I seem to have disappeared

hmmm
why is this not showing up...
my sister told me she is not seeing me...
and now I am not seeing me...
wonder why...

cheshire cat syndrome....
hmmmmmmmmm

and she's back!!!!

hiya!
after some porn popups took apart my computer... dh fixed it.. really, it's his to do some work on but for now it has access to the web for me!!!!!!!!!
yippeeee!

so much going on in our little world but no pics or anything scrappy to share sine I have no more pics- they are stuck in Limbo for now... and no Adobe ps... came to find out that I have elements 5 though- I didn't know that until dh told me what he was going to be putting up on the computer now..

soooooo
for now I will be posting little conversations... per usual.. trying to get my journaling going again...


have you seen this? Making Memories Idol contest
are You the next scrappy idol?

new baby teeth, ballroom dancing, silly faces

we had a lot going on today...
Mr T broke 2 more teeth in- molars.. it was a mess when he got the bottom one to come threw- yuck!

pushed the table in the study to the side for safety issues... I don't like it but it gives the girls a place to practice ballroom dancing.

It RAINED! alllll day! I love it!
it's a good rain that saturated the ground- we need it for sure!
we could only be blessed with more!

can you believe I didn't get a pic of the kids playing in the rain? nope.. not one.. they didn't get to play in it today... I can't believe we missed this opportunity. We don't often get this kind of rain without thunder and lightning so this was a time I should have made time...

oh... just one more thing !lol!
This LO is of my dd NOT enjoying having her photo taken at Halloween when she was little- so sweet! She cracks me up!

moments of clarity

in the last 4 days I have had a migrain that will not go away.
I hate migrains. I used to get them as a teenager..
I couldn't go down a grocery isle where the product hung off of a metal spike.
I couldn't go down the soap row because of the smell.

since Mr T has been born I have had migrains every other week and they last as long as 4 or 5 days. they are the pits.
I hate migrains!

in a moment of clarity I did get to make an altered notebook today.
I will be using this notebook to keep me updated as to what materials I use on what projects.
I hope this will not only get me going on the Mega Challenge at www.theshakerbox.com but also get me to submit somethings for publication.
One can only hope... right?



I had to add to this post since I have not posted due to migrains.. ugh..
this photo is of my dd who is 3 reading to me.. can you believe?? reading! wow!

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