just cuz

they are both sinkin' cute!
Laurel and Katie :)
  
I do need to post about my weekend of scrappin at the Creative Escape preview. It was amazing. It deserves it's own post, which I don't have the energy to do right now. Check back though, I'll fill y'all in soon. (or fill you in as much as I can. They had us sign a confidentialality thingamaginie.)

whoops

um...yeah. Imma dork.

I'll admit it, I've been kinda bummed that no one's made a comment lately. Was feeling sorry for myself, then felt stupid about feeling rejected. I know this isn't the most exciting blog ever. And it's not like a million people come here, but dayum....one post was about KATE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY :( I was like, shoot (okay I said shit) someone could at least say Happy-Freekin Birthday to my cute little peanut!!!

then Beth (thanks girl!) emailed me......yeah......I must have changed something that required authorization to make a comment. DIDN'T KNOW I DID THAT!

I think I've fixed it. I say think because I don't know what I changed to make it like that. Hopefully it works. If not, please, someone please tell me. My ego can't take a commentless blog. ;)

and I'm off

Just a quick post before I head off the Creative Escape preview/test-run thing with heidi swapp and the team from Bazzill.

There are a group of volunteers (that's me!) who are going to do all the projects and learn tons of stuff. We are doing that so when we are there on the day of the escape we'll know what the heck we are doing.

Should be fun :)

p.s. impressed with my linking know-how??? LOL Yeah pretty damn easy, feeling pretty stupid now ;)

2 months ago yesterday

Kate turned one.

I remember Noah's first birthday party. He had two actually. One was by necessity as my dad was very seriously ill in Mayo Clinic Hospital. So we packed up everyone, bought a little cake, had a separate set of gifts and had a little shin dig in his room. It was fun. then we went down to the 'real' one that Noah's dad (or well I should say Noah's dad's mother) planned. :) It was great fun. Did the BBQ thing at the park. Tons of gifts. Tons of food. Tons of cake. It was a good time.

Then he turned two. Had a bigger party. Actually made my own cakes. There were two. They were Bob and Larry from the veggietales. The big one was both, bob and larry. the little one, the one Noah was to eat was just Bob the tomato. It was DARRRRLING. More fun.

Then I had Sarah. More parties.

Now I have Kate. Poor thing is getting ripped off. We, at the last minute, went to Chili's for dinner. It was me, Peter, my brother and his girlfriend, My long time friend Lori, and Peter's Aunt. That's it. We didn't even get her a cake. She had a plate of whipped cream.
 
How pathetic is that. I mean she's cute and all. Still got some cute pictures. And lord knows she really doesn't need cake. I think she's gonna like sweets just fine, knowing her parents. But really. Whipped cream? I've really lost it. 

this is a test

of the emergency linking system
This is only a test
if there were a real link you would have just clicked somewhere that actually took you somwhere.

In the case that I actually figure this out, this test may be followed by random names that will that you to fun and exciting places.

But this is only a test.

teacher gifts, thanks, and other stuff

I'm a little late on this one but this is what I did for the teachers.
 
The teacher and her aide each got a scrapbook - 34 pages each. The letter you see is the first page (and their last initial - duh!) Each child has their own page that consists of a Q&A card that was super cute. Questions like "if you had a million dollars what would you buy Mrs. P and why" And answers like "I would buy her a massage because her back might hurt" HAHAHaaa such cuteness. Each child also did a cute little drawing and there's a photo. Scrapbooking wise it's SUPER simple.

Sorry the picture is so crappy and cut off. I am too lazy to edit them into perfect little frames or to post more than one actual image (which means I have to move pictures to my computer and post like 'normal' and not thru Picasa) Anyway, they are 11 X 8 1/2 (landscape) albums. This was the first one I've done in that format. Have to say I loved it!

I also made each of them, and the room mom, a silver bracelet. You can kinda see it in that bag. And the main teacher got an amazing multi-colored charm/dangle bracelet that I picked up at the scrapbook store. I just couldn't resist it.

In other news, yesterday's events are still freaking us all out but things are moving forward. Mom and daughter are doing well - all things considered - and there's already been blessings that have come out of such a grizzly discovery. They are all still in a safe house while CPS and the police are gather evidence and mount their case. There is no resistance or doubt that this has been happening on the part of the authorties so that's good (good in the sense it helps gather info - not good in the sense that it really did happen) Please do keep them in your prayers, they are being heard and felt.

I might be hit and miss this week. I'm going to try to post daily as I like the break but I have a couple HUMUNGO deadlines at work that will have me working around the clock. No worries if I'm not here. If things get bad - or I catch that death of a cold Beth had I'll let y'all know.

And to end on a happy note, Kate is officially walking. Pictures soon.

OH! and if I haven't told you this lately, I love you each one of you so much. Please know that. 

bad, bad news

After a fun filled weekend of swimming and scrapbooking I just got tragic news. I can't get into too much detail but a family who I love deeply is devestated tonight. A child has been hurt in the most unimaginable way by the most trusted man in her life. My weekend recap posts will have to wait. In the meantime I ask that you pray. Pray hard. Please.

Please pray she will be okay.
Please pray her mother can be strong.
Please pray that this 'man' will go to prison.
Please pray that there are no others.
Please pray for them all.

please....

maybe it's just me

But dammit if I don't think this is the cutest thing ever.

 

Noah and Kaila were playing ball outside Sunday morning (yes we skipped church - sinners!) when Sarah decided she wanted to watch from outside. She didn't want to play. She just wanted to watch. She was still in her jammies and barefoot so I really didn't want her 'officially' outside but she, in her native 2 1/2 year old speak, told me that she wanted to just sit at the door. It sounded like this, "no (okay that's always pretty clear) jus wan sit"

So she opened the door just wide enough to slip out. Then she, very deliberately, put each foot down juuuust past the threshold, slowly lowering her bottom down so that her back against the door. The topper was when she placed her folded hands in her lap. AAHHH!!! the CUTENESS. Look it up in Websters...that is what you'll find. Come on do it! Look it up, I dare ya! LOL

I didn't last not but then ot much does when you are two. It was just long enough to snag the camera and get a shot - and well have digital proof that my windows really need cleaned. :) 

the week of the bubbles

so what was it, last week, that Kerry (ERR someone teach me how to link please!) found bubbles in her toilet? Well this week it's my turn.

 

I feel rather silly actually. Like someone from a cheesy sitcom. I mean doens't this crap only happen on bad tv? Guess not, cuz I did it. Can't even blame it on Peter!

We were out of dishwashing detergent so I used the liquid dish soap. DOH! I didn't use much of it and I SWEAR I'd done this before without incident. This time it backfired though and I ended up with bubbles all over the floor.

But my dishes were nice and squeeky clean! :) 

this is us

 
yes, tooooooootal copy from Shanna's half-face picture with her sister. I actually searched her blog this weekend so I could refresh my memory. I couldn't find it there so I searched 2peas and THERE IT WAS! Horray!

I can't wait to scrap it. I do believe I will call the page "accidentally on purpose"

Love,
m

p.s. It boggles my mind how Peter thinks I have blue eyes. 

the beaded payload

There's an American Express commercial in here somewhere, I just know it. I plan on scrapbooking a page of our breading weekend and want to do journalling like that. Lemme give it a shot.

Trip for two to the bead store for crystals, head pins, toggles and other random, but very "necessary", gemstones: $295

Lunch for two adults including 'bribe-food' cookies and sodas for 2 children for begin good at the bead store: $19.85

Second trip for two to the bead store for more random gemstones and much needed silver wire: $260

One half-size chocolate cake and two large diet sodas for midnight snack: $7.53

Staying up till 2 in the morning, 3 nights in a row, fueled by cake, diet soda and beer, and beading 8 bracelets, 9 pendant drops and one pair of earrings with my best friend: Priceless.

 

Seriously good times. 

in all fairness

These two are pretty damn cute too.

These were taken at Kate's birthday in April. We went to Chili's with the family. About as low key as you can get, just the way we like it.
 
coming next...the whipped cream pictures....



they are of KATE eating whipped cream....you perverts ;) sheesh 

yummmy

I could just eat this girl up. This pic is from Noah birthday back in March but I just love it. It's not great but it makes me happy.
  

wondering what I've been up to?

Well this is one of the most recent projects that's been keeping me away.

This is only 4 of the 54 pages this book ended up being. It's a gratitude journal of sorts for the Nun who teaching the OCIA (or brainwashing class as I call it) at my church. She's leaving us after 11 years so I thought I'd just wipe this up (bwhahahah)
  

I'm here

well sorta.

Been a hard week...and yikes, it's only Tuesday. My mouth pain came back hard and heavy Saturday night. Been nursing that.

Had this HUGE church scrapbook to finish sunday. Got it done and it's amazing. I'll post some pictures, when I get to downloading them.

Then volunteered for another huge project for Noah's teachers that's due Friday. Open mouth insert foot.

Of course, I have a class tomorrow that's still not kitted LOL I'm such a dork!

Then, as a major bummer, my very dear, totally wonderful, super amazing, Great Aunt Kathy has only days to live. She has stage 4 breast cancer and is in a hospice house. I've had to wrestle with that sadness. She's super duper busy with visitors around the clock. She was a school teacher forever and has a HUUUUUUUGE following. My dad is there now and has been playing "door monitor" there are so many people. Her husband takes the night shifts and reads her all the incoming emails. she loves it. So I finally wrote my mammoth 3 pager last night and called her today. Strange (and hard and sad and sucky) talking to someone knowing you won't be talking to them again.

So that's what's up. I haven't od'ed on the crack. But I kinda have on reality.

feeling better

The high is gone.
The pain has subsided.
I remember my name.
Things are looking up.

:)

weeeeeeeeeeeee

drugs..............are..............good.................

I'll do a 'real' post tomorrow. If I remember who I am

and how to log on to the net

and if I get out of this drug induced stupor that has taken away the pain....



aaahhh......no pain.... it's a good thing. You think Martha would say that about drugs? It's a good thing? Probably not. Normally I wouldn't either. But I know now how people get hooked on this stuff. I tell you what, if I lived with pain like so many people do I'd be hustlin' my tail off the get me some'mo of this.

Yes, I'm rambling. Yes, I'm high. Time for nighty night. :)

JUST SAY NO! LOL

ow

My mouth hurts. Can I just say that oral surgery sucks?

In case y'all were wondering, when a surgeon says you're going to be in pain for 2 days they mean actual PAIN. They imply (or I hope) that after 2 days you'll be back to normal.

THEY LIE.
I'm not.

Sure, the major pain is gone after those 2 little days. Big whoop. The soreness, throbbing, tightness and fatigue is still there. And if feels like it's never going to go away.

So that's where I've been. Been on my couch sleeping on an icepack, eating ice (okay so that's one good thing - being ordered to eat ice) and wishing I could take this surgery thing back.

And to think I've dealt the with pain of childbirth...

I owe a big HUGE shout out to my friends

Seriously, I have great friends, and I need to thank them.

I had oral surgery today. As a result I had some coordination issues to deal with. Mainly, who was going to take care of Kate for the day. It was quite complicated as my day, as is everyone else's, is full of all those motherly duties. I booked this surgery at a very bad time for Peter's work (much to his dismay) so that was another complication.

I had to get Noah ready to school pick up. Then get Sarah to school. Then do whatever I figured out to do with Kate for the entire day. Then figure out how to get too and from the surgeon. Figure out how was going to pick up the kids,include the carpool kids, from school.

As this while on my dose of valium! haha

Well Beth ( sorry can't figure out to make a hot link) http://mcgrathmania.blogspot.com/
TOTALLY saved the day with Kate. As per her usually awesome self she took Kate for the entire day. Even dropped her back home at 5:00. I am so thankful for that. Really. I love you Beth. I couldn't have done it without you.

Then Kaelene and her mom made dinner for the family, brought it over and SERVED it up for us. AWESOME stuff. She made a to-die-for meat pie, au grautin potatoes and steamed veggies. It was perfect. I'm only supposed to be eating cold, non spicy foods yes. But this was just too good to not eat. I let everything was cool down and ate slowly and carefully - and I don't regret it. Not even a little bit.

So thank you my friends. Thank you! You made my day. You made this day easy. It hasn't gone unnoticed.

I love you both!

I love flowers

Just had to say that. I love them. They make me smile.
 
I know I'm a little late, but HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

love,
m 

the little white stool

So I was at the Goodwill a couple weeks ago and ran across this little white step stool. I decided to pick it up because, a.)it was in good condition b.) Sarah could use it to reach the sink and c.) it was only 4 bucks.

 
You see, Sarah is starting to potty train (Fun for me) so I figured being able to reach the sink all by herself would be a good idea. Yes, I realize, this earns me the Mother-of-the-year award! So I buy it.

Well that has to have been the best 4 bucks I've ever spent. She loves this thing. And I mean L.O.V.E. She carries it everywhere. She even tries to take it with her in the car. I do draw the there. I mean I can't be driving around in my oh-so-sexy mini-van with a 2 year who's got a step stool on her lap. That would just be too much ;)

So she doesn't get to take it everywhere but it does sit still for long.
Sometimes she sits on it.
Sometimes she stands holding it.
Sometimes she flips it over and lays next to it.
Sometimes she carries it around like it's a baby doll.

It's all good. I don't mind. I do find it slightly ironic that the stool that I bought so she can be a big girl and wash her hands without being smushed into the vanity while I hold her up doens't actually spend much time in the bathroom. 

it's saturday night and I ain't got no'body

okay I do got someone.
and man do I love him.
 
Just a super quick note before I go out because I haven't updated in 2 days.

Peter's taking me to dinner and a movie for my birthday/mother's day/date night/just for the hell of it. I'm excited.

so I'm waiting on him (yes this is a first) and thought I'd say hi. and bye!

love,
m 

Shanna, have you seen this? (and can I post it teehee)

Did I ever show you this page of your OOOOOOOOH SO CUTE Cassidy?????? I love it. Well I love the picture so much and scrapping it was fun :)

  

bless his heart

So I take the pictures in the family. I've tried to get Peter to take some and sometimes he actually does. He loves my camera so that does make it easier (It is a fun camera :) )

So I was watching Kate and Sarah in the shade a couple games ago so Peter took the camera. He got a couple really nice shots too. I keep telling him to just shoot and shoot. I can either throw them away later or, like in this case, make fun of him.

You see, when I say "take lots of pictures" I'm not kidding around. I mean to A L O T of pictures. But I suppose I do mean pictures of someone who is MOVING. Or at least doing something. Peter took me literally and just kept shooting away with not real thought as to how exactly the same the pictures were going to be.
 
Case in point. Here are nine shots of Noah's backside. And yes, believe it or not these are 9 DIFFERENT shots. Hard to tell huh? Noah's hasn't budged. Not even a little bit.

Granted, I like the shot. It's cool how he's in "gunfighter" position. Being ready for the ball is good. But 9 shots, really? That's necessary? hahaha I asked Peter about it and he just laughed his ass off. He's thinks it's totally funny. And I'll admit, I think it's funny too. I think I might try to do a page about it even. :)

Have I mentioned how much I love digital? I could have found out at 20 cents a piece and 1/3 of roll of film that Noah actually can stand still for 9 seconds. 

  

that's better

I couldn't leave you with a messy Katie.
 
Here's our thumbsucker.


mmm...can't even talk. I just wanna look at her. 

Okay Beth!

You asked for it you got it! Here's a picture from this year!   

Holy Crap - this was 6 months ago!

This is Kate, SIX MONTHS AGO. This is at her baptism which was december 11, 2005. She turned one in April. Wow....I've really lost a lot of time haven't I?
 
aw well. what's a little lost time. This is who I've spent it with :) Can't be that. 

Kids 1 and 2

I'm brilliant...send out an email to people that I'm updating my blog again...mention how I'm braggin about my kiddos...and don't even have a good picture of any of them. Sorry about that!

Here's Noah and Sarah taken at Kate's Baptism a couple months ago.
 
I dunno...I think they're pretty damn cute. don't you?! 

check it!

I took the plunge. After how long with my first Quick Kutz? Like 2 years? And 2 years of HATING it I decided to get the new and improved 'SQUEEZE'. It was the 'studio' font that did me in. I couldn't stand not having it. Well that and I had the option of getting the tool in PINK. aaahh...I love pink. I figure even if I hate this one too it's too cute to pack away. At least I'll be able to enjoy the look of it.
 

I also got the punctuation set. Love it. My tool (have to admit I feel like a 'tool' saying "my tool" but alas...that is what it is) also came with the "Olivia" font. It's dang cute! I just did a page for the Scrappin' Sampler I'm working at down at Scrapbooks, Etc. for National Scrapbook Day. It's cute, simple - but cute. I used the square brackets [ ] like in [randomness] and the studio font. It says " i [heart] u" Well except the heart doesn't actually say heart - it's a shape. UGH! I'm making it sound lame. I'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. 

It's a hit!

Here's my little stud. Man he's cute, isn't he?
This was is first at bat. He got a single on this one. Second was a double and his he got a homerun on this third at bat. He rocks!

 

Good job to Peter who took this shot! He got some good ones. Thanks babe! 

do we like this template???

Look around. Like it? The Architectural stuff up there in the right is cool...especially cool being in pink. And it's clean and simple, which I like. But really, I need help. I can't find a template I REALLY like. Well the one Maddy has is cool. My favorite out of the Blogger one...but Maddy has it and, well, I don't want to be a copy cat. *wink*

SO!? Should I keep this one? Or should I keep looking???

I ask because I really want to add my favorite blogs to my blog but I lose all that 'custom' stuff when I change my template style (which is why all y'all aren't linked anymore :( )

should it stay or should it go???

m

He doesn't even know me

I'm offically crushed. My husband doens't even know me. He thinks my eyes are blue. BLUE!?!?!?

I think not - here's the proof.


  

two cornies on a plate

This is for real. I'm not kidding. We cooked corndogs on Valentine's Day (not sure where that ranks on the "pathetic at romance" meter but it's gotta be up there) and this is what we got. Happy little cornies...
 
And people don't believe in signs... :) 

I'll show you mine....

will you show me yours?
Your DESKTOP I mean - you freaks!

This is mine. This has been my desktop for over 2 years. I should update it as I've had another whole kid (who just turned one) since this picture has been taken. But I just love it. Sarah's cute chubby arms and hairless head. CUTENESS!

I'll admit I got this itea from a thread on 2peas (again I need to learn how to link) but I thought it was cute. come on, let me see yours!

must.have.this

I really really REEEEEALLY need to make myself one of these. Or have someone ***calling someone*** make me one of these. I saw this on Cathy Z's blog. (I need to learn how to do a link thing ugh)


I LOVE IT! love love love....

must...... have............this...........

Someone please hook a girl up :)

this is me

Just playing around now that my image thing is working. This is a page I did for Hall of Fame. Didn't win, didn't deserve to (I realize now) but I've got a fun page about myself that I wouldn't have done otherwise.

okay OKAYYYY I'm updating

Yeah...been a total slacker about this whole blog thing. SORRY! Saw my friend Tammi on Saturday and she said, "yeah I thought you let it expire or something" Okay, that's not good. Especially when I don't think this even has an expiration date.

One of the problems, besides just not having the time and the energy at the same time, is that blogger wasn't totally working right. Like I couldn't insert an image without all this drama. I create enough drama on my own I don't need any help from Blogger, thank you very much. So that was annoying and I like having pictures. But that teeny tiny mountain icon that's the 'insert image' button seems to be working so I can add pictures now. woo hoo!

I say all that and this post won't have pictures...but that's another story. ;)

Wanna know why? no? too bad! Here's why. I suck. yep! I was having problems with my camera and didn't know how (okay I didn't even try) to fix it. I finally did today. Pretty simple really. I had to change the curvy graph picture to just the picture and not the picture and the 'raw' symbol. Yeah, lame huh? don't know how that got changed but when it was on that raw thingie I was only able to take like 60 pictures (rather that 260) and that was just a pain in the ass. I mean why have a 1 gig card when you can only take 60 pictures. But it's all good now. THANK GOD!

So the first thing I took pictures of was this stupid little step stool I got for 4 bucks at the Goodwill. I bought it for Sarah so she could wash her hands after going pee pee (we are potty training........fun) Well this is now her all time favorite thing. The stool that is, not washing her hands. Well, I take that back. She pretty much loves washing her hands too. Lake Mead is probably a foot lower with all the water she's wasting washing her hands. What's crazy is that they are still always sticky. Haven't figured that one out yet. Guess that's the life of a 2 year old.

but I digress...

oh yeah! The stool. So she loooooooves this thing. She carries it everwhere. She stands on it to turn on the tv. She does this even though she can easily reach the buttons. She sits on it next to me when I'm playing with Katie on the floor. She puts it in front of the coffee table and stands next to it while watching TV in the family room. It's like it's just gotta be near. It's kinda funny....kinda annoying. Annoying because when it's time to go out and this stool is glued to her hip it's hard to explain to her that she can't take in the car with her.

Fortunately, my kids are pretty good about leaving things at home. Otherwise I could see her sitting there in her carseat with this big ass step stool on her lap. Some battles are not worth fighting, ya know?

All in all I guess it was 4 bucks well spent. :)

okay OKAYYYY I'm updating

Yeah...been a total slacker about this whole blog thing. SORRY! Saw my friend Tammi on Saturday and she said, "yeah I thought you let it expire or something" Okay, that's not good. Especially when I don't think this even has an expiration date.

One of the problems, besides just not having the time and the energy at the same time, is that blogger wasn't totally working right. Like I couldn't insert an image without all this drama. I create enough drama on my own I don't need any help from Blogger, thank you very much. So that was annoying and I like having pictures. But that teeny tiny mountain icon that's the 'insert image' button seems to be working so I can add pictures now. woo hoo!

I say all that and this post won't have pictures...but that's another story. ;)

Wanna know why? no? too bad! Here's why. I suck. yep! I was having problems with my camera and didn't know how (okay I didn't even try) to fix it. I finally did today. Pretty simple really. I had to change the curvy graph picture to just the picture and not the picture and the 'raw' symbol. Yeah, lame huh? don't know how that got changed but when it was on that raw thingie I was only able to take like 60 pictures (rather that 260) and that was just a pain in the ass. I mean why have a 1 gig card when you can only take 60 pictures. But it's all good now. THANK GOD!

So the first thing I took pictures of was this stupid little step stool I got for 4 bucks at the Goodwill. I bought it for Sarah so she could wash her hands after going pee pee (we are potty training........fun) Well this is now her all time favorite thing. The stool that is, not washing her hands. Well, I take that back. She pretty much loves washing her hands too. Lake Mead is probably a foot lower with all the water she's wasting washing her hands. What's crazy is that they are still always sticky. Haven't figured that one out yet. Guess that's the life of a 2 year old.

but I digress...

oh yeah! The stool. So she loooooooves this thing. She carries it everwhere. She stands on it to turn on the tv. She does this even though she can easily reach the buttons. She sits on it next to me when I'm playing with Katie on the floor. She puts it in front of the coffee table and stands next to it while watching TV in the family room. It's like it's just gotta be near. It's kinda funny....kinda annoying. Annoying because when it's time to go out and this stool is glued to her hip it's hard to explain to her that she can't take in the car with her.

Fortunately, my kids are pretty good about leaving things at home. Otherwise I could see her sitting there in her carseat with this big ass step stool on her lap. Some battles are not worth fighting, ya know?

All in all I guess it was 4 bucks well spent. :)