The face of the earth ~

is still squarely beneath my feet! I haven't fallen off - deep into the abyss - though it feels like it some days! We have just been crazy and I seem more distracted than ever with regards to some things. I have done some crafting but it was for my customer so not really share-able. Here is what I'm thinking right now:

I really need to be at home today: not headed to the dr. office for a possible case of strep!

I want to do something fun but am so exhausted I can't see straight to figure out what that is.

Wish I didn't feel the financial strain of life right now - medical bills (see photos to below for reference), a broken over (who knows how much that will cost) AND and empending gum surgery for myself. Can anybody say thank goodness for a Christmas savings account or Lord knows that would be added to that list!

I want to make a tablecloth and napkins for the fall season but see reference to $ strain above.

school seems to be kicking my behind trying to keep them all organized. the teachers are more organized than previous experiences which makes the parents (me) feel that my ducks need to be more tightly in their row.

Well enough rambling - I would share a few other photos except I can't get my camera open to get the card out - hoping my stronger hubby can handle that for me in a bit. Below I posted a few phone pics we took of Mason while he was so pitifully suffering in the hospital - that's all I got for now due to camera issues. hopefully i'll see ya back here REAL soon!


Isn't that face just pitiful - trying to smile but not working so well:)

Love ya all!

Penguins & Martha Love:

Crazy title, I know, but it got your attention didn't it? I love how life can be so random - one minute we're engrossed in one thing and the next minute - something totally different. Doesn't mean we aren't focused - it just means we are multi-taskers!

Today I took a picture of a piece of our lives right now (and maybe yours too) Silly Bands! Today, I found a penguin in my washer - yes, that's right, a penguin. He's not black and white, living in the arctic, he's all white living in my child's pockets:) And as I emptied the washer found about 20 more of these jewels - at least they didn't make it to the dryer, that could've been a mess for sure.


Next is my affection for Martha - I have been stalking this border punch for a WHILE after seeing on several blogs (particularly Stephanie Howell) and I just wanted it - so I saved my coupon for 40% off and now it's mine! I've already used it on two projects and have barely had it a week. The other punch was the butterfly. These are everywhere right now on everything and my next goal is to get one a step bigger! Most of this card is GCD Melody Ross stuff and the ribbon is an older LYB.

Thanks for stopping by! Life is a bit busy right now - I substituted at Bozeman on Thursday pm and Friday. It was such an eye-opener and I am so grateful for my children and their health (mentally and physically) and I pray it continues. Apparently I was so engrossed in "teaching" math that I didn't notice the administrator or the speech person as they passed through the room - kinda embarrassing but they were pleased with the work so I might be at that school more than I had anticipated - eeekk!

Next week is Recognition Night for our classes on Wednesday night which is a big event for me since I am responsible for the reception - yikes! It's not a new thing it's just very important to me and I want it to be perfect (I know you ladies can appreciate that) Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to balance it all so it doesn't come crashing down around me?!?

Happy rest of the weekend:)

What we'd do .....

to not have to eat our brussell sprouts! This was one night at dinner where I insisted they eat their brussell sprouts (only 3 mindyou) but they (Abbi &Braden) fussed and fussed. Finally I said, "If you stand on your head for 60 secs. you don't have to eat them." Thinking ahead as mother's do, I knew they couldn't do it. Well, their clever father shows them this way - thanks Daddy! Just a glimpse of what goes on in our home at dinner time!


These are my two projects in waiting: I have been trying to find something productive to do with these glass jars since I am becoming more "green" I decided the other day that the Starbucks coffee (which is my children's, not mine!) bottle will store sweet treats for them while in the Parent Resource Room. The small pickle jar will be for pens/pencils. Super excited that I found something that I needed that I can use these for.
What container have you recycled and what are you using it for - would love to see it! Headed to a crop so hope to have some goodies to share real soon. Happy Weekend:)

Ribbon, Ribbon, Ribbon!

O.K. - so remember all that ribbon (see post below in case you missed it) and remember the "we are excited about our new school and it's fantastic color combo"? Well here is another great hairbow I made for Abbi. Please pardon the yucky pics - I didn't intend on a "tutorial" when I started this project and the lighting in my office stinks for this at night time. Anyway, here we go:

We started out with the bottom piece of ribbon and cut it in half. Then we folded it over itself and "scrunched" in with craft wire. I was afraid if I hot glued it the glue would be stiff and not "scrunch"

This is what one of the pieces looks like:

Here's where the not planning the tutorial before hand comes into play: missed a few steps and had to combine them all in this one. I placed both individual pieces on top of each other and then wired them together. Then I hot glued them together onto the barrette. Lastly I hotglued the contrasting ribbon to the barrette and wrapped it around and re-secured it with hot glue again.

Here is the final product - hope she likes it!

Please, oh, please let my next post include a layout - I really think I need that! Have a great week everybody!

Most Recent Addiction -

Between making the teacher lanyards and new hairbows for Abbi - this is what my latest stack of ribbon looks like. Not enough room in my ribbon box (or the monogrammed bag I have) which clearly says: " STOP, your an addict!" But of course, when you're an addict, you can't stop - hee hee! I just keep piling one on top of the other - maybe when it topples over i'll get frustrated and not buy any more?!?


A sweet back to school pic of my biggest man!


Their new "kicks" as Daddy calls them!


School is going well! Hopefully a little crafty coming up tomorrow?!?

Not there yet - but close!

Slowly but surely, it'll happen? I'm sure one day I'll wake up with "nothing" to do - but for now, we're not there yet. Conversation yesterday between the sons: Braden: "But Mommy, you don't even like scrapbooking anymore." Mason: "No, she still likes it, she just hasn't had the time lately to do it." Oh how true - out of the mouth of babes! I do still LOVE it - but it clearly has taken a backseat to my other duties.

School started (duh) and we are SUPER excited about our new colors. Officially they are royal blue and kelly green (&white) but our wonderful principal said "any shade of blue and any shade of green" so we are going to town with that! Here is our hairbow for Abbi (unfortunately we haven't found a royal blue shirt for her yet - they were all gone! But she can't wait to wear this one Mommy made. Favorite parts were the buttons - loving the embellishments.

(Photo isn't so great but you get the point)


Here is teacher "gift" I made with our new colors - a lanyard! Relatively easy and inexpensive - she loved it! (at least that's what she said)



SOOO love this color combination!


And to end off our summer we made one more trip to Big Kahuna's - would say last trip but I'm hoping that's not the case - hint, hint! Here is Miss Tori after her nap. She just looks like a grown-up in a baby girl's body - sweet.

Here was the highlight of the day when Taylor discovered she did like the big kid slides - I think Braden's positive peer pressure did the trick - she couldn't done this thing a million times. Unfortunately, the large levels of water spraying "everywhere" was not camera friendly. Maybe next time we'll take a water camera?

And, first day at Deerpoint - WOOOHOOO! We are all beyond excited! It was a great day - they even got to have a snowball fight (wadded up pieces of paper = but it's Florida, the closest they'll get to know for a while)

So now it's back to parent duties, Involvement Team duties, and church duties - TTFN!

Return to Normal? Maybe? PLEASE!!!

So I'm hoping the sheer fact that I am blogging today is a sign that some resemblance of normal is returning (taking it's sweet time unfortunately!) This was Braden's first piano lesson - he was RIDICULOUSLY excitied and could barely contain himself. I wish I could capture his energy with a shot but I didn't want to get in the way either.


But I did however capture this, his feet dangling because he's too small to touch the floor yet. Daddy loves these kind of shots (not that I don't) but this one was for Dad!


I plan on getting alot of stuff done later today, some for post, and some not. Hope to be more regular as we return to school (SUPER EXCITED!)

We are moving to Deerpoint Elementary this year and couldn't be more thrilled. All the teachers and especially the principal have been so welcoming - so much so that I was welcomes as the President of the Parent Involvement Team! HUH? Anyway, every excited and just can hardly believe school is starting. So much (good and bad) has happened this summer which I won't bore you with but I say "Bring on the Boring!"