's playroom/bedroom. She really has so many entertaining devices, ie too many toys, but it is all good. I have thrown a twin mattress on the floor and covered it with an adorable duvet. I am hoping to teach Baby DIVA to nap on this mattress. Then maybe a toddler bed will grown around this fabulous mattress. Until the bed evolves, I wont have to worry about a tumble from Baby DIVA since the mattress rests nicely on her level. New curtains were hung in a cutesy yet fun print over the windows. A new storage system was put in place for little Baby DIVA. Keeps the clutter in place for mom but is just the right size for Baby DIVA to pull out her toys and destroy her clean playroom, in less than 20 seconds. News Years resolution number one for Baby DIVA: Learn to put toys away when done playing. I will keep you posted on how well that goes! LOL I also found a diamond in the rough wall shelf for 2 bucks at the our favorite thrift mart. I am in the process of painting it up all fabulous for Baby DIVA's wall and will gladly entertain your eyes with my homemade shelf eye candy up on its completion!

The new IKEA curtains that are fun, cutesy and even match my current wall colors but provide for more decorating style!

IKEA storage solutions and the fun new Duvet that we hope Baby DIVA will nap on!

This storage container is awesome. It is cheap, lightweight, Easy to build ( I did it ALL by myself with no tantrum throwing), and Baby DIVA friendly. I am thinking I will be giving these to future mommies at their showers from now on!

I am hoping that the cuteness of Baby DIVA's playroom/bedroom with intrigue her little mind and she will begin to enjoy playing and sleeping in her special place. With our house going on the market later this month, we need to remove the toy obstacle course from the house, as much fun as it is to hop and jump over Lego's and Ugly dolls, I am positive potential buyers would not be impressed.

Between Elf hunts, magic dust and crafty Pink Haired Momma, our house in turning into a almost ready to go to market picturesque setting with a closet hiding the beginnings of a stockpile of reduced price awesome gifts for all our favorite folks throughout the year! Go us!

*See I am getting wise ( but still fabulously fun and PINK) with my old age, of 24 hours at 31!*

Midnight brings on the "31"

Here we are. The last day of the year. I should be jumping for joy! A brand new year to start. A brand new decade to conquer! Yippee! But nope I am quite sad. You see, at the stroke of midnight I age an entire year! Just like that in a single instant I go from the fun, fiery, and fabulous age of 30 to the old and horrible age of 31. In a mere second of time, the year changes, the decade changes and I become 31 years old. WOWSERS! Seriously, I don't know why they are not reporting my change of age right along with the decade change of GMA! It is a big deal!!

Several years ago this would not have been a problem. A few bottles of wine and a couple steins of beer followed by a splash of champagne and a few buttery nipples, the drink, although the drink might not have been the only buttery nipple! HA! I would not have a care in the world as to what age I was turning. As long as the world stopped still at precisely two minutes into the New Year and toasted, sang, danced and swooned all over me and my wonderful day of birth! I am not kidding. I made EVERYONE stop celebrating their new year and put me on a pedestal. I did really. I had secret motives though. I learned rather early on that New Years Day was a day that folks stayed in bed or really close to the toilets. If I didn't get them to celebrate me at the stroke of my birth date, it wasn't gonna happen. PS I too stayed incredibly close to my friend toilet for many a new years days!

Now however, I am a momma, pink haired and almost 31, but I am a momma. I now am concerned about those ridiculous drunks who dare to take the road late at night and jeopardize my darling Baby DIVA. I find myself a tad grumpy at the misfits who are popping fireworks before the New Year past 10pm at night. The oldie is creeping in. Baby DIVA, H4L and myself plan to ring in the new Year family style. Adult Drinks, Yo Gabba Gabba, sippy's of milk and lots of love! To some it may seem boring. To parents it will touch the heart in that perfect place!

Lets take a moment to look back at the last decade of my birthdays...

21: millennium birthday. Yep I turned the big 21 on 1-1-2000. Don't recall too much. Pictures can not be posted. If you were there, shhhhhh! I do remember being asked multiple times if my ID was a fake. And getting really angry because I had the coolest bday EVER and no one believed me!

22: Disease reared its ugly head. Spent 22 at home but very sick. Teased the dr's about pouring Vodka straight into my central line!

23: dinner at papasitos followed by bar hopping with K-teach! I loved bar hopping with K-teach!

24: K-teach and I were up to no good, just don't remember what no good we were up to!

25: Trip to New Orleans with some great friends. Got bit by a police horse right after midnight. And made a friend fall out of her chair laughing...over the phone! Saw a cemetery with some voodoo stuff and drank in the oldest bar in New Orleans. Had a wonderful time!

26: My dear friend Jenn married her wonderful husband Jon on 12-31 and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding. It was beautiful and filled with fun, love and lots of champagne (in the cutest little pink cans with pink straws, i must have a zillion).

27: Vacay to San Antonio with some more fabulous friends. I can recall sitting on a piano and being instructed by some loud speaker to demonstrate my drinking skills with a bottle of bud light. I can also recall showing off some fabulous dancing skills to Grease, in my knee high stiletto silver sequin boots. (still got these bad boys, may need to bring them out for H4L). And I met a young lad with my same birth date. We shared a cocktail, age and birth date and nothing more. we bored of each other and off I went to stir up trouble.

28: CHICAGO: arrived at my aunts to find their home had been smothered in EVERYTHING PINK in honor of me and my birthday. I ate it up! Saw snow. Puked on front stoop in snow. Really wanted fried chicken but was in little Italy. Toilet was my friend.

29: CHICAGO: H4L and I were dating and took a little vacay to my aunts in Chicago. We wondered around learning about each other and the city of Chicago. Made my first snow angel and danced and kissed in the snow with my future husband! Great New Year.

30: 5 weeks post birth of Baby DIVA. At home with family and friends. Felt really fat and old. Hormones mixed with birthdays don't mix. Don't try it!

But now 31 is quickly approaching (like only hours away). I think it is gonna be ok. I fell quite spunky and young. Of course I am still pleasantly plump, but I mean I share with you the fabulousness I cook up in my kitchen, so it is to be expected. H4L thinks I am wonderful and so do I! I love my life, my daughter, my H4L and all of my friends and family. I find myself laughing and smiling more than ever. So if a new decade and a new age of 31 are to continue with lots of love and laughter then I have nothing to be afraid of. I say BRING IT!!!

I wish everyone a wonderful New Year! I hope many good, wonderful and fabulous things happen to you all in the upcoming new decade and the year of 2010. I leave you now at the close of my final 2009 post and hope you remember to stop and scream to the stars

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINK HAIRED MOMMA

at precisely 2 minutes past midnight! Don't forget now!

Happy New Year!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas morning: TONS of toys. Santa was fabulous to Baby DIVA. Mom and Dad are putting together GRANDMA gifts. But Baby DIVA's greatest enjoyment?

Finally capturing moms scrunchy! Go figure!

We are about to EXPLODE!!!

I am nuts.

You knew that. But seriously, I am thinking I am super dog crazy! H4L isn't too far behind me. Why? you may be asking. Well you see Santa was incredibly awesome and fabulous to Baby DIVA this year. And by Santa I am referring to not only Santa that came down my chimney but I am talking about the Santa that came down grandma's chimney too. So again Santa was fabulous to Miss Baby DIVA. I swear my house could explode right now and cover the entire state with cute little singing playskool people. Every inch of the house is now Baby DIVA area. Not kidding. I am moving my clothing to the garage now to make space for Baby DIVA toys. Okay so maybe its not that bad, but another holiday in this house and I might just have to pitch a tent in the backyard, if there is space there even, I mean there are outdoor toys too!! Oh and forget about a second baby. If i brought home a newborn he or she might just disappear behind that tub of toys over in the corner to never be seen again!

So all this rambling about cramped quarters between sponge bob and the bounce and spin zebra is just my little way of sharing some exciting and scary news with you! We are CRAZY and we are going to take a big step and put this first home of ours out there on the market for some other young family to enjoy; whilst we go and find us a ginormous monstrosity of a home to fit Baby DIVA's toys. Exciting!! I am thrilled to gain more space and possibly a Pink Haired Momma private space. Scary!!! Not looking forward to cleaning this giant toy box!

But we are moving forward with our plan. In fact this Thursday morning I will be viewing a house. Not only do we not have a buyer for our home, nor is our house even on the market yet, but I am just tickled and want to go ahead and get in the spirit! Maybe it will be a match! Who knows! Wish us luck! And stay tuned. This could get interesting!

Do you remember?

My dear Friend K-teach is expecting her first child. 2 months from now we will welcome little K-dude into the world. He is scheduled to make his grand entrance on 2-15-2010.

Well K-Teach is so not excited about his arrival date being an eternity of 2 whole months away. She waddles about, grumpy as hell, pissed off at the world, unable to sleep, unable to eat, unable to get comfortable, and just plain miserable. I find it downright hysterical, with an edge of sympathy of course. I too recall being the most miserable person on the face of the planet on about the same time in my pregnancy with Baby DIVA.


But I can not help smile and think about how I was so incredibly miserable then. I cussed the very thought of intimacy with my H4L. I loathed the idea of ever getting myself into that predicament again. I detested all the ooh's and ahh's and rubbing of my belly. Now I look at K-teach and I ooh and ahh. I touch her belly and tell baby K-dude I can not wait to meet him. I giggle as I hear her voice say the same loud and very opinionated notions about pregnancy that I too babbled just a little over a year ago.



"I am never having sex EVER again!"

"I am NEVER going to be pregnant again!"

"I am SO OVER it!"



I have said these three common statements and meant every syllable. K-Teach is very adamant about these three statements. I am sure you too have had these three simple statements rip from your mouth a time or two as well.


What really brings a smile to my face is no matter how miserable we are getting there, motherhood trumps everything. I would gladly be 8 months fluffy miserable pissing on myself angry hot swollen pregnant again because being a mother erases all those horrible aches, pains and thoughts. And yes I do remember people explaining this to me when I was pregnant and I personally thinking they had fallen off their rocker. In fact I recently was shot a look from K-teach that very much resembled a "you have fallen off your rocker" look when I tried to explain to K-teach that one day she would forget and probably want to do it all again.

Oh pregnancy. The joys and misery. I am here for you K-teach! Love ya and YOU CAN DO IT. And I promise not to tease you in the future when you "forget" this misery and get all preggo again!!

I am a ONE MINUTE WRITER winner!

I am totally shocked and honored to tell you about an award I won this last week. As you know, I enjoy writing. I periodically try and do writing exercises to aid in the development of my writing abilities. We all know I am not perfect, although i pretend to be, and really do like to try and improve my skills! I love the One Minute Writer . I often stop by and participate in the daily assignments that the One Minute Writer has to offer, as well as read through many other passionate writers comments. The comments provide a mecca of inspiration and entertainment.

Well yesterday, I was contacted by the one minute writer. I won the writer of the day for December 19, 2009! I was so shocked and excited. The assignment was to write about your day in 6 words. And what are those 6 words that brought me to such a fabulous award?

"Baby slept through the night, AGAIN!"

Ha Ha Ha, figures I would win a writing contest when I actually got some sleep! If you enjoy writing I suggest you check out this site. Everyday is full of new prompts and inspiration!

Laughing at Life: End of 2009

A few of you may recall many moons ago, when I used to provide a Monday morning giggle called Laughing at Life. I would entertain my fabulous readers with the torturous stories of just how dumb the general public was. My source: Callers that I dealt with during my stint as a customer service rep in the billing department of a cable company.

Well as 2009 comes to a close and we are down to the LAST Monday of the year, I felt the longing need to close the year with a final Laughing at Life for 2009. So please enjoy this last Laughing at Life of 2009 provided by the sick humor of Pink Haired Momma.

Enjoy and put a towel under your butt because you are gonna piss yourself!!!

Paid for Not Showing Up
Anthony Armatys is facing up to six years in prison for his dumb move. But he's not the only dummy in this story. Armatys accepted a job in 2002 with telecom equipment maker Avaya but then changed his mind before he started. He was already in the payroll system however, and the company started depositing his six-figure salary into his checking account.
For five years, Armatys did not notify Avaya of its error, but his attempt to make an early withdrawal from his 401(k) prompted an investigation that led to his arrest.
In October Armatys pleaded guilty to theft and was ordered to repay the $470,995.53 in compensation he received. He faces full sentencing in January. Source

Seriously! Some people!

Holiday Recap

So how did your Christmas holiday stack up? Was it everything you expected? More? Less? Any surprises?

Well our first Christmas as a married couple with the most beautiful Baby DIVA ever turned out fabulous and seemed to have been pulled off without a hitch. I cooked like a mad crazy elf all night Wednesday night and Thursday morning. In between spins on the kitchen aid mixer and bursts of heat from the opening of the oven, I whirled around the house with the vacuum and scrub brush. By 4pm Christmas Eve the house was sparkling, (my floors are white tile, who'd thunk it? SURPRISE) and filled with the aroma of freshly baked Pear bread, green bean casserole and kids full of Santa anticipation. Our Family and friends trickled in with an abundance of warmth and giggles and a few treasured boxes adorned in fabulous paper with that precious name of BABY DIVA sprinkled all over the great wrapping, and dined on some yummy foods and treats and Sweet Tea Vodka and a bit of Egg nog, tainted of course. Sweet Tea Vodka and tainted Nog, Man LIFE IS SWEET!!! Laughter and love radiated throughout our home. Baby DIVA entertained us all with her fabulous new speed walking skills and her alpha personality over the "big" kids. Exhausted and tipsy and sweating like a pig, I loved every second of our family togetherness.

The day of course whipped by in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it Baby DIVA was fussy pants and ready to take her FEA BEA and call it a night. An attempt to interest her in the Christmas tree and a few opening of gifts were attempted and squashed. She was DONE, and off she went to lala land, I assume because she knew SANTA was arriving with the quickness. With Baby DIVA lulabyed and tucked under her blanket snuggled up close to FEA BEA, the rest of us exchanged gifts. H4L presented me with the GIANT Cupcake pan I have been lusting after for some time, but refused to buy myself. Could it be that my butt was telling that pan to stay clear of the buggy while i strolled through target, possibly, because 1 large cupcake will end up on 1 large ass cheek of mine in no time. Nonetheless I am thrilled to pieces to finally have this fabulous Kitchen essential and as soon as someone gets in my kitchen and makes it sparkly and clean again after this Christmas event, I just might make a GIANT cupcake. And possibly share it with Baby DIVA and H4L.

Baby DIVA scored very nice this year with Santa and her fan club. Grandma's and Grandpa's galore provided her with a fabulous and lush Christmas collection. We definately need a new bbigger home to accomadate the "entertainment" collection we now have for Baby DIVA. Playroom needed STAT!!

Christmas morning found this Pink Haired Momma a tad bit exhausted and unable to make beautiful fantastic treats from the kitchen. A mug of Nog in hand and H4L and I relished in the thrill of Baby DIVA experiencing her first "real" Christmas. (Last year at 4 weeks old she could have cared less about her wrapped goodies) Baby DIVA took a moment to warm up and then she was OFF, tearing and ripping and looking to find what Santa and Grandma had brought for her to enjoy. **Beware sentimental thought coming** Being a parent and watching your child at Christmas is the most amazing feeling in the world. I have NEVER had such a wonderful Christmas as I had this year watching the happiness in my child. Breathtaking!

Christmas Day afternoon found the Pink Haired Momma clan loaded up in their new ride and cruising over to some more family Christmas time! With a brief hunt for an open store for a Red Bull stop of course!! One thing about parenthood that I learned this year is that all the assembly of goodies from Santa's visit, late after all your guests have left and then followed by an early morning wake-up isn't the greatest fun! This kind of exhaustion must be combated by more than a cup of coffee and Nog! This second day of family visits brought Pink Haired Momma and 3 of her brothers back under the same roof for the first time in many, many, many years. It is quite amazing what age and babies can do for a family! Baby DIVA even had the opportunity to take a ride on the same swing that I used to swing on when I was about her age. It was a priceless and beautiful day!!

So I am now off to enjoy the company of my happy family of 3. The kitchen will stay yucky, the laundry will not get folded and I am okay with that. I am totally digging the warm and happy family time in the Pink Haired Momma house!!! Oh and in just a few days, 6 to be exact, I will be advancing in age. Leaving the fabulous year of 30 and entering the scary year of 31. What a grand way to start out the New Year! Enjoy the rest of your holiday!