Tuesday, September 28, 2010

I {Heart} Fall

I love this time of year!! The weather getting cooler, the hoodies come out, and the anticipation of Christmas starts like a little whisper in the wind...

I know, a little mushy from me, but this time of year brings it out of me!! LOL :)

I have to share my latest creation. That's the whole reason I set aside time to post!! HA!! :) I am so proud of myself!! It's the first wreath I've made that doesn't scream "First Timer" or "Hobby Crafter"!! LOL It's simple, not too overdone, and it has one of my favorite trends...MONOGRAMS!! :) LOVE IT!! :) I can hardly believe I made it!! :) LOL

OK, here are pics :)

Align Center





Since I haven't shared a whole lot from this past summer, let me give you a peek at what it looked like!! :)



Happy Fall, Ya'll!! :)

Monday, August 30, 2010

I'm So Random...

OK, I give up... You can read here to hear all about the last day of the cruise. Missy did a great job of recapping, and frankly, I've got a lot more things to blog about!! HA!! :)

Where to start? How about homeschooling? We've already started, more to get a feel for what kind of schedule will work best for us than anything. We're finishing up the reading book we started last year, and Abbey's just doing great!! I've got to say, it's a perk I never even thought of, but knowing that I taught her how to read is incredible!!

I've also found some great new homeschooling blogs, and I'm planning on doing a "links I've found" post soon to share all the exciting & creative ideas mommy bloggers are coming up with!! It's so much fun!! :)

This coming weekend is Labor Day, and of course, for us that means taking our annual trip to Somerset, KY. We went down about a week and a half ago for a funeral. A patriarch of our family, Great-Uncle Verrel, passed away from cancer. It was an honor to sing at his funeral along with my favorite voices to hear on the planet, my family. I hope that we offered comfort & peace to everyone grieving. His passing so close to reunion will make it VERY different "on the hill" this year. So many of my childhood memories exist because of his hospitality.

It was a good quick trip down & back, though. I really love hangin' with my family. I love the talking & the laughter & the sharing. They are such a blessing to me!!

We girl "cuzfrenz" went out the following night @ Cheesecake Factory... Oh, CF, how I love thee... Anyways, it was more of the same, giggling, talking, sharing, I just love my cuzfrenz. Yes, it is now a word.

I will be sharing links next time!! There are so many cool things happening in blogger-world...and I'm afraid that I'm passing on my addiction to others!! LOL Last weekend I was talking to my cuz Andrea & she was saying, "Thanks. I'm addicted to blogs, now, because of you." LOL I asked if she had her own blog, & she said, "No, I think it would stress me out!" LOL Just wait... She'll show up in my sidebar soon enough!! HA!! :)

Friday, July 02, 2010

The Adventures of Spray Painting

I admit I have not used spray paint much. I don't know much about it other than it's stinky & nice when you need it for graffiti... But, I have decided that I need to buy stock in a spray paint company, because the 'good stuff' ain't cheap & the cheap stuff is EXACTLY what graffiti artists use.

We went to Wal Mart last night because I wanted needed to get spray paint for the craft I mentioned yesterday. So, we went as a family (NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT TAKE KIDS TO WAL MART AFTER 8:30p.m. We were *that* family last night) because we needed to get more than just spray paint, I needed to get some other stuff for this weekend.

SO, off to WallyWorld we go... After the worst trip to WM I have ever taken with my kids, we left with no spray paint (I did get cake mix, though!! That was on the list!!) First of all, their selection STUNK!! I found ONE primer, and it was GRAY!! I needed, of course, NOT gray!! And, do you think they had any colors I needed? Either teal/turquoise & hot pink are VERY popular (& really, why shouldn't they be?!?!), or WM's selection was awful. Their prices on Rust Oleum or whatever was really good, though...

Today, I decided to take the kiddos to Hobby Lobby (they had, after all, gotten a great night sleep, right?!?!). Their spray paint prices were kinda painful...and the cute little bottles of spray paint were the EXACT colors I needed, but will only paint something the size of a thimble.

The kids were actually REALLY good @ Hobby Lobby, and I left there with baby cans of spray paint & a WHITE primer... (NOTE TO SELF: DON'T BUY IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE 40% OFF COUPON!!).

I laid out my drop cloth on the patio (you're welcome, Steve ;) I would find nothing wrong with turquoise & hot pink concrete, but I don't think he'd appreciate it!! HA!!), got my little treasures ready, already envisioning their metamorphosis into cuteness. Shook my primer...sprayed...and then there was.....NOTHING. The primer didn't come out of the can. So, I will be going back to Hobby Lobby, because I am NOT going to eat $5 for a can of paint.

Now, it's naptime, and both of my kiddos are asleep (Abbey is taking a self-initiated nap...I'm a little flustered!! HAHA!!), and my hour/hour & a half that was supposed to be spent spray painting? Gone... I'm kinda at a loss as to what to do, now!! Abbey might have the right idea!! HAHA :)

Thursday, July 01, 2010

We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Cruise Recap....

I just have to share something. I {heart} Joy's Hope blog!! Julie is an awesome person & very crafty!! Her 'boyfriends' have become MY boyfriends (sorry, Julie!! LOL), and she is just all around inspiring. And, in a blog world that is full of too-wordy posts blogs like mine, hers is refreshing in its simplicity. Plus, she has a pretty cool etsy shop...

Anywhoo... while reading Julie's blog, I came across THIS... so I have been stalking regularly checking out my local Dollar Tree, and guess what I'm gonna make?!?!?!



No, it's not catchup, Diet Vanilla from Sonic, or Abbey... but the TRAYS!! :) If you clicked on the link above, you can see what Julie did to these same components :) I'm hoping they turn out half as cool as hers!! LOL

OK, next time I'll give you the FINAL recap on our last night & the trip home from the cruise...although that one involves a lot of waiting & isn't quite as long...aren't you glad?!?!?! LOL

Love ya!! :)

Sunday, June 20, 2010

How Do You Know You're A Grown-Up?

When you start parenting your Mother!! LOL No, no, we're not talking retirement home or anything, but Chelle & I had to break out the "Mommy Look".....on our Mom. Weird.

Some of you who know my Mom get this. It's a weird story. My Mom is calm, cool & collected 99.9% of the time. When she freaks out, there is usually a very good reason and no other appropriate reaction BUT to freak out. It has to BIG. Monumental. We're talking natural disasters, terrorist attacks, major accidents, that sort of thing. We rarely see her FREAK.OUT.

As we were leaving the beach, and Chelle & I had gotten waylaid on our way from the beach to our shuttle bus because of the gift shops along the way. We were checking out & got wind that it was time to GO, the shuttles were leaving. So, thinking that our very calm cool and collected Mom was probably already on said bus, Chelle & I proceed to the bus, get a great seat considering the bus was packed & looked around. Mom was nowhere to be found. Then, we saw the rest of our Posse heading towards the buses & thought, "Oh, there she....wait, nope, she's not with them." So, we sit on the bus, our "wise" cousin Jodi sitting across the isle from me, and Chelle & I are going back & forth, "Maybe she thinks we're still in that gift shop. Maybe she's waiting on us. What should we do? Should we go back & get her? I don't know, they're telling us this is the last shuttle back to the dock. Should we just leave her to her own devices? Should we go back?" We look longingly at our wise cousin Jodi, just knowing that she will share with us a nugget of her vast wisdom... Uh, yeah, she shrugs and says, "I don't know what to tell you to do." LOL So, then we're really worrying.

There is a lady coordinating the bus trips back to the dock. I think her main goal is to get everyone on 2 buses so they can save gas on the 3rd bus. I didn't know that then, but looking back, this just makes business sense. We decided that we'd better go after Mom. Just in case she was waiting outside the shops thinking she was waiting on us... The Bus Lady says, "Whoa, whoa, why you getting off?"

We said, "We think our Mom is waiting for us, back there, and we don't want her to get left behind because of us..." We could see her processing this in her business math head. We could see the wheels turning, like, if I let these ladies off, am I going to have to send that third bus?" LOL But, the looks on our faces must've been enough, because she relented & let us off & said, "We'll wait for you & your mother for 5 minutes!" LOL

So, Chelle & I go back down the now deserted areas of the gift shops, and was our poor Mother standing outside, anxiously waiting for her daughters to be done haggling over the price of 2 mini guitars, maracas, and a blanket? Nooooooooo... she was haggling over a RING. She was buying a ring, and Chelle & I both gave her "The Look." She didn't even try to pretend she didn't know what was wrong!! She came out of the shop with her head down!! LOL

We went back to the bus station & watched the bus our cousins were on drive away, and the 3rd empty bus pulled up. Bus Lady says, "You get on this bus!" So, there was the 3 of us, and ONE other couple that rode back on that one lonely bus!! LOL The Bus Lady looked at Mom & shook her finger at her, "You!! You have beautiful daughters! Not every daughter would go after her Mom like that, and you have 2!" LOL So, that was nice :) LOL She got a lecture from the Principal!! LOL :)

Once we got back to the little hot spot back at the dock, we walked around & shopped a little more, then headed back to the ship so we could get ready for a REALLY late dinner & more dancing & karaoke!! :)

And, if you thought the little story above was filled with drama, just get ready for this next doozy!! LOL

We were in our cabin, Chelle had just taken a shower, I was IN the shower, and Mom was cleaning out her beach bag...over the side of our balcony...and while she was shaking the sand out of her bag, her wallet sailed down to the pier and made a little "plop" noise.

Remember the whole little paragraph above about how she never freaks out? Well...SHE.FREAKED.OUT. I've never seen her so frazzled!! LOL I was in the shower, not much I could do, Chelle was at least decent, so while Mom finally got calmed down enough to get a room steward to get ahold of SOMEBODY who could go down & retrieve her wallet, Chelle stands guard over the balcony to, I don't know, look at the wallet? But while she's out there, I hear her yell, "HEY!! That's OURS!!" Apparently, someone on the pier saw the wallet & walked over & picked it up. Chelle then saw Mom & some security officers walking the pier going towards where the wallet was. Once Chelle realized the man who picked it up wasn't stopping to give it to them she yells from the balcony, "MOM!! HE'S GOT IT!!"

I'm out of the shower at this point, and Chelle said that the guy turned around & gave them the wallet.

Mom's sign & sale card was in that wallet (or so we thought at the time), along with her credit card & ID. This all happened around 9p.m. & we were scheduled to leave port at 9:30!! So, there was a time crunch along with the wallet scare. And, evidently, her credit card flew out of the wallet & is now in the bottom of the ocean!!

Mom was DONE. I've never seen her like this. She did come down to watch us karaoke for a bit, but she didn't shower or change from her beach clothes. It was kinda surreal. She doesn't ever leave without makeup or having gotten dressed. But she was DONE. We ate at the Midnight buffet (which was really good) & talked & walked with the Cousins & Aunt Di & Joy & her cousin. It was so nice!! We hadn't all been together at one time like that until that night. Not without dancing & karaoke singing. It was nice to hang out together :) Great night for that :)

I'll have to share the last day of the cruise with you next time. Right now, I don't think I could type any more. I know these recaps are long, and it doesn't look like anyone's even reading them, but I am so thankful for a place to write this out & revisit these memories, if for no one else, than for myself!! :)

Til next time!! :)

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Cozumel, Mexico

WOW. It's beautiful. And, it's HOT. Now, mind you, I didn't venture off the beaten path in Mexico. It wasn't that kind of trip for me. Keep me in the pretty part that looks like a piece of Disney World. I did tend to tip our drivers a bit more there, though. I don't know why, because the touristy parts are gorgeous, and the beach? Think Kenny Chesney beautiful :) "Toes in the sand, a drink in my hand with no bottom...No shoes, no shirt, no problem..." When we walked from the pier our first sight was the Three Amigos Cantina...yes, from the movie!! LOL That is a family favorite, so we took lots of pictures there, but didn't get anything to drink. I hear they were servin' it up pretty strong!! LOL

My first impression was that the sun was literally boring down on me. I didn't have straps on my bathing suit, and my cover up was halter-style, so my shoulders were bare. Even though I had put on sunscreen before we left the ship, I was starting to worry that it might not be enough, and once we got to the beach, I did, actually, reapply liberally!! LOL

But, before we went to the beach, we perused the touristy gift shops. The buildings were very colorful, and there were palm trees...a very nice part of Mexico :)

Finally, we found our "guide" to the shuttle bus to the beach. Those guys were pretty funny & we had a great ride to the beach. They told us that the last bus back to the pier would be leaving at 6:45. Remember that, it is a clue for what's to come!! HAHA!! :)

The beach was awesome. The ocean, once we got in it, was beautiful. It wasn't a beach that you think of with waves crashing on the sand, it was more like a lake-ish. When we reached the part of the beach where the lounge chairs were, we got umbrellas & started ordering drinks!! HA!! :) It was an open bar included in the price of the excursion, so we took advantage of that & ordered things we normally wouldn't ;) LOL I learned that even though I don't like regular margaritas, I do enjoy a BLUE margarita :) Yum :) There was also a nice buffet lunch there, too. Not cruise ship quality, but it wasn't bad, either :) I believe the beach made up for a lot of the negatives!! HAHA :) They had blue rafts we could use in the ocean that were awesome!! :) It definitely made floating in the ocean more fun :) And, we used those mats when we were done as a lounge chair cushion. Delightful!! Just laying there, with the sound & sights of the ocean, the breeze, the pina colada, it was refreshing!!

But all good things have to come to an end. So, we decided to check out the shops before we made our way back to the shuttle buses. Funny side note... While I was washing the sand off my feet, a couple who had been to Karaoke the night or two before was there & the guy asked in a very thick New York accent, "Hey, you the girl who sang karaoke the other night?" I smiled & said I did. He says, "You were awesome! You should cut a rec-ud."!! LOL It was a struggle to not respond, "You know a guy?" LOL

Then, the co-parenting of my Mother started!! LOL But I think this is enough for one post!! LOL We can revisit Cozumel next time :)

Have I mentioned that I had a blast? I can't wait for the next cruise!! :)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Busy Spring!!

So, while I've been away, I have PLAYED HARD, now have a 2 year old, and am obsessed with cruise ships!! LOL

First of all, homeschooling is going great, even in the midst of our chaotic schedule. I hope to have Abbey tested before the summer is out!! HA!! :) By state law, we don't have to report to the school again until the day before the beginning of school, so I technically have lots of time, but of course, don't want it hanging over my head all summer. So, we still have some ground to cover, and I have learned a lot that will help us next year!! Yes, I said next year :) I'm feeling more confident, especially since she started READING :) I can not tell you how awesome a feeling it is to know that I have had such a major role in her learning to read!! It's amazing to watch her :)

OK, now let's talk about the PLAYING HARD :) LOL I went on an ALL GIRL'S CRUISE just a few short weeks ago!! I can't believe it's been two weeks!! Last weekend all I thought about was "This time last week..." It was an AMAZING time. Of course, there was nothing to compare to the company :) I am not exaggerating or over-dramatizing the fact that I have been so blessed to call my closest girlfriends my family. I absolutely realize how rare that is, but for whatever reason, I have been blessed!! :) Not only cousins, but the "Aunts" were fun, too!!

For those of you interested, or who went, here is a recap of all the fun!! :) If you're bored already, skip down!! LOL :)

Wednesday we met for pedicures & got matching flowers (for FREE) on our toes!! :) They are super cute, and I am going to be really bummed when it's time to re-paint my toes. Anyways, that was our pre-cruise get-together!! LOL :) It was so much fun, & the ladies that did our pedi's were fun!!

I had already said my goodbye's to my Hubby & kiddos before I left for the pedi. They were headed to Pennsylvania to spend the weekend with his family while I was gone. It was really weird, and kinda nice, to be home alone Wed. nite. Even if I didn't get to bed until 1a.m.!! I was packing & excited & getting my house somewhat straightened up because Steve was bringing his mom back with him for the week after I got back. More on that later.

We got up ridiculously early on Thursday morning (I got literally 2 hours of sleep before I had to be up & ready). But I was so excited anyway, it didn't really matter!! LOL I took some Bonine because I wasn't sure how I'd travel on a basically empty stomach, and I am SO GLAD I did. Our flight from Dayton to Detroit was pretty scary with some really bad turbulence. My Mom said that all she could think about was that there were an awful lot of people from the same family on that plane!! It was pretty scary, especially first thing in the morning. Although, the view from the window seat was beautiful. I got the side facing East, so I saw the sunrise in the clouds.

Detroit was BREAKFAST!! :) And, we had a pretty easy, kinda bumpy but NOTHING like Dayton to Detroit flight to Miami. Again, I scored a pretty awesome window seat & could see us fly down the East Coastline. SO beautiful!! :)

Then, after getting our bags, we followed all the people with signs that said "Carnival"!! :) We bussed over to the ship & when we got out, THERE. IT. WAS. Those ships are HONKEN. SO AWESOME :) We boarded, found Aunt Di, Missy & Jodi waiting on us, already drinking some pretty "drinks of the day." Found our room, freshened up just a bit, and we headed down to the lunch buffet.

By dinner Thurs. night, I was ready for another Bonine, because I was NOT feeling well. You can ABSOLUTELY feel the boat moving, and I wasn't really prepared for that. So, halfway through dinner, I had to go back up to the room to get some more med & by the time I got back down, I was ready for chocolate melting cake. There are no words to adequately describe that dessert. I am going through withdrawls. Although, Jodi has since found the recipe, but I'm not sure I want to try it, because I might decide it's not hard to make & make it A LOT. Delicious infinity. LOL

By the time we got to the karaoke lounge, I was feeling MUCH better & sang a song with the Cousins ("Cruise Chicks") & sang a solo. I was starting to think it was a bad idea cause Missy sang "Killing Me Softly" & a lot of people got into that one, and my choice was a pretty lesser known country song "I Try To Think About Elvis" by Patty Loveless, and it was fine!! LOL After I got done, it was kinda cute, because the man after me sang "Teddy Bear" BY Elvis :) LOL Fun. I {HEART} karaoke!! :)

I was DONE after karaoke that night, but the rest of the girls went to the live band lounge next door & discovered the best live band I've ever heard that didn't have smoke & lazers on the stage!! We went down the next night, and the last night. The night in between they were on the Lido deck & I guess the crowd was pretty wild.

Friday we went to Key West, FL. Think Yellow Springs meets the beach!! LOL :) Very cool & eclectic place. It would be neat to spend a lot of time on the historical side of things, but we stayed pretty close to the touristy parts. Some of the girls went to the Original Margaritaville, and had I realized it was there I'd probably tried to stop in, too. I do regret not trying some Key Lime pie. I know, weird that I didn't, right? LOL

Friday night was Formal Night, and that was SO MUCH FUN!! :) It's not everyday ya get to dress all sparkly & over the top, but it was awesome :) It was also a GREAT night to people-watch. There were some pretty cool dresses. I also tried lobster tail for the first time!! :) Delish!! :) I don't know if it was the lobster or the butter I liked the best!! HA!! :)

And, guess what I had for dessert? LOL :)

Saturday was a day at Cozumel, Mexico. I have never been outside of the US, so that was neat. It didn't really feel different from the states because we didn't go off on our own, again, we stayed pretty much in the touristy areas. BEAUTIFUL, btw. The water is really pretty there. We went to Playa Mia beach as our excursion that day, and it was pretty neat. It wasn't a "waves crashing on the beach" kind of beach, it was more like a little lake, but it was neat to see straight to the bottom, usually, in the water. It was kinda cloudy, so it probably wasn't even as clear as normal. That was where we just laid on the beach & chilled...well, we were sweating, but you know what I mean!! LOL The sand was white, the sun was hotter than I have ever experienced, and it was most likely a blessing the clouds were around that day, or I would've roasted!! LOL

OK, since this is really long, I'm gonna have to do this in two parts, so I'll leave you there, with that beautiful picture of Mexico as I say goodnight :)

Til next time :)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Sharing What's on My Heart Today



This past weekend was so powerful for me... Actually, any time I get to spend with my ultra-wise cousins leaves an impression, but this weekend touched me beyond comprehension, and I am still processing, really.

The subject of our Grandpa & family history came up, and where I don't want to over-share (hehe, I know, that line is often blurred here!! HAHA), I will say, God's hand on our family's lives is so evident. Where tragedy and desperation could've been the outcome, God changed our lives forever, literally, eternally...by a girl inviting my Aunt to church after she met Jesus...it has changed the course of our history.

I am so in awe right now. I love Him. I do.

Yesterday at church, I couldn't keep it in. Every song that we sang in worship time, just affirmed the fact to me, just made the Truth that much sweeter, and I shared, as condensed, yet as clearly as I could, like someone who was ready to explode!! LOL

During our "meet & greet" time I shared with my Share Group Sister, and she said, "You have to share that today. I'm serious!" I wasn't convinced, but couldn't shake it, either. After I butted in (haha), another worship singer said, "That is answer to prayer, I just prayed for a testimony to happen," it was like God saying to my heart, "Girl, you did good." LOL :) Refreshing to my soul :) The whole weekend.

And, even as I'm home, back to the "real world" of "real life" I am being constantly reminded that He's in control, that I don't have to be, and that I have an awesome God, Father, Friend to run to, to come to my rescue, in the most real sense of the word superhero.

Speaking of real life, mine is calling, now :) hehe Talk to you all later :)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Top 10

I have fallen in love with crafting/mommy blogs, and they've inspired me & helped me realize that it is possible to craft even with little ones around & curious as to what Mommy's doing :).

Here is a list of the top 10 things I've been inspired to tackle... Almost like you've taken an art class and can't wait to get home to use what you've learned on projects of your own.

1. Teal. Turquoise. Aqua. Whatever you call it. IT. IS. AWESOME.

2. It started with Design Dazzle and the pom-pom tutorial. I am still diggin the pom-pom & will have pics of the next place they'll show up :) (hint: there's a baby shower this weekend...okay, that was pretty much a give-away).

3. Re-purposing. Recycling made cool. I can't wait to tackle some of my furniture deemed otherwise useless... And, I am so dreaming of a belt sander...and a nail gun...

4. Photography. I LOVE pretty pictures, and would love to take pics of my kiddos like that, without paying through the nose to get em. Not that I don't appreciate the value of a great photographer, it's just not in our budget to pay for a great photographer. I would love to take a class or two & learn about using an SLR camera (or whatever the step down from an SLR would be).

5. I have FINALLY tackled the metal "barn" star that I bought for Eli's wall, um, before he was born... Infarrently Creative inspired me, and I decided to just do it for heaven's sake. I used antiquing medium by Plaid, after I painted it, um, teal...same paint as the necklaces... Anyways, I thought it was too dark after I used the antiquing stuff, so I went back over the middles with more paint, and wiped it off, so it brightened it up without looking painted in the lines. It's now moved from the kitchen table to Eli's room :) I guess that would've made a better picture than the one sporting leftover birthday party fish & Lysol wipes...



6. I'm not gonna lie... The thought of sewing makes me break out into a cold sweat. I have nightmares of the home ec project I labored through... I had to make a skirt. Long story short, bobbins are my enemy. Anyways, I did eventually finish the skirt...and a couple Christmases ago, I got this for Christmas, mainly for scrapbooking, where straight lines look weird and crazy stitches are cool. But, I digress... Remember the tulle? I am going to try & attempt to SEW something... If it goes well, I'm thinking curtains, next... But let's see how the tulle goes...

7. I want to use Teal Rit. Yes, they make AQUA Rit, and Julie from Joy's Hope Handmade rocks the Rit... and everything teal, really :) Check THIS and THIS out...

8. I want to cover everything with pretty paper :) I. Mean. Everything. I almost put paper on the star, but I didn't like it, and liked the distressed blue better... But I will cover something up with that paper. Maybe make some kind of wall art or something...

9. Do more crafting with my kiddos. Make & Takes has great ideas, and they pride themselves on keeping the cost low...HELLO, yes, please!! Abbey LOVES to craft, so it's great for us to do together, and she's not drawing on my walls...

10. I'm seriously thinking about opening an Etsy shop... but just thinking. I would love to be able to turn my crafts into something that would help pay off some bills. Or take us on vacation. Again, we'll see...

Wait, did I mention teal? Haha :)

So, there's my top ten things of what I'm loving, and what I'm being inspired to do!! I know not all of you are crafters, per se, but surely something or someone has inspired you lately in some area of your life, and I'd love to know about it!! :)

Monday, March 08, 2010

Not Me Monday

MckMama is on a trip to Kenya, and she is showing some really awesome photos & some heartbreaking & yet hopeful tidbits from their journey. And, I believe she has put a hold on Not Me Monday, so I will post this, then when she resumes NMM, I will link back to this post :). I'm just excited to join in...I've never been a part of a blog carnival :)

I certainly did not set my almost completely dead cell phone on the couch Tuesday, only to never see it again... I have not been looking for it ever since. And, when I searched under the couch & found TOYS, CRUMBS, AND WHO-KNOWS-WHAT-ELSE, I most certainly did not look at those things with a blind eye & return the cushions right back where they were... Cause we all know I would never do that!!

What have YOU not been doing? hehehehe

Friday, March 05, 2010

Alright, I'm IN!!



I found Living with Lindsey's blog yesterday through Googiemomma's blog...I know, I'm like a blog junkie now...

ANYWAYS, I thought I would give it a shot. You can check out the rules here if you'd like to jump in, too. The deadline is March 25th (to be linked up at her blog).

Basically (and this is my interpretation of the rules, not the official rules), you have $5 (excluding tax) to spend at the dollar store (examples: Dollar Tree, Deals, Everything's a $1, etc...). Then you re-make it into something fabulous for Spring. You are allowed to use already-owned items (WHEW!! I can maybe break out those stamps I bought yesterday?!?!), take a pic of your completely fabulous re-make, blog about it, then link up with McLinky @ Lindsey's site.

There will be preliminary judging, then the Top 5 will be up for the Reader Vote. And, yes, there is a prize...but she hasn't shared, yet...just that it's fabulous!!

So, are you in?

Thursday, March 04, 2010

JoAnn Fabrics ROCKS!! :)

Steve called me today around 11ish asking, "Are you dressed yet?"

I was slightly offended curious, so I said..."Yes, and my make-up's on..." Quesion mark implied.

"Well, how would you like to take me to lunch today?" he says in his cheeky way.

"OK, what's the occasion?" I ask, still waiting for the punch line...and it came!!

"Well, it seems I've locked myself out of my car!"

So, racing to get the kiddos dressed & ready {even though they really both needed baths...}, we took Steve to lunch...sort of. He had to be at a meeting at 1p.m., so he ordered, paid, and had to leave...

And we ate, then went to the library where Abbey played on the computer (she asked for help to get on the computer while Eli & I went to the restroom...), Eli kinda whined the whole time {read: sleepy}.

But, did I end our day-trip out at the Library? OH NO!! :) We walked down to JoAnn Fabrics, and WOW, am I ever glad we did!! :) Look what I got out of there with!! :)



I will be doing something with this tulle...and, the hearts are just on a tablecloth underneath the tulle...it's still Valentine's Day here ;) What I do with the tulle will remain a mystery until I get my project done...no use getting your hopes up in case it turns out awful!! hehehe



This is a WHOLE little chipboard album kit that was cLeArEnCeD for 2.97!!



I know, blurry picture, but SUPER CUTE embellishments :) $0.97!!



A nice-sized sticker booklet, again, $0.97!!



And, these are my FAVORITES!! :) Clear stamps, REGULAR SIZED {meaning these aren't mini's} for $2.97 each!! I was so excited!! :)

Eli was a trooper at first, but then he started the pitiful whining that just annoys everyone, so I finally said, "OK, we're DONE." and paid & left...probably missing the sigh of relief that I'm sure followed our exit!! hehe

Little guy was asleep in his car seat before we left the parking lot...so naturally I had to swing through Sonic for a Rt. 44 Diet Vanilla Coke during Happy Hour, right?

Ahhhhh....Love me some Diet Vanilla :)

So, while I sip on my diet coke, I will leave you with a question or 2... What would you do with the goodies I stole was blessed to find? And, are the strikeouts annoying, or funny? LOL :) Don't answer that if it's annoying!! :)

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Invisible Mother......

I know I don't normally post twice in a day, but this goes along with what
I've been thinking on lately. So, I had to share!! And, if you've read my
"Diet" blog lately, pay attention to the VERY LAST SENTENCE!! :)

*********************************************************

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the
way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and
ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor,
or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at
all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom . Some days I am only a pair of hands,
nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What
number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30,
please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude -
but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England ..

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on
and on about the hotel she stayed in.

I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so
well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription:

'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are
building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after
which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of
their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see
finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of
God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny
bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are
you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied,
'Because God sees'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the
sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act
of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've
baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a
great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a
disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the
antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As
one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see
finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could
ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend
he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4
in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a
turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That
would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him
to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his
friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're
doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at
what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world
by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!
Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes
does..

We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of
our perseverance.

Meet My Inner Brat...Holly.

I was musing this morning while brushing my teeth (you know you do it, too...I usually do it in the shower, but I haven't gotten that far, yet...). I was doing my Flylady Swish n' Swipe & got to thinking about my perfectionism. I have recently "met" or "acknowledged" my inner brat, Holly. (To get to know/name your inner brat, go here.) Holly is the little girl inside me who whines & talks me out of doing what I *usually* know I should do. I was thinking today that she not only affects my home's cleanliness, she affects EVERYTHING about me.

The thing is, Pam Young from "The Brat Factor" (among other things :)) is ABSOLUTELY right. I won't do it if it isn't fun. That's her motto. Once we acknowledge our inner brat, that's when the work begins. Because we have to reason with them. Sometimes out loud.

I realize that most of you who read my blog are BO (no, not body odor, Born Organized!! LOL). I know this because I've read your blogs & have even been to your house, so I know!! LOL I am not. Hence the whole Flylady thing...and making it fun!! :)

It's not about being lazy, necessarily... it's about preferring to do *ahem* crafting of some sort over emptying the dishwasher...or mop the floors...or de-cluttering my dresser drawers... Not that I would do that!! Hehehe, those would all be a good for MckMama's "Not Me! Mondays." More to follow with that, most definitely!! LOL :)

So, I'm in the process of LEARNING how to get along with my inner brat {Holly}, and to stand up to her!! LOL The whole premise behind "finding your inner brat" is laughing at ourselves & gaining perspective. In a very fun & unique way!! LOL

And, yes, there are more links in this one post than there is on my sidebar...j/k...only half :) LOL

Saturday, February 20, 2010

SUCCESS!!



Here are the party girls all ready for bed!! :)




And here they are eating Krispe Kremes this morning!! Is there anything better? Really?



Here's the pic "under the waves" in the living room...there are a few fish hanging, but I'm not sure they show up real well...



My Mom did an AWESOME job on the cake!! :)




Princess of the Waves. I wanted to make a round sign, but it just didn't happen...this was MUCH quicker & easier...and it got the point across :)



I moved the pom-poms from the corners of the table to *kind of* parallel to the table...that might not make sense how I just said it, but I made 'em in a straight line instead of on each end...



Pretty Princesses!! :) It was SO worth it!! :)

Happy Birthday, Abbey May!! :)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Feelin' Crafty

We are FINALLY having Abbey's 6th Birthday Slumber Party this Friday night (and, depending on when you read this, that means tomorrow!! HA!!). We've had to postpone it for 2 weeks because of snow, illness, snow, illness, snow, and, oh yeah, illness. SO this is the weekend!!

Now, my house isn't completely ready, but I thought I'd share with you just a sneak peek of the transformation that's been going on here for, um, 2 weeks!! LOL



You can find directions for making these pom-poms here.



Please forgive the feather duster...we are in the middle of participating in Flylady's Winter Olympics, and that is our "torch." But you get the idea!! :) That is the wall behind our dinner/school/crafting table in the kitchen. I had originally thought to just let the table cloths hang, but then I had a revelation!! LOL Why not pucker or gather the table cloth to make it more interesting. Abbey loves it!! I also decided to add fish, and not get too into perfectionism. I just cut an obviously basic fish shape out of cute scrapbooking paper, and inked the edges (that's my thing...I LOVE inking ANYTHING!!). But, I have to say, my friend Hazel suggested the fish. She had her son a Spongebob party & had streamers on her walls (like waves) with die cut fish tucked in!! CUTE :)



Just a close-up. I promise it looks neater in person!! HA!! :)



This is one of my favorite ideas for the party. I first saw this idea @ The CrEaTiVe CraTe, who first saw it at Mod Podge Rocks!! LOL Totally cool blogs, and to my Brain Twin Jodi, you will get addicted. I kinda put my own flair to it, though. I added the tag that already had a ring (so I didn't have to buy jump rings in the jewelry department...but I might at a later date when I make 'em for gifts). I am also LOVING this teal paint I bought at Hobby Lobby!!



Finished projects...didn't turn out too bad, huh? I'm loving the polka dots!! And, I am happy whenever I can cross scrapbooking with anything else!! LOL The plan for the jewelry, btw, is to have the girls add self-adhesive rhinestones to them after each game/activity we do. So they'll all have something to wear that's the same...and girls are into that at this age, ya know?



And, what party wouldn't be complete without a treat bag? These are buckets I got at Target for $1 each, are filled with stuff I've been collecting since right after Christmas, and since there were only 4 other girls, I might've stepped up the ante on what's inside!! LOL But each bag was under $5 to make & fill, so that's still not bad, right? I wouldn't do it for a party of more than that, but you know what I mean. I carried out the monogrammed theme with the buckets, too. Did you notice? LOL

I know, there is something seriously wrong with me, right? I've just been needing an excuse to get crafty, especially after I've found all those fabulous crafting/scrapping/diy blogs!! I might be becoming a blog stalker!! LOL

Love ya!! Gotta get back & finish up...oh, yeah, and get the rest of the house ready!! hehehe

Wednesday, February 10, 2010



OK, so I'm cheating a little bit...this isn't exactly the pictoral post I promised, but there IS a picture!! LOL :)

AIRFARE IS BOOKED!! And, we're on the same plane as Aunt Di, Missy & Jodi!! :) HOW FUN!! I don't know about Aunt B & Jeanna & Mandie, but I hope they get on this same flight, too!! Won't we be obnoxious!! LOL At 5:30a.m. no less!! LOL ;) Pray for the other passengers...LOL

I AM SO EXCITED!! :)

Now, to get that passport...

Things have been interesting here the last week or so... It's definitely been an adventure, with snow, croup, fevers, coughs, throw-up, you name it, we've had it here this week... Complete with a trip to Urgent Care, transport to the hospital (no sirens), and an overnight stay @ Children's...

It started last Friday night...actually, before that, but that's when the "barking seal" cough started...We had decided to postpone Abbey's Birthday slumber party because of snow...well, that night, she came down with a fever, and was pretty sick-eyed (Mom's know what that mean!! LOL). Anyway, Eli started to cough that night, AND stayed up the WHOLE NIGHT...we didn't officially get to bed until 4:30a.m. When we got up the next day, he sounded worse, and according to our pediatrician's nurse, was wheezing, struggling to breath...SO, Steve took the little guy to see Dr. Matt.

Dr. Matt said it was croup (really bad croup), and gave him a steroid shot to help open up his airway, to make breathing better, told us to keep up with the cold air/cool mist humidifier, etc...

Sunday was worse...

I called the dr. on call & she said she would take him in to be seen at either Children's ER or Children's Urgent Care. For reasons that made sense at the time, we went to Children's Urgent Care. When we got there, there was a 2 1/2 to 3 hour wait...

They called us up to check us in (you know, the preliminary paperwork stuff), and the receptionist, after hearing Eli struggling, asked the nurse to listen to him real quick "before she took anyone else back."

That's when I got nervous...

The nurse then said, "Yeah, we need to bump him up the list."

That's when I got REALLY nervous...

We were the next to be called back.

If you have ever been to an Urgent Care/ER, you know that they tend to move slowly, so we prepared ourselves to settle in after the nurse took all of Eli's vitals...

But that didn't happen. The Dr. came in because she said she could hear Eli breathing down the hall. What she said was that they were going to give him another dose (orally) of the steroid, and a breathing treatment. And, because of the steroid & breathing treatment, he would have to at least be observed overnight at Children's Hospital, but that the ER would make that call officially.

SO, after the breathing treatment & forcing medicine down Eli's throat (I have never seen that boy more upset!!), he immediately started sounding better. So, Eli & I rode to Children's hospital in the transport (yes, an ambulance, but they didn't turn on the sirens), gave him his favorite thing on earth (a green soothie paci...the kind that smells like vanilla), and he drifted off to sleep on the ride over there.

We got to the ER, and they were really nice, and acted quickly. He had another breathing treatment (went MUCH better than the 1st one because he had that green "B" :)), and even started acting more like himself. Steve had gone home to get him some PJ's & some diapers (it didn't dawn on us that we were in a Children's hospital, of COURSE they have diapers there!! HAHA, and the name brand kind!! haha

We saw Peyton lose the Super Bowl...bummer...but, WOW, that Saints guy who intercepted that throw? What a smart play!! Gotta give 'em kudos for that ;) Not that I care that much for football, but Steve immediately changed channels when he walked into the room!! LOL

They moved us to a room in the "Almost Home" ward, so that they could watch Eli overnight & make sure that all the meds/breathing treatments were doing what they were supposed to, and in case he had a relapse, they could take care of him.

Sleeping in a hospital is not restful...but I did have peace of mind that if something were to go terribly wrong, we were in the right place.

He did great overnight, and by morning sounded so much better. All the drs kept telling me that it looked like he would get to go home "today." Which is their way of not committing to a time!! LOL He ate breakfast & lunch there, then we got to go home!!

Abbey had her own little adventure during this whole time. She got to stay the night at Mammy & Papa's house while we stayed at the hospital. Mom told me that Abbey asked her at one point, "Why do you keep calling my Mommy?" and Mom told her that she just was worried about Eli & wanted to check to see how he was doing. She asked Abbey, "Aren't you a little worried about Eli?" Abbey's answer broke my heart when I heard it, "Yeah, I don't want him to die."

*sniff sniff* *bawl*

She got shuffled around a lot on Monday because of work schedules & Mom had to go out of town for the night, etc... So I didn't get to see her until late Monday night.

He's been doing somewhat better the last couple of days. He has been fighting a fever today (103.6, down to 100.3 after Motrin & a tepid bath per the pediatrician's nurse's directions). They said that getting a fever was normal when fighting a virus like he has, so not to worry...

But of course, I do...

He's on the upside of this, now, though.

Well, I'd better go. We're postponing {again} Abbey's Under the Sea slumber party, because I feel like we need a whole weekend to just get over this stuff...and rest!! lol

SO, that's what's been going on here...Did I mention I'm going on a cruise?!?! That makes being snowed in a little bit more bearable :)

Talk to you all later :)

Love ya!! :)

Friday, January 29, 2010

Creative Juices are Flowing...

OK, I have, since I found Design Dazzle, discovered an amazing array of Crafting Blogs. WOWZA!! I am in Creativity Heaven!! I am LOVING all the ideas & how they are making me look at the spaces in my house differently. I am loving seeing women (mostly) taking old things & making them unbelievably new & beautiful!! From Mod Podge, to "Roadkill" finds (I love that term that Beckie @ Infarrantly Creative uses), from party to home decor...I am just LOVING it!!

I believe in my last post, I listed Abbey's room. I have been really thinking about it. I don't want to go too shabby, but I don't want to go too cutesy/character, either. SO, I have some ideas that I think she will love, and won't hopefully, break the bank.

I told her that this year, her Birthday present would be a new room, if she wanted. Well, a newly decorated room. She lit up like a firecracker!! She was so excited!! LOL Nothing to worry about!! HA!! She needs a new chest of drawers, where the drawers actually work. I love the look of her armoire, but the drawers have never really worked right, and they don't pull out smoothly, or push smoothly, either. One of the bottoms has cracked in two, and one drawer has just completely fallen apart. Now, I am sure that if I thought hard enough, I could come up with something, some other use for it, and, actually, something just came to mind...BUT, even if I could use it for her toys or something, she needs a place to put her clothes...

SO. A $40 4-drawer chest is better than a 3 drawer armoire (which I love, btw, don't get me wrong. It's so pretty). So, she's getting one for her Birthday... I told her I would paint her room this spring. ALSO, she needs a quilt/comforter set for her bed. That drives me crazy that she doesn't have one. It's hard to decorate without the fundamentals being there, ya know? So, colors will follow after we pick out a quilt/comforter set. I'm thinking something with a light pink, light aqua blue? We'll see where this hunt leads us...

Something that puts a catch in my planning? M. O. N. E. Y. We're doing it on a shoestring, sister...a very skinny one. You might almost say, transparent!! LOL

I'm trying to muster up some enthusiasm for Steve & my room, but it's just not happening, yet... One room at a time...

Be sure to check out the new links & things in my sidebar. I'm so excited to share this stuff!! Jodi, I can totally see you getting into some of these websites!! There's lots of "shabby"!! :)

OK, PROMISE, pictures next time!! hehehe

Thursday, January 28, 2010

I am a SHE

It dawned on me that I might actually blog more if I started writing things down as they came to me & posted it later instead of doing it all from scratch each time!! LOL Now, this may seem like a "duh" kind of thing to some (like, born organized people), but I am a SHE (sidetracked home executive), and I LOVE spontaneity. But, as with most things in life, where there is balance, there is, well, balance!! LOL There is room for both.

So, some of this post is taken from notes, and some just pop into my mind!! How fun!! And, hopefully, no one else will know the difference :) LOL

Well, since that's over with, let's move on, K?

I don't do New Year's Resolutions. My resolution changes. But, having somehting on a To Do List is different. I like To Do Lists. I love them, actually, because they help me (again, a SHE) stay focused.

So, here is my To Do List, not to necessarily be completed this year. Some things are just not gonna happen this year (see #1), but I want it on there to remind me that I want to go there someday... does that make sense? Of course, not, but it does to me...

Anyways, here it is:

1. Take the kids to Disney World, and stay at one of their resorts.

2. Continue on my quest to exercise & eat healthily regardless of my feelings.

3. Become persistent about orgainizing our home. Surely there is a way to organize our stuff & KEEP it that way...

4. Paint the house (inside).

5. Re-decorate Abbey's room. She's never had a bedspread/comforter that matches her room ever since she's had the big girl bed...and it bugs me.

6. Scrapbook more. Or should that just be: scrapbook. I don't get to do it nearly enough, especially not enough lately to even refer to myself as a scrapbooker...sad.

7. Be more diligent with Flylady's methods of decluttering and keeping it that way...I can dream.

Now, what I like about this list is that it's check-off-able and carry-over-able. There is no "done" To Do list...there is ALWAYS something to do... And, with a To Do list, there's a sense of priority...Such as, what's more important, Disney World, or being one year healthier? Disney World can be carried over, but healthy living is an immediate need.

There is a downside... Accountability. That's where the blogosphere comes in, I guess. I will always have this post to refer to, and can update, I don't know, bi-yearly? We'll see...

Thanks for hanging in there!! LOL I really need to start sharing pics...like, from this year, not 2 years ago!! Maybe that should go on my To Do list!! HA!!

Love ya!! :)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Blogging

I just watched Julie & Julia, and can I just say, wow, blogging can be powerful!!

Not only that, but it's such a great outlet. I also came upon another amazing blogger earlier today, and it's just so amazing that these ladies (mostly) are out there, and they're doing such a great job at helping and encouraging other women. There are those "political" blogs, but I don't read those. (I know, shocking that I'm not that into politics...lol) Anyways, I didn't realize it, but there is "blogging etiquette" and I am probably breaking every rule in this one post!! LOL I did hear that the playlist thing can be offensive, but I disagree. I think that what a person listens to just adds to the depth of getting to know a person.

ANYWAYS, I just had to share that...more about that next time.

Tonight, Abbey is staying the night at her cousin Katie's house, and it's just Eli & I...and the Wiggles!! LOL He LOVES the Wiggles, and I'm giving a shout out to PBS Sprout for bringing them back onto our televisions. AND to Sprout on Demand...Eli just did the cutest thing...they were over, and he came marching back into my room holding the remote & said, "Me..." That boy is so smart!! LOL He's known what that thing was for since the womb, I'm sure!! LOL

Boys...

Until next time...

Friday, January 22, 2010

Is it actually possible to be obsessed with a website? Because I am. I am LOVING the Design Dazzle website...even if I can't afford any of the stuff on it!! HAHA!! I LOVE the blog & how they show you really neat & easy design tricks, not just for your home/kids' room, but for birthday parties & stuff, too.

LOVE IT!!

Anyways, speaking of obsessed, I think that I may be obsessed with Cafe World on Facebook. It's not as bad now, but, wow, in the beginning I might've been a little on the wacko side. But it is fun.

OK, I guess I needed to ramble about obsessive things, because I can't seem to get them off my mind.

Which begs the question, are they really worth being in my mind?!?!

No....but, um, excuse me, I've got to see if my Three Berry Cheesecake is done, yet... just kidding... sort of...

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Homeschooling & Other Miscellaneous Stuff

I don't think I updated on the homeschooling front last time...It's going great!! I love it, actually. I have to keep reminding Abbey that she would have to do her work (even the stuff she doesn't like to do) if she went to "classroom" school, so forget about trying to get out of it!! HAHA

I had a great chat with another homeschooling Mom tonight, and I just love talking to her. She boosts my confidence & always reminds me that this choice isn't just about teaching academics...it's about building our childrens' character...and, as I'm finding out, building mine, too :)

In less than a month, I will have a 6 year old... That sounds so old!! Where does the time go?!?!? Seriously, I have no idea where it went. Sometimes I just stare at old pictures of her & tear up because there's a reason you hear so often "It just goes so fast..." It DOES. She's always gonna be my baby girl, though.

So, for her birthday party, we're having a somewhat small slumber party. We'll see how many of the girls actually sleep here!! LOL I'm hoping that I tire them all out & they fall asleep watching a movie...that's the plan, anyway. I will try not to make a big deal about bedtime, and hopefully they'll fall asleep before they even realize what happened!! LOL

The theme is "The Little Mermaid" because Abbey had already asked Mammy (my Mom) to make her an Ariel cake. So, I've got LOTS of neat decorating ideas & games floating around in my head. I'm about as excited as she is!! LOL

Eli's doing great. It's so neat to see his little personality emerging...and a little sad, too, because he's not a baby-baby anymore...he's officially a toddler. And into E V E R Y T H I N G. It's amazing how fast that boy moves from one place to another, destroying the order I work so hard to keep... I know, why? LOL Because that's what Mama's do. He'll be 2 in May, and, seriously, these last 2 years have flown by, too...

There is talk of trying for another baby, but we have yet to settle on an agreed-upon time frame...LOL...Let's keep that on the DL...I guess if I wanted to keep that on the DL, I shouldn't be posting it here on a public blog...

No definite commitment to that, yet, but we're thinking :)

Speaking of babies, I am so proud of my cousin Jodi who is now a proud Foster-Mommy to a new baby boy!! :) Brand-spanking new, too, I gather :) Congratulations, Jodi & Jimmie :) Love you guys!! :)

OK, I'd better go...I need to get to bed before midnight...LOL...who am I kidding?

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Happy New Year's!!

Hello, Blogger Friends... I haven't been on here for obvious reasons!! LOL The Holiday Season is VERY busy & with our old computer, it took f o r e v e r to do much more than check statuses on Facebook.

ANYWAYS, life ain't bad :) haha

Thanksgiving was nice & pretty quiet. We went to Mom & Dad's and had a great meal, great game-time, and Chelle & I got up stupid-early to go shopping on Black Friday (our first Early Bird Black Friday experience). We had a lot of fun, and I think we're going to make it a tradition (when we can), because had I known, I probably would've been done with my Christmas shopping for the season on that one day. But, we know for this next year!! :) Fun, fun... Stupid, but fun :) LOL

Our church finally did something I've been talking about for a couple of years for Christmas this year. We did "A Night in Bethlehem" and it was AWESOME!! It was such a great thing for our church body, to work together, and we had such a great turn out!! We had 250+ people over the 2 nights we held it. Just awesome. Bigger than I could've ever imagined. After our VBS this summer, I told the lady in charge, "I've got something pretty awesome for you for Christmas!!" and handed her the kit that's been collecting dust in my house for 2 years.

There was no way I could've organized it, plus, she just had the fresh perspective that I've been lacking the last few years. It was great to work alongside her, though, and another lady, to finally see this come to fruition. And, the congregation is all abuzz about doing it next year, already :)

But, because NIB was the 2nd weekend in Dec. it felt like the season just flew by after that. Add to that, the week before NIB, my inlaws decided to crash our house (with less than 1 week's notice, thank you very much). So not only was I working on NIB as much as I could, I was hostess & cooking "Christmas" dinner for them... WORE ME OUT!! Anyways, it happened, we survived, and NIB was so worth it!!

Christmas was fun!! :) We missed seeing Santa, though. Evidently, the mall doesn't believe in letting people know Santa's ACTUAL schedule, because he left early on Christmas Eve. We did get a few pictures of the kids on his chair, and we didn't have to pay an arm & a leg to get it done, but it was still a bummer...we just waited too late...I'm already seeing a page layout of "The Year Without A Santa Claus" on it!! LOL We did send him a letter, though, and left out cookies & milk, and wouldn't you know it, he came!! :) He brought Eli a Lightning McQueen 4-wheeler (so cute!!), and Abbey the Baby Alive she'd been hoping for (the freaky one, not one of the ones that I would've picked out!! HA!!).

And, of course, Christmas day was spent at Mom & Dad's. And, let me just admit it up front, I am a spoiled daughter. I really am, and I feel so undeserving of their gift, because Mom is taking Chelle & I on the Girl's Cruise in May!! Can we say, waterworks? I couldn't stop crying all day...

The plan was to go to Scott & Missy's house for New Year's, but poor Faith got the stomach bug, so that plan was out. We ended up @ Mom & Dad's (again!! LOL), and hung out, ate pizza, and played Cranium (that's my favorite game on the planet, btw). I just love it...even though the boys won...

We ended the New Year's weekend with Shelby's 16th Birthday party...I cannot believe that girl is 16 already!! Where does the time go, seriously? That was fun, again, just to chill out & chat with family.

It felt weird this year. I don't know that I can put my finger on it, but it felt different this year. Not bad, please, it was awesome, but something felt, I don't know, just different.

Now, it's back to the ol' schedule, which I think I'm having a harder time with more so than the kids. I feel like I haven't quite caught up or something.

Well, OK, I guess that's a good recap, and I hope it wasn't too boring for you to read!! LOL :)

Love you all!! :)