Back Home

Ahhh! Back home.....yet it feels like I'm still on vacation. My brain, that is. We returned home Tuesday evening and even though I wanted to journal about a list of interesting things I could not form any cohesive thoughts on any subject. The unpacking is always a bore for me. It just reminds me that our time off has ended and its back to the everyday grind. Plus, we left so many little things laying around our house in our rush to leave that I had to clean up so I could "clean up." Not always fun.

We came home to such wonderful weather and while we were away so many of the trees around here have started to bud their little green leaves. What a difference five days makes.

And mother nature's choice of colors......(also my fav) are so crisp and fresh. Good reminders that spring is really here. I love the blue and the green together. That tree did not have all those green leaves when we left on Friday.

The cloud picture was taken last week, it was a HUGE cloud {the picture doesn't even do it justice}, after a rain storm. It was moving fast and in the time it took for me to run in and grab the camera the formation changed quickly, but its still awesome. This cloud had a 3-D effect going on. Placing itself right above our house, it was {seemingly} so close, like you could just climb up the roof and touch it.

Yesterday was spent doing all those everyday chores we have to do. Plus some grocery shopping. A trip to Wal-Mart and the Dollar Store however induced some euphoria into our day and so we can add to the "list of things I didn't need to buy this week." {But they are so darn cute!}

Here's one.....at some point I will have to fess up to my love of flip-flops...but for now you just have to take my word for it, I really, really, {really} needed another pair. Really.


I'm wearing them right now. I am soooo glamorous at 7:31 in the am.

Off for the day....bye.

What Happens Right Before the Family Trip?

Quick. Answers please.

I'll wait.

Nope none of those -- the results have been tabulated and the survey says....

Sickness.
Earaches.
Fussiness.
Nose Blowing.
Using more kleenex than can fit inside those cute little pocket packets you can buy.


So I had to post this pic because its what's in my house now. While I was cleaning up the kitchen last night I saw all these lined up it was just too funny. One different medicine for each person, extra strength for mom and dad.




The extra strength stuff is for me and my husband to help curb the headaches from the frequent whining and complaining. We're not sick.....yet.

Three hours in the car tomorrow....do they sell extra extra extra strength? But I bet I can buy really good drugs (as in "cold medicine") in Canada!

Cards i made

those cards I was speaking about...turned out nice, and that is a piece of dollar store pretty paper. I can never resist polka-dots.

That Dryer Smell

This morning out on the sunny deck I could smell that freshly washed clothes smell. Just below me I could see the puffs from our dryer churning out that floral downey fluffy smell {if "fluffy" had a smell} It was all emcompassing. It had a comforting, relaxing smell that surrounded our entire deck and yard. It meant I finally did some laundry!

and I have the sweetest husband in the world....today he gave me my very late, very thoughtful birthday present, the present I didn't think would happen until later {or never}....Adobe Photoshop! It was just so sweet. I was stunned. No idea how to use it. But I'm going to learn.

kids did homework without asking tonight....hmmm?
baby feel asleep early ... and is still sleeping as of now...
adobe...
good thing trend, three in a row.

I still haven't packed for our trip. However, I did go shopping for Easter basket goodies...the dollar tree has the cutest things for just a buck...but this week I discovered some good finds at Walmart and Michaels that were around a dollar or under. I am still going to have the kids do their easter egg hunt - except this year it will be in Canada. I bought them both disposable cameras so they could take pictures. And those plastic eggs -- I love filling them up with goodies. Of course I had to check out the craft/scrapbooking supplies. The dollar store has added even more...I love it because my daughter gets into my "good" stuff all the time, now she has her own. Lately she wants to get her hands on my adhesive runner. They have broken two of mine in the last year -- now I guard my new one under lock and key. Today I bought one of her own (for $1) and she wouldn't let her little brother touch it after he started pulling the white tape out. hmm. live and learn. My nice pigment ink pen seems to wander off too so I have to keep that hidden. Where was this thought going.....

I think I was going to say I'd start a new topic called "stupid stuff I bought this week" but actually that is taken -- another website I used to visit used it -- she always had a list going of the stupid things she bought that week. Maybe mine is really "stuff I didn't really need to buy this week." So as a first addition: here it is: I bought more stickers. And a cute mini card. The small-ish cards they sell right near the gift wrap and gift bags. Because. And not going to use it as a card - but as an embellishment for a baby card. Because I needed more of those. Because its cut into the shape of a baby outfit. Because now I think I need a personal die cutting machine.

final thought
I don't post to my livejournal anymore, so now I don't worry about that one. (check) I have a mental note to copy a link to there sometime. Now my yahoo360! picture journal is still fun to have around because I can post a whole album of photos. And when I look at my page here I wish my whole profile didn't show -- it takes up alot of space...not successful so far in having just my name show. okay for now but I have to figure that one out.

night.

Ditchin' My Chores, and other bad mom things

I've been spending a fair amount of time these last few weeks working on learning software, scrapbooking ideas, getting started as a independent consultant and getting those last minute Easter cards done and thus the lack of time spent on housework shows. Oh, it shows.

This morning my son informed me that "there are no more clean underwear in my drawer!!" {What? Didn't I just buy a brand new pack to make up for me not doing laundry more often??} No really...it couldn't be...I mean I had a good schedule I was keeping up with. Every morning run down, throw a load in. Just a really quick one...then later in the morning {or while junior is napping} run down and dry it. Then quick run the dry clothes up later that night or the next morning. Okay so somewhere between March sometime and now this schedule has fallen apart. Ick. I hate when it gets like this. Now I have to do like 6 loads a day to catch up. And...of course, we are going to Canada this weekend for a family Easter with my relatives. So no choice. No slacking. I have to do the bleep-ity, bleep laundry.

Way too many cluttered up spaces. Name it -- it has clutter around it. I just looked at the bathroom -- that is unnaturally clean & tidy at the moment. But just wait.

I have to stop obsessing about the consultant business and trust that the ideas will come to me. As they always do. Just not when I want sometimes.

I took some quick pictures of the cards I made --- though not downloaded off the camera yet. New camera in bag waiting to be used. Software downloading has to happen first, plus we have sooo many photos on our hard drive. I'm surprised nothing awful has happend to it. Hubby and I have been burning the photos to CDs and DVD (more storage capabilities). Our new camera is 5.0 Mp with 10x zoom (or something like that) It takes really nice photos and now I even have a "portrait" setting which I did not have before. I can really see the difference from what we use now, which is 4.0 Mp with 3x optical zoom. I wanted the 6.1 Mp -- hope we made a wise choice. {:~{

I was a craft fair this weekend and I always gravitate to the paper-crafts {naturally} I found two really talented crafters that just inspired me to go forward with my own ideas. The tastefully simple food party was...welll tastey!

night.

Another Busy Week

I can tell its spring (or that spring is almost here in western NY) because there are so many things to get done. The kids calendar at school is full of little day and night-time activities coming up Book fairs, craft fairs, kids art show, parades....Its nice to see people again after the long cold winter. {smirk} People who live in warmer climates probably don't have a clue what I am talking about. Well I'm home all day so I think that's part of the isolated "cabin" fever feeling.

I have scrapbooking parties, tonight is a tastefully simple party at a friends and then a baby shower later in the month. See people just want to go out...its the nice fresh air. gotta be.

The kids art show and {sale} is going to be good, a really good idea -- the profits from any sales go to a local children's hospital. Two of my children were born there and spent the first three weeks of their lives in the NICU. Hard to forget what those nurses and doctors did...even after you get to leave you are so thankful for all they did for your precious little bundle months and years later-- the memories {good and bad} stick with you.

This week I also took the plunge and mailed my application to be an independent consultant for a scrapbook supplies company -- MemoryWorks. I am so excited I can't sleep -- just too many ideas bubbling around up there in the brain. I set up an account and posted a layout online for the first time this week too. I can not sleep when I have this excitement going on. I'm looking forward to this though. Trying to ignore the bundle of nerves stuck inside somewhere.

Today was grandparents day at my children's school and my folks just got a kick out of the kindergarten class singing songs. I volunteered to greet and show people to the refreshments. My sweetie daughter was the "lady with the alligator purse" she got to parade around with a purse mocked up to look like an alligator, she was also the loudest singer, the calendar girl and she was picked to greet the visitors in the cafeteria. She was all bubbly today. Remember those days as a kid when everything just went your way. Everyone around you loved you and cared for you. Things were fun. After she got to ride home on the bus with her grandparents. I never had the chance to do things like this with my grandparents so I'm glad my children have these moments to remember.

I, yes I, Me. I forgot my camera.

Luckily, the forgetful gene skipped my sister and she had hers ready. Our dad worked for Kodak for like ever so we always had a camera. She was always so much more careful with hers though.

Going.....there is a pizza with my name on it ---and now I am being told that there are no socks in her drawer. The mermaid movie is finishing its keeping her busy for now. Looking for socks takes up like 80% of my time ?. Why is this?

note: Layout posted above has papers and elements from digitalfreebies.com site, scrapartist.com and simplescrapbooks. com sites. Lots of pretty stuff out there. Many talented designers. Visit these cool sites for inspiration.

Bye for now.

Taking a hike with a 2 yr. old and maple sugaring

I just had six minutes of panic because I couldn't remember my username correctly. Newbie.

There has been so much going on around here since last week so no time to update...My son's birthday, of course birthday parties, grandma's over (cleaning house), and a bunch of everyday things that always get in the way of slacking off on the computer. It seems we finish one item on our family to-do list and have just enough time to sit, breathe, go on to the next one.

Our kids had a school field trip at a local nature center for maple sugaring adventures. I got to go along and I brought the 2 year old. That was the adventure. Both my little guys did well. I was very proud of our 1st grader for paying close attention when he needed to - though I think he only remembers that the maple sugar candy was very sweet and that he got to run around with his buddies instead of sitting at their desks. I watched him sit and listen (this is hard for him) to the "what is sap?" introduction. Sort of half proud mamma and half my-kid-did-what?-tense-freak waiting for the arm waving and jumping. He didn't do that. Walking the trail and running around in between activities let him burn off his energy. This kid should be outside for his school day. He always complains that all they do at school is "sit all day." He is my "active" child. The one that is challenging the teacher this year...we have had several discussions about his "high" activity level. Its the same at home. He loves his teacher though and she has always said since the beginning of the school year that he is a pleaser...once he realizes what he has to do (often too far behind the other kids though) he does it. But staying on task is so hard. So we have been working on ways to help him with that. No meds, frankly they scare me, however, I do see how they might help with the hyperactivity.

And that cute 2 year old...once he figured out that walking near mommy was better than the stroller he was okay...two sap buckets into the trail he wanted "down." I knew I couldn't keep him in the stroller, plus it was a beautiful 78 degree day here in Rochester, at the end of March, we were loving it. He became enthralled with all the rocks and sticks that lay at his disposal. Often shouting "Bee-g Wok" whenever we saw one on the way. This was every few feet. Then "STEEEKS" when he saw a stick. Which were everywhere. He broke out into the happy birthday song from blue's clue's and tried to take a nap in the grass while the maple syrup taste testing was going on. Slept the whole 30 minute ride back home. All in all it was a wonderful time and I hope to do it again next year when my kindergartener is in 1st grade.

Nice rustic looking picture of one the sap buckets. The red was the only color out there besides brown, brown-greenish, brown, grayish gray, darker brown and blue sky.

going for now to get the day started...