creative moments

you have to grab them when they present themselves...
reading
drawing
scrapping
inking..
it's all good! lol!

with little fingers reaching up for paper, scissors, glue.. whatever.. you have to act quick!
I am behind in getting an ATC to Kathy.. are you reading this??? I made a few for you to make up for my tardiness- sorty of my life lately.. if it's not for my immediate family it gets on the back burner. I know they come first.

dd said the other day "I don't want to go to school." She is going through another growth spurt and is exhuasted... and hungry! lol! I still can't believe that she said it- she loves school! She is joining rythmic gymnastics... I cna't believe it. Ithought this was a joke in the 80s when it was introduced here but after seeing thises kids do what tey did- stretch like they did- I am amazed. NOo way could I do what they do= so limber!!!

dd #2 fell off a swing- in the hieght of the arc and just let go.. did a flip mid air and landed onher forehead. It reeplays in my mind like a nightmare!!!

ds is walkign all over
has a sense of humor already- ou have to in our family!
eating little- he likes to nurse moe thatn anything... we joke and tell him he can't do it in kindergarten! lol!

gotta run.. a skunk was outside earlier and couldn't feed my pup... I think the air has cleared now!
happy scrappin!!!

find goodness in your day

so I scrapped a card, made a sketch for http://www.theshakerbox.com and hung out with my kiddos today.. a lot..
we read
tickled
giggled
rocked
told silly stories
ds took a nibble of a mandarin oragne
dd read another book from HOP
tried a new recipe- taco junk- yummy (will try and post tomorrow)

just before Queen V went to bed she asked me "will you be in my dreams?"
yes, of course
do you dream of rats?
no, I dream about flying
that's not good to do, Mommy. You could get hurt up on the roof.
I dream about flying with you, sweetie.. like Peter Pan with Wendy. All you need is a little Pixie Dust... from Tink.
oh... I like Pixie Dust... see you in my dreams!

it was a good day

to do...

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That
way, at least you'll get one thing done. ~Author Unknown

went to dd's school for lunch...
found her already in the cafeteria...
eating her pudding first...
delightful...
she's her mama's girl!

scrapped 3 LOs tonight!
whew!
that is almost as good as chocolate! lol!

in the eyes of the beholder...

what do you see???

to my dd
who is 3
she sees
a toy that she can make Mommy fetch


to my ds
he sees
a teething toy


to me...
I see
a summer
well spent
with my kids
catching the rays
not folding laundry
enjoying every snuggle
every sleepy head on my shoulder
every....
just
one
more
jump,
Mommy!

quiet play

quiet play comes in so many ways in our home...

me - scrapping tonight- oh that felt good to grab a silk flower, some paper, some ink.. a brad
dd #1 - horses of any kind
dd #2 - she is way into matchboxes (you know, the cars)
ds- with spinning birds... on a hot summer morning....

some of you know that I lost my camera to an untimely death.. oh woe as me... so I am back to 35 mm which isn't bad but I am sooooo out of touch with it... until I get these pics back of my little boy playing on our back porch... what is he looking at I think??? colors, shapes, the fact that these birds spin and always in the same direction... what does he see??? oh, I love quiet play with a child so intense!!!

1st grade story... she brought home an A+.. yep, and she knows what it means! She is so proud... a plus... she paid attention to detail and her teacher noticed... this is good...
she also looked for just the right dress to wear.... thought she would wear shorts so she can chase the boys.... nope, a dress... to see if it impresses Clint... go figure... it starts early...

and I thought she would be
a
nun


go figure......

she needs to go back to her quiet play... lol!

homework

so we sit down to look at the homework- a book she has to illustrate the cover for and color in the pages of previously drawn artwork by someone else....

c'mom, let's get it done.. (I came to check it all out)
Mommy, this is my space- not yours..... let me do my work.
No problem, I am not here to do your work ...

off I go to download pics from the weekend...
Mommy, I want to watch PBS
Did you finish your homework?
no
Well, go finish- no tv until it's all done.

time passes... found her watching Cyberchase...
Did you finish?
No
Why not?
because it's homework.
Precisely. You have to do it at home and then take it back when it's done.
But it's supposed to stay home- that's why it's called homework.

do you see the problem here? lol! now it's time to clarify what homework is all about... lol!

Homework is what the teacher gives you to finish an assignment, you give it back, she grades and then gives it back. Get it?
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, she'll check to see I made an A and then I get it to keep forever. I got it, Mommy!


whew! glad we got that cleared up- it could have been a diaster! lol!

I love being popular!

our house is rockin' at 6:30 am every day... Friday was no exception....
I am trying to rush and get dressed before the kids need me to button dresses, tie bows, change diapers... (that happens 2 time within a 30 min period for the little guy- he waits through the night and then the flood appears! lol!)

dd #1 doesn't really want to wake and fights for those last few seconds of shut eye asking if I can bring her clothes to her
dd #2 begins to cry just because she can
ds cries because his nutrition is running around and not laying down next to him...

as all this is going on I look at my family all in my big bed and tell dh, "I love being popular!"
dd #1 tells me, "Mommy, you're not poplear... Daddy's poplear!"
"Oh, really, how come?" I ask her...
"because Daddy is the greatest!"

this makes his day... he's POPLEAR!

happiness

"so, what will day 3 bring you today?"
"happiness"

I wait the 7 hours.... swim, meet with friends, talk a little, walk a little, read a little.....

"so, what did day 3 bring you??? were you happy?"
"yes"
"what made you happy... tell me 5 things"

"1. my teacher- she helps me read
2. Spanish class started today (that's my girl!!! que barbara!)
3. running at recess playing 'chase the boys'
4. my friends were there to play with me
5. coloring.. I like coloring
now, that's enough, Mommy."

love our little after school talks...



not that I would forget my other 2... so here they are:

Happiness for Queen V today was
1. swimming with Mommy and friends
2. reading her first words- sun, ox, ax
3. playing Hooked On Phonics with Mommy
4. swimming with Daddy
5. no nap

Happiness for Mr. T
life is so easy for him...
sharing goldfish with friends.... only, he needs to have faster reflex to grab it before they do!
fresh diaper change when he isn't so hungry
seeing Daddy after a long day
walking.. yep, you saw it here first... he is starting to walk!!!

secrets

little ones

big ones

we all have them

what's important to you

why you share

who you share with

shhhhhhhhhhh

don't tell

it's just between us

trying to fit in

making new friends

finding your way

shhhhhhhhhhh

don't tell

it's just between us

since we are in 100* heat it doesn't make sense to sit by and have tea after school to find out how a child's day went in school... so we swim... lots... jumping, spinning, underwater, tag, catch the flipflop, find the icecube... we play for hours... and I wait patiently as my dd tells me of her "secrets" she keeps... who with... why... so curious but not so much I make her go the other way... to stop the communication... I want her close... to be confident in telling me what ever is on her mind....

being a mama is a tricky thing... knowing how far to prod before she dives away..... holding it all in for another day.....

**look for these thoughts and photos to be in future LOs :)

butterlies????

who me??? you would think it was ME going to school! I tossed and turned so much last night... saw every hour on the clock... all the kids in bed with me... nobody hogging space.. nobody kicking... except those darn butterflies in ME!
Well, I finally drifted off and then BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I set the alarm and not music... won't make that mistake again! lol! It was so loud! The kids didn't even move! I got dressed and then started waking the girls... Queen V got up first- she had to go color her daddy's face in.. I made her stop last night and go to bed.... then woke Lady G. We got her dressed from head to toe, hair brushed silky smooth... and then the baby wakes... great! all 3 kids up and time for breakfast!

We have a great breakfast of "loopty loops" (that would be Fruit Loops for the rest of the world) and OJ dd made yesterday. I took pics (will have to post tomorrow) while she ate and discussed what she thought first grade would bring. She had no idea.. I did... BUTTERFLIES kicking into high gear... so many unknowns... well, we took pics by the front door and had time to swing on the swings! yipeee!

We grab the gear and out the door we go! My car's transmission is going out- go figure- so I have to stop 3 different times to turn the thing off and back on... hoping it will finally shift gears.. it finally does.. whew!

We get to school - say a Hail Mary and Our Father in the car before we step out.. who says there's no prayer in school... LOL! We go to the first grade hall and there's not one person there... so we go to the cafeteria to wait.... good- a few friends there... MY butterflies are disappearing.. I take a few pics of her with her buddy Clint :)

The bell goes off... Queen V grabs her sister and says, "don't go! I'll miss you so!" gulp!
I have to look away.... MY butterflies return.. only in MY eyes!!! oh, why does this have to be so hard?? I gulp and they subside... whew! I tell her to come on... babe in sling, Queen V grabs my hand... but not the school girl- nope, she is leading the way!!!!

We go to her classroom and kids are at their desks, working, it's quiet.. a few mommies there with cameras- not too many and I am surprised.. where are they??? I wanted one more day and I will take all the moments I can suck up!!! lol! I tell her to look in her backpack and take out what the other kids have on their desk and get to it... There is a daddy in between us... I can't get to her... oh... why don't you move to your child... I can't hug mine goodbye....
I finally ask him to excuse me.... he moves and I give my girl a quick hug and kiss. She tells me goodbye. I go into the hallway.. I look over my shoulder.. she is looking at me... not happy, not sad... a scared look on her face.... I can't go back in. She's not crying and the teacher was looking at us to go... it's time....
I do our secret hand gesture telling her I love her... she sees me... does it back..... I walk away...
love you baby girl.....
play nice with the other kids..... even if they don't play nice with you.....

MY butterflies fly away by the end of the day... yep, and I watched the clock to see every hour pass... I knew it would only bring her one more hour closer to home..... closer to ME !

one more day.... I just want one more day

my heart is racing
just one more day
7 hours away
6 hours waking
can't she stay home?
it's such a big place

my heart is racing
did i spend the time wisely?
does she know i'm thinking of her?
wondering
waiting
anticipating....

my heart is racing
what all will she learn?
listen to her
care for her not as her mother but as a friend.....
an angel sent to me... now I send her to you...

my heart is racing
hurry back to me!
tell me of your dreams
is it all you wanted it to be?

my heart is racing
just one more day
waiting
wondering
anticipating


words by me.... a worried mama as her dd starts elementary school

simple LOs...

We had great thunderstorms after Mass today... no rain for us but there was some just north of our place... I so want rain here!!! ugh!
went through ds's closet and put away things that don't fit..waiting for the next baby to arrive in our lives.. you can never be too careful and get rid of them! in my quest I found a box full of handmedowns that have been given to Mr. T that fit hime NOW!!! that won't last the way he nurses... if he would only find other foods interesting! ha! I am also going through Lady G's things.... her closet is a MESS- boy! So we hauled it all out and put it on ds' bed... hey, he doesn't use it yet! lol! and went through to find out what fits and what does not... getting ready for school to start on Wednesday. I am not ready for this at all!!! So hard for me to send her off.... I have had such a great time with her this summer... just hanging out enjoying each other's company and reconnecting. It's all good... and now it's time for sleep.

since I am suffering from migrains I go for simple scrapping.. here are a few from the last 2 days.. enjoy!

This LO is of my dd when she got her first pair of sandals... time flies!


love this LO of dd and my niece. This restaurant doesn't exist any more.. too bad- they had handdipped shakes- yummy!


look at the smiles here!! We had a ball here... #2 was just a little over a year here and dd #1 was 3.5 years. Now we have our own swings.. how much more will we be going to the park?? hmmmmm

Happy Birthday, little one!

yep! My boy is one..... but let me tell you ... he is still a baby! I never have understood why some people think when a person turns one they are no longer a baby...











my boy's favorite things at the young age of one are
boxes on his head
saying "yea!" when I do pattycake with him
sand in his mouth- yuck!
blocks- you set 'em up, he'll knock them down!
cars- and he got 4 today from us! yipee! or should I say, "yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
paper to "distress"
pushing on the mesh of his playpen with his sister on the other side
laughing till he falls down and rolls
ice
puppy kisses- from our Prince Charming and Mom's Paci
swinging- especially on the swingset Daddy made
swimming
Mommy grabbing the keys to go some where- anywhere
Daddy coming home after a long day with the girls... too much estrogen around here during the day!
balloons
remotes
telephones
more boxes on his head
to chew on alphabet puzzles
storytime at the library
walks in the stroller
naps outside
naps in Mommy's arms while she walks in the pool
kisses and hugs from his sisters
Gran's jewelry.... Grandee's jewlry

one more thing... surprises from my kids..
oldest: crawling inside the baby's birthday presents and letting us close the box- hilarious!
middle kiddo: telling my dh, "get into my dreams, Daddy" as she falls asleep
baby: knowing there is a party still going on so he gets up after nursing "to sleep" to play with his Grandpa!!!




*pictures are from when ds is 1 day old and last week...

still zero

yep.. for another few hours my boy is STILL zero.. should have kept him up so he wouldn't turn one!!! lol!
we had a great day of swinging, playing with boxes on our heads (who needs a present... give the kid a box!!!), swimming... and then the girls and dh put up the banners, blew up balloons, and wrapped presents.. I am sure there is plenty of tape on there!!! lol!

I can't believe he is in his crib.. sleeping - still- this never happens... I guess it is a sign of things to come this next year.. lots of changes!!!
Who knew at 4:20 in the morn when I jumped across our wooden floor thinking, "don't leak, don't leak.. not on the hardwood! lol!" that I would have been blessed with such a great little boy!!! He is so awesome words escape me...
I wrote a list of things he likes and dislikes.. will try and post tomorrow during one of his naps :)


one more thing.. this is my self portrait while in labor one year ago... yep, I took it... not too shabby, huh? A smile... had been in labor for quite some time, my doc had walked on me- that's a story in itself- and the baby had gone back towards my ribs.. had to be a boy! lol! He got lost and didn't ask directions how to get out! hahahaha
poor kid, doesn't have a chance with me as his mama :)

ahhhhhhhhhhhh scrappin' with my kids around me...
got this LO finished today... only took me 4 days- lol! who knew it would be so fast!!! hahaha
One asking me if she can stamp
one asking for glitter
and the other terrorizing the room... eating puzzle pieces, wrinkling.. uh, excuse me, distressing patterned paper- that will go in one of his LOs! ha!

and me trying to make it flow.. does it? does it need anything else???

We played on the swings, untangled Prince Charming... and then Lady G rode her bike as fast as she could with me running the other 2 in the stroller.. yep, I can run... this fanny shakes all over the place- must really be a sight from behind- pun intended! ha! and Lady G won- of course! We went swimming with an old friend (are you there yet, Crissy?) and had a ball. She is the type of friend that even if I don't get to see her often I know she is there for me. We pick up where we left off and it's all good. I have a pic of us from 1989 in my bathroom with our BIG 80's hair.. lovely! lol! Anway, it was a good day...

oh and one more thing.. tomorrow is the last day my boy is zero... yep, he turns one on Thursday!!! These pics are taken the day I was bringing him home... I was so nervous but at the same time ready to get gone and be home with MY family... what a wonderful feeling!

struggles

saw a show on TLC that was really interesting.. it's called The Messengers. Have you seen it? It kind of reminds me of this group I belonged to in highschool that was given a topic and we had to make a speech up- on the spot... I can't remember what it was called but it made me all nervous but knew it was something that would make me a better person, speaker.. and well, the guy I had a crush on was in it so what the heck! lol!

Anyway, back to The Messengers. It's a game show where people intereact with a situation.... a handicap that they do not possess and try and make it in life like that. Imagine being homeless for 24 hours in LA or blind in NYC... something along those lines- get it? WEll, this last week the contestants had to go to a farm- strawberry farm if I remember and had to be a farmer- some tough work!!! From this experience they had to create a speech on STRUGGLE. It was really interesting to hear what they had to say.. here is what I walked away with:

1. struggles make weak spots strong
2. Success comes from building a foundation fron the bricks life throws at us.
3. We can be victims or victors.
4. Bring it on. I ain't scared!

Pretty big words and phrases made by these "messengers" .... makes you stop and say... "hmmmmmmmmmmmm"

found this link to making your own journal.. from start to finish- really cool!
http://www.teeshamoore.com/how_to_make_journals.htm

would you like to swing on a star?

I remember singing this song when I was in grade school.. our art teacher put on a production every year for the grandparents to come see us... I never knew if mine would come ... I think they did...

well... grandparents and swinging stars.. kind of go together once again.... We were given a kit for a swing set 2 Christmases ago... we've had funerals, births, school, change of jobs (3times!), and every day things that got in the way of this being built.... until now!!! My sweetie FINALLY put the swing set completely together!!! The kids are extatic as am I :) It can hold 4 swings.. one for Mr. T :) so the girls can have 1 friend over to swing..

big trampoline with net $160
sandbox with playsand $100
+ swingset made by Daddy $$$$
children's laughter while stretching for the chimney PRICELESS

It just doesn't get any better! Thanks, honey, for putting it all together for the kids!

motherhood? is it blasphemy to say it's boring?

I saw this on the Today show this morning and thought this was interesting...

I don't think it is boring.. never boring.. there is ALWAYS something going on.. it might not be the most interesting thing but it has a purpose and a reason... and I am glad I chose it for now :)
I laughed when I had my dd that I went to college to change diapers... lol but there is so much organizing and shuffling to be done... who knew all those late nights would prepare me for late night nursing... and not me with a beer bottle :lol: Nope, gone are the days of me in Rockies (probably only the Texas gals know what these are) and my ropers (flat boots for all you non-Texans that help you slide on the dance floor as you 2 step)...they'll come again but for now I think I am happy :) I need a few minutes here and there to catch my breath but I am really happy with how life is turning out. YOu know?
Now my SIL - she is another things- she cannot stay at home with her kids... 5 min drives her nuts! lol! seriously.. she couldn't do it- not even if she were paid in cash.. I just don't think she would

this lead to the discussion going more towards happiness and what makes one person happy does not necessarily make another happy. Could you spend all that money on an education and change diapers? Well, my education was for me to use just as I am.. teaching my kids a little Spanish, how to read, how to find the real meaning in the story of the day.. how to communicate with other cultures... I think I am also teaching my kids how to be better people. When standing in front of the classroom for 10 years I could tell who had a stay-at-home parent and who did not- for the most part. There are exceptions to the case... there always are but I knew I wanted to be there.. to be a part of my kids' life- being the most important teacher.. from everything from faith to reading to counting...

so what about you?? are you happy? are you doing what you want to? Would you change things if you could?

I know I will not forever be at home.. I think a lot of what I will need to do to help get the kids through college.. (I was just told today that my oldest will now run for the presidency.. . yep, she wants to be the first female president of the US... she found out we don't have queens here so president it is! Nice to have high priorities and standards for yourself- don't you think?) So I dream of what I want to do..... pick up my Spanish again, go back to ESL, teach first year teachers how to make it in the schools today... so much! I think I would like to go back and finsih my masters... maybe even my PhD some day :)

time well spent

so much to do.. but what would I rather do? spend it with my kids!!! I so love to listen to them.. what they like, what they want what they dream..

#1 tells me she wants to teach me how to sketch. She hauls around pieces of paper and pencils everywhere. She made an altered clipboard only to give it to my mom because she wanted to give something really meaningful to my mom for Mother's Day. She she doodles on ATCs, scraps of paper, books.. she doesn't care. So today we doodle together. She thought I didn't know how to sketch. I love to sketch I tell her. WEll, since we thought both of the little ones were asleep we did a project together. She told me what to draw and then she colored it in.. I told her what needed more attention and I am quite proud of our artistic collaboration. I'll post later. :)

#2 tells me today she was never in my tummy. nope, a robot dropped her on the tent at the end of Gran's pool. Yep, a robot.... she talks a lot about robots right now. funny.

#3 kiddo gets so tickled at himself- already has a great sense of humor. He laughs himself silly throwing his head back and forth until he is so riddled with laughter that he falls down only to roll on the floor.

I scrapped today.. yep, cards-- lots of them.. hopefully will start posting on Ebay to make some cash to help out on bills... being paid in hugs and kisses is the best but bills still come. That's the pits... I have to do it.. I feel compelled to do it.. I don't want to gritch (yep, I said gritch) about it... I wanna help.. but on my terms... I love being a SAHM... sacrifices I make will make my kids better- so I think :)

today was time well spent for sure... art, dreams, giggles :) gotta love the end of the week like this one!

I can only IMAGINE

Who knows what cross we bear... a cross to one is a joy for another...
What is your cross?
I think in my life I have had different ones- small ones that really have not mattered to much at the time but have created who I am, who I long to be, who I want my children to see in me...
crosses I have beared in my short life so far:
education- learning does not come easy to me
communication- I was a brat as a kid... longing to be good... it was a stretch and I think I have made it so far
not having children.... when I wanted... God had a great sense of humor.. HE laughed at my plans of when I wanted to have children... on HIS time I now have 3 lovely children. I can only be blessed more if more show up. This was so difficult for me as a young adult... I cursed, questioned... only to be told, "not yet" in my prayers.. oh how that hurt so much

in this video this father has a cross to bear.. or does he? It's not just any ordinary cross it's his son... grab a hanky and watch.. the song is so moving... if we could only be as lucky as this man, to see what is truly a cross... and how to bear it in HIS name :)

CLICK HERE:
CAN

life is like a box of chocolates

well, I like every chocolate in the box... or so I thought....
got to see the doc today for my dd's surgery- she is fine and can do everything she wants! This chocolate I love! lol!

we got to register her for school... I got into it a little with the school nurse. She thought I was nuts for thinking it is fun to get school supplies. I always liked it! Mom would take us to the Treasury (it doesn't exist any more, I think) and we would pick out lunchboxes, pencils, notebooks.. oh, it was great! I don't know how she did it with all of us going in 4 different directions. Anyway, I just loved the feel of new paper, the never been used erasers and the freshly sharpened pencils.. nothing like it!!! Well, the nurse was telling me by 8th grade I would be sick of it because THOSE teachers are sooooo picky.. I guess she didn't know I used to be one of THOSE teachers! lol! I told her that it was ok to be picky but if it couldn't be found- one of the items on the list then we just make do.. you know, if it's not "Prang" watercolors I am sure there are others that will work fine- you know??? LIFE IS TOO SHORT to worry about things like that- YOU KNOW? Well, so here I am telling her this and she says, "Oh, no. They are there to prepare and organize the children... red folder for English, blue for Science.. blah blah blah...." You get the picture... As a teacher, I was happy the kids came happy, excited to learn and ready to please.. Admit it, one way or another we are all looking for someone just to tell us "you're doing a good job!" Even if that is just getting our shoes tied in the morning... lol!
I walked away thinking that she doesn't get it... She didn't get it when my dd told me she felt poorly and she wasn't getting it now... She brushed my dd off like it was nothing in the middle of spring... hello... she is sick... she does NOT pretend to be sick... whatever... that chocolate I would put back in the box for some other slob to eat... no.. I wouldn't.. I'm the kind of person to tell my closest friends NOT to get that chocolate unless it would go smoother with BAiley's hahahahaha Who knew.. melt it down and try again with salted peanuts- yep, that would work. And if not then I would toss it and move on...

Moving on... that is what I need to do with one friend... I always seem to be the person to call this one friend... I try to initiate things and get the cold shoulder. Nope, don't need that chocolate... I think it's stale... time to move on.. what happened to that chocolate??? Maybe chasing her 3 kids and seeing the box and not looking inside..

see, that's the problem I see with communication.. all these wrappers not letting the other chocolates touch.. isn't there a problem with that/???

oh, I am rambling.. talking in code... lol!