Thursday, December 31, 2009

Out With The Old...

You know, I really don't know how I feel about the coming of the new year. I am not one, honestly, to make a decision to change/renew/redo something and then wait until the new year to put that plan in motion, so I don't know what a new year really changes for me. It is not my birthday, so I am not suddenly one year older. It is not much of anything for me. It is just a new day. And, the start of a new year. So, I guess that means it is what it is and nothing more.

Is that sad? Is that wrong? Is that ok?

Who knows?

To those who make changes, at the start of the new year, good luck! If I can help, let me know, I will do my best to do so. For those who do not start anything new at the beginning of the new year, good luck to you too!

To all of you out there, with each new day, make the best of the life God has given you! I know I am trying to, even if I don't always succeed! I am only human, after all!

Be careful, be safe, and be you, in the coming new year!

Love, Jamie

Monday, December 28, 2009

Big #2!


Look whose awake!?

Already feeling sassy!

She refuses to look at me!

This evening when I got home from getting some groceries and a little birthday present, we had tiny cupcakes and ice cream to celebrate Meeeeema turning two!

This is so funny! She is trying on her new shirt!

Eating her baby cake!

She is showing me she is 2!

Mommy's littlest big girl!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas is almost over. I was shutting off my phone, to go to bed, and it just hit me that Christmas is almost over and I am sad to see it go. Until next year, farewell Christmas! May your spirit of good tidings and cheer remain in our hearts, until we meet again!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Monday, December 21, 2009

It is almost here and I am ALMOST prepared!

How are all of you doing?

Checking things off that list?

Have the preparations been made?

Are you on the naughty list, or the nice list? Me too!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Friday, December 18, 2009

More Kiddie Speak

Now, first off, I want to say that the only thing making ANY noise at all in my house right now, is the washing machine. With that said, I present you with a kiddie dialogue from literally 37 seconds ago...

"What's dat?" Meeeema asked in a very puzzled and half nervous voice.

"Nothing," I said.

Again, she says, "What's dat?"

Boog replies, "Oh, dat, it's da wind!"

All the while, I am telling myself that it is not the wind, because there is no wind, right now!

Then, I realize she is talking about the washing machine, which happens to be on spin cycle, so I tell her that is it the washing machine.

"Wating kachine?" Meeeeema questions.

"Yep, it's da wating matine," Boog says, like she just solved a mystery!

Meeeeema, apparently settling into the fact that Boog just solved the world's problems by finding the source of the noise, says, "Oh, da wating kachine!"



I think they should come with a language chart! Meeeeema and I almost had a war over the fact that she could not find her "gubs" one day and it really took me a while to figure out that she wanted her mittens. Also, you should have been here when she wanted "kakick," which happens to be chapstick, for those who don't speak kidese! It is amazing that I have made it this far!

Have a great day!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

What Do YOU Do?

First off, let me start by defending my parenting skills, because what I am about to tell you will be appalling, at best! I do not normally do anything of the sort, but in this instance, I had to make the best of the situation, so I did!

So, I put my almost 2 year old Meeeeema into the high chair, so I can get breakfast for her, Boog and myself. And, when I got her all settled in, I asked her what she wanted to eat. She reached her meaty little finger out and said, "tips," to which I replied, "CHIPS?" She said, "yep!" I said, "Not in the morning, not for breakfast?" She immediately decided that I had it all wrong and said, again, "tips!" I said, "You know what, chips it is!" So, I sat down next to her and we had chips! After we had chips, she consented to eating a bowl of cereal and I had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter on it!

Boog hadn't even stopped petting the dog yet, so she did not know what was going on, or she would want chips again tomorrow, but that is probably a whole other problem!

This Just In!

Boog says, "I wike two and I wike sree and I wike pour and I wike eight!"

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep, and I wike mashed tatatos!" she replied.




Can someone please tell me what just happened there? I am still lost!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Pic-O-Blog

For those of you who don't follow my Pic-O-Blog, you might take an interest in the post I just made over there! We did something "fun" last night!

http://mommabpicoblog.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Do You Remember?

Do you remember when I posted the pics of the quilt I made for the neighbors? Well, if you do, then you will be able to follow the rest of the story.

Last night, someone knocked on the door, mind you, I was all fancied up in my sweats and eating a bowl of chili and the person at the door was for me! Aaaaaaaaaaaah! So, I got off my barstool and carried my happy butt into the living room, only to find my neighbor with a tray full of the most wonderful goodies!

He is such a sweet man and his wife is a very nice lady too! They apparently decided that they should bring something as a thank you for the quilt that I made for them. I tried to tell him that they did not have to bring anything, but he was not hearing of it. He just kept explaining things to me about the care of the dish, which I had just assumed I would be taking back, so I guess that was his way of telling me to keep it too! What a wonderful way to say thank you, even though thank you was more than enough!



Doesn't it look wonderful? It is a pan of peanut butter rice crispie treats!

Jealous?

I thought so!

What a wonderful gesture!

We really appreciate it!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Wish you were here!

I hope the angels made a cake for you!

I know I would have!

I hope they love you as much as we do!

Have a great day today!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Today

Today, I HATE having ovaries!











Ya, that's all I've got to say!

Have a great day!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Kids!

How is it that a child who needs 8-10 hours of sleep at night, needs a two hour nap after being awake for four hours, but then after said two hour nap is ready to stay awake for another eight hours?!?!?!?

SOME PLEASE EXPLAIN IT TO ME?!!?!??

Monday, November 30, 2009

Chores

You know, my oldest son is responsible, or irresponsible, depending on who you ask, for all of the trash in the house. He is supposed to take out the bathroom and kitchen trash, when it needs taking and he is also supposed to empty the recycling, when it needs emptying. He is not great at it, but if I have a really big stick in my hand, ok, so maybe not a really big stick, but maybe a smaller stick...no stick, but you get the point, he takes care of his responsibilities enough to avoid certain death! He is also supposed to take care of the dog. She is to be brushed daily, so her hair is not all over my house. This just means I have to sweep more than once a day, if I don't want her hair all over the house, because as you have already guessed, the boy is not a great dog brusher either! He is 12. I don't expect him to really care about much, but I expect him to want to avoid being in trouble just enough to take care of business, when I am about to blow! Yep, that's what I expect! And, he is supposed to feed and water her, which is why she looks like a doggy tv star! Her girlish figure is not a chosen physique! He decides when she should be fed and watered! Again, this just means mom has to pick up the slack after he leaves for school and then mom also has to freak out when he gets home from school, because he didn't do what he said he had done! *cue the smoke billowing out of my ears!*

Anyway, I was sort of getting to the point...

I decided that the other kids need jobs. I am SO TIRED of my family watching my wheels spin, until all the cogs get mangled, that I thought a long weekend would be best spent with 6, 7 and 10 year old kids helping with laundry. I had Ponch and Bake putting the laundry in the washer and dryer, respectively and then Bucko had to help my fold it. It went pretty well, other than me having to hop up and chase Ponch down several thousand times, for yelling and screaming at me, when I asked/told her to get the laundry out of the dryer, but that is to be expected, since that is the relationship standard that she and I live by! (I can't stand it, but she is so trying and I am not going to give an inch, so it is what it is!) Bucko said he liked helping me fold the clothes and Bake asked if laundry could be one of his regular jobs. I think I could get used to this!

How was your weekend?

I hope it was great! I hope Thanksgiving was a nice time for family, food and fun!

Have a great day!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Ghostly Encounter?

Ghostly encounter? I think NOT! I am sitting here catching up, while my family sleeps! Yep, you all know how I feel, I am sure! I just thought since it is Sunday and I have to get things in order for Sunday School anyway, I would get a few other things done. Yes, I usually mess around until it is likely that I will have wet hair at church, but that is another story! Anyway, I just happened to move my foot a little and someone said "hello," which completely creeped me out and for a fraction of a second, I thought I was hearing something "ghostly," but then I looked down to see that there is a toy phone, half open, in the toy play pen. I must have moved just right, so that it would talk to me! Lucky me! I nearly had a heart attack and for what?! A toy phone?! Jeez!!!

I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving and Survived Black Friday! I still don't think I will EVER shop on that day! I just don't care to want to smash the person next to me, just so I can get a Barbie doll 2 dollars cheaper than I can any other day! Some people get crazy over a bargain!

Anyway, have a great day!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my blogging friends!

May you all be safe and blessed this holiday and every day after!

Thanks for being you and thanks for putting up with me!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A+B=WOW!

cup of spiced chai (at home)

+

1/2 spoon full of cocoa powder

=

SUPERFABULISTICHAPPYMOMMYDOCIOUS!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Another Kiddie Translation!

This is good stuff!

To set the stage, you must first know that my sister and I and both of my little girls were in the kitchen, so the girls could eat lunch. I was talking about always having to go to the bathroom, because I drink so much, during the day. And, then, it happened...

"All I do is drink and pee, drink and pee," I said.

"Drink and pee, drink and pee," my sister said in a sing-song voice.

"MOM, you don't dink yow pee! Dat's doss," said Boog, in a very matter of fact way!

I nearly died laughing, as I explained to her that I did not say I drink my pee! Jeez, and that I don't ever want to hear that she does that either, not that I think that will be a problem, with her response, at the very thought!

I hope your day was great!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Could someone please tell me why the task of dumping leftovers that have been left over too long seems like an Earth moving stunt today? UGH! I don't want ta! Do I have ta? Well, I'm not gunna!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Hmmm?

You know, I have been absent again lately. I have struggled to figure out why. I am pretty sure I have figured it out, but it doesn't make it any easier to live with.

I know that I talk about losing my mom, a lot, and I sometimes think others would probably like for me to just "get over it," but I don't think that will ever really come to be. I miss her. I can't change that. I don't want to. I loved and still love her SO MUCH! I want to feel her presence. I want to hug her tight, even though that is not something we were big on, when she was here. I want to give her a big goofy kiss, so she knows I love her. I really want all of those things. I know that I can't have them, but I desperately want them to be possible! I miss her so much!

I have been fighting with feelings for so long that I started getting confused about what exactly was/is causing the pain. I have recently started dreaming about others who have passed and I think that it is my mind's way of recognizing that any one and everyone does and will die. I can not stop it. I would not, even if I could, because I know God has a plan, even when I don't understand it. Still, I miss her. As I sit here with tears welling up in my eyes, I think we should all love a little deeper, while we can, because WE, you, me, they, he, she and even the it set does not know when we will no longer have the opportunity to love and that is hard to swallow!

Thanksgiving will soon be here. What are we thankful for?

Me, I am thankful for having a completely insane, super strong, sometimes grouchy, always smiling, (unless you broke something you shouldn't have) crazy hermit lady who worked from home, coffee drinking, dishes hating, fun-loving, wonderful person raise me!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I Copied This Post...

Please take a moment to look over this post. I copied it from the blog address below. Deb works in Liberia and could use our help!

http://debinliberia.blogspot.com/2009/11/send-some-joy-to-liberia-this-christmas.html

One of my favorite things over the last year working in Liberia has been, by far, CHRISTMAS!


It is amazing how simple it is-- a Christmas bundle filled with pencils, an orange, a toothbrush, a small toy and a few pieces of candy, flip-flops, a new set of clothes and a Christmas greeting from someone who cares. Very small by American standards, but for most of these kids it is the only gift they will receive this year and it is something of their very own. It is a day for each one to feel especially loved and unique, not just one of the crowd. Words cannot describe the look of pure joy each child has as they come up to claim their gift bundle and new clothes. I will never forget one boy last year who's entire countenance changed when he received his gifts. Bright smile from ear to ear and eyes sparkling, he looked radiant in his new yellow shirt as he clung to his new Hot Wheels car and school supplies in his bundle. And these precious children give something in return: a hug, smile, shy giggle and whispered thanks or a sweet chorus of familiar Liberian-accented Christmas carols. It is an honor to be able to serve such and amazing group of kids. I feel selfish really-- they give so much more to me than I could ever bring them.

Last Christmas Orphan Relief and Rescue brought Christmas to 135 children. Together we can increase that number this Christmas. We really need your help: $25 and a few moments to write a Christmas greeting can really bring joy to a child in Liberia this Christmas.

Go to the Christmas page at www.orphanreliefandrescue.org to see last year's joy, and help make Christmas even bigger and more special this year!

WooHoo...

WooHoo! Yep, I am excited! I am not exactly sure why, but I am! I came home, from getting millions of groceries, yesterday to an email about a craft show this weekend! Somehow, I had not seen anything about it until she sent me the email. It is not anything earth shattering, but from 9-2 on Saturday I get to pedal my wares! Dumb right? If you, and I know some of you are, are trapped at home all day and feel like you do not have a means for contributing to your household needs, you know what I am talking about! I am thrilled, even if I don't make much, because it is MINE!

Some days I feel like NOTHING is mine! I try to eat, after having made sure the masses have food, and someone wants a bite of my food...food--NOT MINE!

I have to pee and someone conveniently slides in under the crack in the door...bathroom time...NOT MINE!

I put on a shirt and try to look like I live among the rest of human kind and someone wipes a booger on me...clothes--NOT MINE!

I get ready for bed and as I settle in to lay my head on my pillow at night someone small rolls her curly locks right into my spot...bed--NOT MINE!

So, you see, if I can make $.15 that no one can lay claim to...WOOHOO, it's MINE!

I have been squirrel holing this money away, so as to help with Christmas, but for now...it's MINE!!!!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

New Post

I just put a new post on my pic-0-blog! Nothing Earth shattering, but I have been too busy for words lately, I guess, so I thought I would take a shot at a picture post! Lazy? YES! Effective? That too!

I hope you all had a great weekend! We had a pretty good time! We had a double birthday, but that is a whole other post!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Sleepy Time "Baby"

Last night when S and I were going to bed, Meeeema started flipping out to get into bed with us. She screamed and cried and all the other things kids do to get our attention! So, she won, because I am a sucker, for the most part, about them sleeping in our bed and feeling safe. With that said, I will fast forward just a bit to the part where I was telling Meeeeema she is a big girl...

"M, you are a big girl and you need to sleep in your own bed," I said.

"I ont wike it bid url," M replied.

"Oh, you don't like being a big girl," I questioned.

"No, I ont wike it bid url," she replied.

"Oh, so what are you, if you aren't a big girl?"

"My baby," she resounded!




Now, that was priceless! I could not believe that my 22 month old had enough of an idea of what she wanted to say to let me know she wants to be a baby and not a big girl!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

My Newest Creation!


I have been working on this new idea and here it is! Now, to perfect it and make it BEAUTIful!

Have a great day!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Overheard Them Playing...

Weend awound da wodsys

potets pull ob wodsys

atez, atez, we aw paw down!



Can you translate? How long has it been since you heard the sweet melody of words NOT well spoken? Do you miss it? As much as I protest now, I am sure I will too!

What Happens Next...

This is a question of which I can not speak, but would like to address, so PLEASE do not take offense! I will be skirting around an issue that is not about me, but easing my mind in doing so, so just flow with me on this one, ok?



What happens next? What happens when I finally realize that one wrong decision really can ruin my life? Where will I be? What will I be thinking? How will I handle it? What will I do? What happens next?

Will the door ever open again for me? Will I always feel alone? Will I understand my choices are the reason for my pain? What happens next?

What about my loved ones? What will they think? What will happen to them, in the time that I blink? What happens next?

How long will this go on? What will I be faced with? Will I survive the pain? What happens next?

How will I make it through this? How can I sustain, in this ever changing problem that I have created with no disdain? What happens next?

I must traverse, must make it through. There is nothing left to say, but what happens next?

Jamie

Friday, October 23, 2009

WHATEVER!

Whatever!

Whatever!

Whatever!

IF my child, 9 year old she devil that she is, decides to say WHATEVER to me ONE MORE TIME...







I will sell her to the gypsies!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Getting to be a BIG GIRL!

No, not me, silly, although right about Thanksgiving, that will be a true statement too! My little Meeeeema is getting to be such a big girl that she decided to put her own pajamas on last night. As you can see, she decided to leave her shirt on, so as to make things easier, while slipping her pajama shirt over her head, gently, I assure you! Ha! You should have seen her wrestling, pulling, yanking and completely freaking out trying to put this shirt on! It was very funny! She started off in my bedroom, where she got the pajamas from in the first place, and she was shrieking, which I was getting really irritated with, so I went to see what all the noise was about, when she came walking through the hall way just like this! Too, too funny!

What is even better is that she would not have even looked at me, if she knew I had the camera. I had to say, "show mommy what you are screaming about!" That is when she turned around and I snapped this!


Hope you are having a great day!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Wouldn't You Like To Know?!?

My kids, among other things, are driving me nuts!

With that said, I think I'll go have more tea!

Have a great night!

Hope you are all doing well!

One more quick note, I am thinking about having a kiddie garage sale next weekend!

Yep, selling me some kiddies next weekend!

Ha, maybe I'm kidding?

But, after today, maybe not!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Please take a moment to click...

Follow this link to a great giveaway for an even better cause!

It'll only take a second of your time!

http://browneyedgirl1489.blogspot.com/2009/10/breast-cancer-awareness-give-away.html

Again, no girl, mother, grandmother, sister, brother, father, uncle, aunt, bus driver, fire fighter, doctor, lawyer, grocery store clerk, or friend should ever have to loose someone TOO YOUNG to breast cancer!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Grief Quilt

I just wanted to drop a pic and show you the grief quilt I have been talking about, but in order to respect the family, I think I will only show you the one that is farther away. You will get to see my oldest boy that way. He is my clone. Poor kid, people even think he is me on the phone sometimes! Oh well, he'll grow out of that soon enough!


I can't tell you how rewarding it is to take one of these to a family who has lost someone they love! It is mentally taxing, but it is overwhelmingly rewarding too! I try to tie in some of the likes of the person lost, or in other cases, I try to tie in the likes of the recipient, depending on who it is for. In this case, I used some football material and his school colors. I like the way it turned out, flaws and all.

Hey, and this is one more thing marked off my list!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I have nothing witty to say, so I won't say anything at all! ha! Ok, so you know I don't do well with saying nothing, but I won't be saying much, because we seem to have another sick kid on our hands.

All that has been going on lately is enough to drive me to eat mass quantities of chocolate, even if I have to take it in iv form and you know how I feel about needles!

Unfortunately, good behavior has not been at the top of the list for my kids, even though it is a the top of my list for them! So, that means I have been just a little stressed!

I am actively working on the grief quilt that I have promised out. I am excited and sad about that. I feel like it drags sadness out, while helping heal feelings of sadness and loss of my own family members each time I work on a grief quilt for someone.

As I type, my 9 year old is accosting my 21 month old for throwing all of her food on the floor, but she is the sick one, so why would she want to eat anyway!

So, for the record, I have not disappeared, although sometimes I would like to. I am no closer to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, than I was the last time I wrote, but that's ok, because for a person like me, when I do see the light, I will probably be DEAD, so I will try and take being busy for what its worth and digest it the best that I can. I am thankful for my friends and family! I love them all dearly, even if my stress makes them want to choke me! And, I hope you are all doing well!

I am going back to sitting under a hot little girl, who wants her mommy and a "banket!"

Have a great day!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

stress, sanity, sickness, school

I am not really sure, but I am starting to think that I need a break! I don't know where or when I would squeeze one in though. You see, I have finally finished my oversized order and that feels great, but not really. My sister has an order too and I won't feel like I am all done, until she is all done. It is does not have anything to do with me, but that is the way I feel. Crazy, huh? Well, stay with me, because I will take you to planet Crazmar, where I am the reigning queen, and back in less than ten minutes!

I had this epiphany yesterday and it was not a good one! I have asked the family up the street if I could do a grief quilt for them. I love/hate doing these. I had never made a quilt at all before my mom died. When she died, I bought a sewing machine and made 16 lap sized quilts. I made them for her kids. I made them for her granddaughter, other than my own kids, and I made them for her best friends. I think that each time I made one, I healed a little. Also, though, each quilt brought out a few more feelings that made me sad, which is the reason for the love/hate relationship with these quilts. Anyway, back to the epiphany...I need to get this quilt done by the beginning of November, so the family can have it before the next anniversary of the death of their son, so I was thinking about all of the supplies that I need to buy for that and whether or not I can swing the cost, when I realized that I need to finish the quilt that all of my sister's friends and family members made squares for about TWO MONTHS AGO! Jeez! We didn't have the money and really still don't, but I can't leave that undone forever! How did I forget? How COULD I forget?! I owned up to it, because I bet she has been wondering too. I would hate for her to read this here and want to kill me, but rest assured she already knows.

I will also be making a quilt for a friend before too long. She will be taking her time finding fabrics that she loves, so that gives me a few weeks, if not longer. I need to get more details on that, because I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. Me? No way would I do that!!!

I hate long blog posts, but I can't stop now!

This Sunday I will be taking pics for a family. It is supposed to be frigid! I don't know if they will want to take them, but I sort of hope so, because the husband is on a swing shift and they will not be able to do it again for two more weeks and it could be even colder then! We will just have to see! I am pretty flexible, so it won't bother me either way. I can take a lot of pics in a little amount of time, even if there are icicles hanging off of my subject's noses!

Let's see, what else is there?

I don't know.

Oh, yep, the church bazaar. I started making a few crochet items with some yarn that one of the church ladies wanted to just give to me. I did not want to use it for personal gain, so I just told her I would make something for the bazaar with it. I only made a few things, because I have been so busy. Now, I only have until next Saturday, before it is the bazaar and I don't know if I will have time for anything else. I feel a little sad about that, but on the other hand, I promised to make cookies and things like that for their cookie room, so I am doing that next Thursday at home with my sister and Friday at a friend's house with my sister, daughter, friend's two girls and herself and maybe even me, if my head doesn't blow up first!

Did I mention that I have had a sick kid? Last Tuesday my oldest son did not go to practice. He went to school Wed. and came home feeling bad. He has not been back since! They did not have school Monday, so that means all totaled he has missed 4 days of school! He is a good kid, but not a stellar scholar, so this is going to be very hard to recover from! Add to that equation a crazy mother and a dad who always seems to be at work and you might have a destructive mess on your hands. Oh, no, you're right, it will be a destructive mess on MY hands! I can't wait! The fever finally broke, so he can go to school, but he has been coughing so much and so loud that the school is probably going to be angry with me. Yet, I am the one expected to help him catch back up! They will help, if he will let them help.

BTW, he does not have swine flu. He was tested and negative for that!

So, are you glad I have been keeping to myself lately? Even more happy that I saved it all up for one painfully long post? Sorry! It won't happen again! Well, not until Christmas time anyway!

Have great day!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

My page and my Etsy are both thinking pink this month, in honor of my Momma! I miss her terribly! September was 2 years since she died. She had breast cancer in 2004. She was given a clean bill of health somewhere along the lines. She was checked out every 3 months and then 6. She had gone in for a check up in June, I believe, and told that she was doing fine and her numbers were in check. In 2007, she was told that she was just depressed and that nothing was wrong with her, even though she was dying of secondary liver cancer. I seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on and that really angered me!! That actually pissed me off, rather severely! I watched her deteriorating before my eyes. I was pregnant with my last child, whom she never met, so I was more emotional than usual, but feelings are feeling and I knew I would miss her terribly when she was gone. She left this world September 19th 2007. She was my hero, although she was not perfect. I still miss her sitting her typing about this!

My sister and I support a Relay for Life team. We are friends with a few of the members and one of them keeps a running donation open all year long.

In the month of October, Sandy at http://www.capecodconsignments.etsy.com , Kylie at http://www.browneyedgirl1489.etsy.com , and I at http://www.MoMmAb7.etsy.com are all donating a portion of our sales to breast cancer awareness, but more importantly it will benefit all cancers, since the Relay for Life support more than just that.

Let's stomp out cancer!

No child, brother, sister, friend, mother, father, grandma, or grandpa should ever lose a loved one to this CRAP!

If you want to go straight to the horse's mouth, please visit http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/ and show your support!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Hey, Drop Me A Line!

If you are reading this, feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you are thinking! I have been stuck in this house, with yarn all around me, for over two weeks now. I am growing weary. I have a sick kid. I am tired. I am worn. I am a total whiner-baby, at this point. I need a break and do take small breaks, but since I have already run over what I thought was to be my original deadline, I am trying to work hard to get things finished. I even pulled a muscle in my neck some time close to 11p.m.! UGH!

So, how are you? I don't have time to read all of your blogs, although I would like to, but if you were to leave me some sort of comment, so I know what you have been up to, I would feel a little better about being on lockdown! I think I would anyway? If you have time and don't mind, send me a little piece of yourself, because I miss you!

Thanks!

Jamie

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

#200

I knew that my 200th post should be a big one, ha, not really! I am not really like that, but if my 200th post should have been a big one, I think this is the biggest big one it could be. It is not happy though. I was reading one of the blogs that I follow and found this post. Please say a prayer for Chloe. My heart goes out to them!

During the time I was reading up on some blogs I read about this beautiful family.


They are the Sullivan Family and they truly need our prayers...www.bandssullivan.blogspot.com

From what I read this is a family of a Husband/Wife and a adorable baby names Chloe. The Wife named Sara had breast cancer while she was pregnant with Chloe. She had Chloe last week and they were home just two days when things took a turn and Sara began to have a seizure. Since then she was put on life support and yesterday she went onto Heaven. The Husband is now to care for Chloe...

I know that our God knows the situation and he has a greater plan than we could ever imagine..

Please I ask that you would pray for them and stop by their blog and leave some words of encouragement & love.

Thank you,

Stephanie

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I AM SO EXCITED!

I made it into the Etsy Spotlight! My Halloween Candy Cauldron made it into the Storque Spotlight on Etsy.com! I am SOOOOOOO honored, I could flip!

WooHoo!

Yay me!




Hey, don't take it from me! I don't WiN very often and I am really feelin' like I did something right here! Maybe not, but they picked me and that feels good!

Now, back to crocheting my fingers off, so I can get my other order done!

Be back soon, I hope!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Here, now, we are catching up to the herd of Sweet Ants, making their trek for water across the wild wetlands known as the Bathroom Sinkengetti, when out of nowhere, there is a thunderous noise! What is that noise? Why, it seems to be coming from EVERYWHERE! That's right little ants, scurry! Scurry with all your might! There might be a chance if you can make it to the narrow space between the bathroom sink and the wall!

The signal of terror has been sounded and all of the ants charge back up the basin of the sink, their only intent is to get out of harms way! They have little hope! All hope is taken from them in one swipe as the giant beast they only know as MommaB swings her enormous and relentless hand down upon them, crushing half the herd with one smashing blow! That MommaB really is a beast! She says a whole slew of words that make no sense to the herd, but certainly mean death to all who enter!

With another swipe of her hand, she takes out the rest of the herd and thoughtlessly washes them down the sink, dead and alive alike.

Today we mourn the loss of the Sweet Ant herd that dared to make the trek across the wet Sinkengetti!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Gone Crazy!

Be back soon, if you're lucky!



Honestly, I have just started to some wholesale work for a lady and I will not be seeing much of you all for a while, but I will be thinking about you all! Some day, maybe I will just have a catch up day and see what I have been missing!

Farewell for a little while!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

You Get Me, Right?


Words to live by, my friends! Words to live by!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Why Is It...



Why is it that I decide I am going to do yoga and the little girls decide they are going to do yoga too? I mean, really! Why?! Why don't they let me breathe? I don't need any good mommy mumbo jumbo here either! I am talking about doing the Downward Dog with a head between my legs! I mean doing a plank with a monkey on my back! I try to lower myself down into a child's pose and smashing a small child, who refuses to get back, because momma' big butt is headed straight for her! I think I did yoga for 6 minutes before giving up, this time! I am AHHHHHHHH frustrated! Oh, it's time for 10 minute segment #2! Standby for more mommy drama!

Friday, September 11, 2009

For all of you creepy people...ha, just kidding, but...

I am not sure how it works when a post is updated, so for all of you who were wondering what I meant by the killer rash I got from picking those wild flowers, go back to my post about it and you will see the pic I put on there, from yesterday before I made it to the dr.!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

This is a pic I took with my phone, yesterday, before I went into the doctor's office. You like it?


*update* I am allergic to the beauties that are best left wild, so I guess it wasn't the bugs afterall! They gave me a SHOT and told me to take Claritin and go on about my itchy business! I only went, because I kept getting new welts and well, you know, looking like a leper is not something I am fond of!

My DUMB ASS (yep, I said it) decided to pick some wild flowers out of a ditch on my way home from getting diapers today. I have been eyeballing them for weeks, because they are bright yellow and they are beautiful!

The only problem is that they had these little black bugs all over them, so I thought I would just shake off the bugs! When that did not work, I hit them on the ground, until I decided the bugs were not going to come off, so I discarded them, or left them for dead, rather, in the middle of the country road! This is all well and good, right? There were a few of those bugs stuck to my hand, so I wiped them off on my pants and got back into my car.

Still good, right? Yep, or so I thought, until I went out to take my son, Z, to football practice. I got into the suburban and started driving. By the time I made it two miles out of town, my finger, right up around my ring, started to itch. This is not abnormal, considering the allergies that I have. After a little while, I realize the itch is traveling up my forearm. Still within the boundaries of normal itchy cooties, for me, but then I decided to throw some food in the crock pot and head back out to the park, with a few of the kids. We had a good time, short, but good, but I just kept itching like MAD! I am so stinking itchy that I decided to take Benadryl! I am COVERED in little and larger than little bites! They all itch so stinkin' bad I could scream! I am itching, as I type!

There are patches and clumps and welts and no I don't think I have poison anything! I think those little bastards got revenge on me for beating their family to death on the road!

Great idea, MommaB! You just had to have those pretty flowers for your table!!

UGH!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

An Affair To Remember!


Yep, that is ME in a DRESS!

I won't steal my sister's thunder by posting a picture of her whole wedding party, or her at all, but I thought I could get by with this!

This is something you won't often see!

Ok, so maybe I meant to say NEVER AGAIN!

I am convinced that dresses are not for me, but I kinda, almost, might have liked this dress.

I might even, possibly, sometime wear it again?

Others pictured here? The groom and two of my younger brothers!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I Give You Jack!

Yes, this is Jack!

Or, rather, this is my version of Jack Skellington!

Isn't he cute?

What, you think he is creepy?

Nah!

He is going to be a flower girl basket at my sister's wedding!

Don't look so appalled!

My sister's husband to be, really soon actually, has not gotten lucky enough to have his tastes reflected in anything in the wedding, other than the cake topper, but that is a whole other blog entry, so I made a little basket for one of the flower girls. The first basket is made of elegant brown silk. This one, is made of ELEGANT acrylic yarn! Yep, I said it, ELEGANT yarn! ha! I love yarn, but who am I kidding?!? Either way, it is cute, because it is a flair of personality, rather than the same old thing that everyone else who has ever gotten married has had! I am proud to help out!

I might add that he is a big fan of the movie the Nightmare Before Christmas. That explains the need for Jack's presence at the wedding!

Have a goulish, I mean great, day!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

If You Can't...

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can? Good question, right?

Great question until about 4 o'clock this afternoon, when I was finishing up putting groceries away. I take grandma, when she needs to go and today happened to be one of those days. All went fairly well, although the stores seemed to be packed. Dropping her off went smoothly and even unloading my car of kids and food! I am still fairly thankful for that!

But, I wish I knew where it all went wrong! I heard my husband pull up in the drive and I thought that I should finish putting the last few boxes of cereal away quickly, so I could run out the door and ask him to bring the juice boxes and diapers and wipes in, when he came in. I turned around quickly and rose up from the floor even faster and that, my internet friends, is when it happened! I busted my nose on the open cabinet door! I immediately realized that I could not see, so I crouched down on the floor! I waited there for a few seconds (most of forever) until my eyes were able to focus. My next step was to check for blood! My nose must have started running in sympathy for itself, because I would have sworn that I was going to be bleeding! Much to my delight, I was not! Ok, so maybe there was no delight any where to be found, but go with me on this, k?! I rose to my feet. I walked around in circles a bit and then out to the living room. After I realized that I was going to live, I started to cry. *@!% that hurt! I was so UGH!

Right about the time I had the "I'm gonna live" epiphany, my husband walked in and asked what was wrong! KILL ME! I mean, to say that I asked him to get the juice boxes and the diapers, through my tears.

Next grocery trip, he is putting EVERYTHING in those vile cabinets!

The boy.

The boy stayed home sick from football practice yesterday. Turns out, he was feeling a little more sadness than he wanted to let on. He said his head, back and stomach hurt. I had arranged to pick another boy up, or so I thought, so I just went into town anyway. When I got home, my husband and I, plus the three smallest kids, went for a bike ride, while S jogged. (still love my bike trailer!) When we got home from the bike ride, I made milkshakes! Yep, a little exercise and then a lot of garbage! In my defense, you should try pulling that trailer!

Around 8:30, which is extremely early for me, I decided to TRY to get the littlest one off to bed, which never really goes well. I decided that I would just read my book and see if she would take the bait. HA! Nice try, Lady! She had a ball running back and forth between me and her daddy, though. Finally, around 9, I shut the light off. I have been very tired lately. I am sure stress is a factor, but I know it will let up again soon, so I am not too concerned with it. While I was laying there, Z came in.

Fresh from his shower, Z came in and sat on the edge of my bed. After a few questions about why we did not keep Stafa inside, so she would have had a longer life, he was laying at the end of my bed. I don't think he ever started to cry, but he was deeply hurt by the loss of his dog. He said he had a hard time focusing on anything since her death. He said he does not want anything to do with our other dog (maybe afraid to get close to her, because she will die one day too?). I told him that she is hurting too. She lost her best friend too. She is so sad. She is a DUMB dog, but she is also a pretty good girl and she will learn as she goes along. He seemed alright with that.

I told him that the way he misses Stafa is the pain I feel when I think about my mom. It seems crazy that he would miss the dog more than he misses a human, but the dog was ALWAYS there for him. She never had to work, or take care of anything else. She was just there! He loved her so much. He seems so sad. It makes me sad, hurt down deep in your heart kind of sad.

I gave him the speech I give myself about my mom's death. You do not have to get OVER the loss of someone. EVER! You merely have to be able to get THROUGH the pain you feel from the loss. Some day, you will look on memories fondly, with a little sadness, whereas, you feel a lot of pain now and are not well able to think fondly. It is ok. Time is truly the distance your heart needs to let your mind cope with what you have been through.

I hope you are all well.

Jamie

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Farewell, Old Friend


Farewell, old friend. You will be missed.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Sweet As Sweet Can Be!


Look at my little beauty!


Isn't she sweet?


You bet she is,


until she wakes up!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

My Friends!

I have the best, most thoughtful, caring, loving, helpful friends, blog and otherwise, that a person could ask for! Thanks to all of you for your thoughts! I really appreciate you!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Feeling Like...

You know, I have not been on here much lately, because I have been feeling a little out of sorts. My sister's wedding is coming soon, but just two short weeks after that it will have been 2 years since my mom died. That day is looming overhead like a hurricane just off shore! It is driving me crazy! I still see her face in my mind. I see that she is young and crazy (sometimes good crazy and sometimes bad crazy!) and full of life, but I am wrong and she is not. Well, I am hoping Heaven can handle every bit of her, but she is no longer full of the life that I identify with and it is really wrecking my brain. Sometimes I find myself shutting down, and others I am a total bitch! I don't know what to do or where to turn to get this to stop. I know that the days leading up to an "event" usually mess with my head much worse than the day itself, but still!

I thought maybe spilling my guts would make me feel a little better. Maybe it will.

Please let me be clear, I am not soliciting attention. I am far from suicidal. I am just sad and pissed and crazy and lonely and miss MY MOM!

Good day.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Watching...

Watching a 3 year old eat is like watching paint dry on a day when the humidity is at 100%!


I guess she'll shower tomorrow, when she finishes her breakfast from today!


Why yes, I am rather impatient today! Why else would God allow the eating of a bowl of Apple Jacks to take all day, other than to teach ME a lesson in patience!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

School Starts Today!

School starts today...

BLAH!

One of the FOUR was up as soon as MY alarm went off!

The other THREE...NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!

Big fun, I tell ya! BIG, BIG FUN!

I think I am going to wake them up tomorrow and run away, until they leave for school! If I did, I might miss all the fighting, whining and arguing that seems to ensue in the wee hours of the morning, around here!

Hope you are having a great day!

(YES, I am yelling!)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Pray, Pray, Pray

*UPDATE*

I just wanted to let you know that my friend is doing better. She still has a little road in front of her, before things are where they need to be, but the important part is that she is here and she is still herself! Very much so, indeed! Thank you so much for all of your prayers!

My friend, and a friend to many of you, CH is being flown by helicopter, right now, to the Carle Hospital for treatment, because her heart is not working properly. I don't know any details, but I do know that this is NOT GOOD! I need help. I need to feel like I am doing everything I can to have God hear the plea to keep her here a little longer. I know that is selfish. I am not working on being unselfish at this moment, because she is raising her grandson and his dad just died less than a year ago. The grandson NEEDS her and she needs him too. Please pray for God to intervene and heal her condition, whatever it may be.

I know, I know, there is a plan much bigger, at hand, than what I may understand, but I am still asking you to pray that it would be God's will to save her life.

I am very worried.

Thanks,

Jamie

Monday, August 10, 2009

It Has Arrived!

The toy bag that Deb Robertson from Works In Progress made for my kids to hook to the back of the car seat came today! My 9 year old daughter, known in the blog world as Ponch, was SO EXCITED that she had to be the one to open it! Nothing like swiping my fun, but oh well!

Are you ready to see it?

You are entirely too impatient!

Ok, fine! Without further adieu...


Isn't it sooooo cool!!!?!!! The outside is covered in cars and the inside is airplanes and the boys are more than ready to use it!

Thanks so much DEB!!!!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

It Looks Like I've Missed A LOT!

We have been out of town for the last few days.

We got home today around 2:30.

We had a nice time.

We are EXHAUSTED!

We will miss our family in Indiana!

We will not miss the drive with all of the kids!

I am glad we went and I am even more glad to be home, but I feel like I have missed a lot over the last few days. I have a lot of catching up to do! I hope I can squeeze things in! I have to be ready for my sister's wedding shower tomorrow. I have to be ready for life again and I am not sure that I am, but I guess I will take the vacation hat off and put the real life hat back on. *sigh*

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Oh Man, This Is GONNA Be Great!

Ok, so I found another way to get my vegetables, while eating chocolate and I am STOKED! (Yet another word I NEVER say out loud!) This cake is so wonderful that I can not even explain it to you, but I will try!


Looks good, right? You should smell it! It has cocoa, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in it, so take a whiff of that! Just think of the warm cinnamon wafting through your kitchen and when your mouth starts watering, combine that lovely thought with the thought of cocoa and chocolate chips and tell me how you feel! Oh, did I mention that by chocolate chips I meant LOADS of chocolate chips? Ok, well, I meant to anyway!

There is something magical about getting up close and personal chocolate cake, isn't there? Good, I am glad you agree! I would hate to think I am the only one feeling this way! Not really, but I had to make you feel good!

Jealous, aren't you? Uh huh, keep tellin' yourself that!




I mentioned vegetables, right? Yep, again with the zucchini creations! Oh, but I could not help myself! My neighbor's momma brought me the zucchini and the recipe yesterday! I am in love and indebted to her, up to my ears! That was soooo super FABulous!

Want the recipe, so you can try it yourself?

Ok, I guess I'll share!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
by Mrs. Cook

3/4 c. oleo
2 c. sugar
3 eggs - 1 at a time
2 tsp vanilla
2 c shredded zucchini
2 1/2 c flour (i think i did a little less than that?)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp salt (i used sea salt)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c milk

Mix in order given. Bake at 350 for 1 hour in tube pan or 9x13 pan. You can add 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I might have used ALOT more than a cup! Oops!) and 1/2 - 1 c. chopped nuts. Top with a glaze = 2 c. powdered sugar and 3 tbsp milk + 1 tsp vanilla. (I used store milk chocolate frosting, because I am out of powdered sugar.)

Oh, I hope you enjoy, enjoy, ENJOY!




Friday, July 31, 2009

What I Did Yesterday!



This is me towing the line, so the branches won't fall on my house!
The boys were trying to help me, after they saw a limb jerk me forward, but they were told not to help, because it is easier for one person to control the rope as far as knowing when to release the line goes! I was perfectly happy with the security, but I tried to go with the flow!
The kids are "behaving" here!The tree remover's daughter was keeping Meeeeema occupied!
Tree Hugger?
Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimber!


Yep, this is what I did yesterday! UGH! I knew it was going to be hard work. They certainly earn every penny they make! (To think, out of the "kindness of their hearts," they let me help! ha! They were a man short, so I did not get a choice! Thank God my sister was around to keep the kids corralled! She would tell you, that is no easy task, when there is something like this going on!)

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Donna's Zucchini Bread

Now, I know what you are all thinking, or what I would be thinking if I were you anyway! Who is Donna? I don't know! No, really, but I thought she should get full credit for the wonderful zuc. bread recipe that I found on All Recipes.com! I will go ahead and give you the link to Donna's actual recipe too, because it is going to be too good to pass up! No, really! It has almonds and chocolate chips in it! That's right, CHOCOLATE and a vegetable together and it is Aaaawesome!
Boring old zucchini that my sister so graciously gave to me!


The fabulous mixture of Donna's zucchini bread!

Can you smell it?

Ha! Well, I can!


Mouth full of zucchini bread with chocolate chips and almonds! What could be better?

She can't think of a THING better than that!

What a good way to say, "kids, eat your vegetables!"

Friends

You know, I got the chance to run away with some of my girls last night and I must say, it was AAAAWESOME! Now, of course, they would tell you that I tried to get them run over by a semi, but that would just be an elaborate scheme to make me look bad! I would never! Ever! No, really, I wouldn't! I love them all way to much for that! They would also say that we talk waaay too much about boobs, when we are together! I would have to say that they are wrong about that too, because we each have two, so double the conversation about boobs should be just right, right?

We did so little and had such a good time. All I really wanted to do was be with them. I got all that I could ask for by just spending time with them. I really do love them all. I guess that is something I should have mentioned in my blessings blog entry. I could not feel more blessed to have such caring, loving, wonderful friends, long distance and short distance friends alike. I really do love them all! I can not say that enough!

Thanks to all of my friends, for being my friends! You are the best! I am so happy to have you in my life! I am so glad that you can stand me, even when I can't! I am so glad that you stuck around! I am so glad that you are you!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Guacamole


Guacamole is not something I have ever really been lucky enough to make successfully! I tried once and it was AWFUL! I did it the other day though and it was wonderful! And, why wouldn't it be with all of these fabulous ingredients in it!!!

Don't mind the fact that I did not use enough lemon juice though! We will pretend that I did not eat it when the entire top layer had turned brown the other day! Glad we got that straightened out! ( I guess I did not end up using the peppers, but they came out of my garden, along with the onions and the cilantro! I was so excited!)

Blessings

You know, I have been wanting to do a post of faith in man kind, or blessings, or something like that for a while now. I know that many people have their faith in the goodness of the human race shaken often, but in our situation of raising many kids, we see a lot of good-natured happenings. So, I believe it is about time to start handing out thank you's to the people who so graciously do not want to be identified!

For the "lady" who stuffed a $50 in my neighbor's hand, after she found out my husband lost his job, and made him bring it to us, so she could remain anonymous--THANK YOU!

For the repair man who did not try to stick us with the $900 part to repair our anti-lock brake nodule, but rather just unhooked the ABS system for us, until we can afford to get it repaired (before winter he says!) and at no charge to us, I might add--THANK YOU!

For the lady from church who brought us her garden green beans, because there were too many for them to eat, but not enough for her to care about canning--THANK YOU! (I even shared them with others!)

For those of you who heard my cries, fears and otherwise and pointed my husband in the direction of SOME work that could be done--THANK YOU SO MUCH!

For any of you who keep us company, invite us over--even though we are almost an army--say a kind word, when I am ready to implode, coloring my walls with brain fragments--THANK YOU TOO!

I completely, totally, unequivocally THANK YOU ALL for everything you do in kindness! It does not go unnoticed!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Lil Ones vs. BIG Ones!

First off, let me say that the kids helped me seed the garden! With that said, these are the carrots I have been finding in my garden.


And, these are the carrots that I found today!!!