Eleven-11-{eleven}

the lovely alita, from alita jewels treasures, tagged me on this, and I thought it might be fun to play along.

The Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.

 1. love when i can start my day with a cup of hot tea and hugs... minus an alarm clock.
 2. being a homeschool mom is one of the best decisions ever made for our family.  no regrets.  even on rough days. {repeat last line to self} ;)
 3. as a kid, i once lived in a trailer.  down a dirt road. 
 4. hubs says i seem more relaxed since leaving the institutional church.  i have to agree with him.
 5. did you know that i am a former pastor's wife {with my current husband}? *giggle*
 6. i had trouble finding a picture of myself without my lil' chickadees.  this pic was taken at the rodeo - a year ago.
 7. i miss running. the elliptical is the life for me now. crazy joints.  need to get back to the gym.  note 2 self: exercising in one's head does not count.
 8. juicing veggies is my new healthy passion.
 9. clutter and rude people drain my energy.
10. italian food is my favorite.  my hips can't handle the carbs though. *sigh*
11. love yummy smells, especially in the form of essential oils.

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alita's questions:

1. At what time in your life did you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster?

definitely after we resigned from institutional church ministry.   our entire lives were tied up in church.  activities, friends, job titles, hobbies.  everything.  it took a few years to recover.

2. When was the last time you tried something new?

with motherhood, i'm finding a new challenge almost daily.  day-lee.  other than motherhood, it has to be our adventures in alaska.  i'll always hold those close to my heart.

3.  What does your joy look like today?

constant. always there. no matter what. happiness is another subject altogether. i'm choosing to have that today. ;) 

4.  Do you see to believe or believe to see? Give an explanation, too. 

good question.  would i be avoiding the question altogether if i simply said, yes?? ;)  see to believe... i suppose life has left enough tire marks on me that sometimes i believe you need to see actions in a person before you can believe their words.  believe to see... in god.  but then again, we see his workmanship all around us, too. ;)

5. What is the single most religious experience or moment of pure faith, you have ever had?

pure faith?  after struggling with infertility, taking 4 pregnancy tests still took a good dose of faith. 

6. What is the difference (in your opinion) between being in love and falling in love?

call me an old, married lady... but, i believe falling in love can best be described as "puppy love" or infatuation.  hollywood movies have done a great job of blurring the lines of what real love is.  being in love is choosing to love someone... even on bad hair days.

7. When you close your eyes what do you see?

a cool day at the beach, enjoying the sounds of the ocean. <-mommy's happy place.  it's always much better in my head.  you know... my kitchen produces gourmet meals, the house looks like a magazine kind of picture. a girl can dream, right?

8. What is your earliest childhood memory? Which one stands out as a teen? and now?

childhood: walking to school and being offered a ride. <-scary.

teen: sweet 16 surprise party my mom planned at home.

now: snuggling with my girls.  running my fingers through their hair. <-moments to bottle up.

9. What are your top five favorite things to do with other people?

just chill at home. conversation over hot tea... we could go white water rafting?  just saying... anything but shopping.  that i like to do on my own. ;) 

10. What do you owe yourself?

a relaxing vacay?  or simply a lil' non-mama time.  it's been a rough motherhood week.  

11. If your life had a soundtrack which songs would be included? 

i'm sorry.  i can't hear anything except the sound of music playing in the background. our current obsession. 

*************************************************

my questions:

 1:: what was the biggest surprise in becoming a mother that you've experienced, so far?

 2:: how are your navigational skills? ever gotten completely lost?

 3:: what's your favorite quick meal to prepare?

 4:: do you organize the paperwork in your home efficiently or do you feel as if it's taking over?

 5:: has your perspective of god changed over the years? if so, what was the defining moment?

 6:: do you get energized from being around people or from alone time?

 7:: if you had an entire day to yourself, what would you do with it?

 8:: have you ever cried because you were so happy?

 9:: are you a reader?  if so, what's your favorite book?

10:: what top 5 attributes would you consider high on the must-have list in a friendship?

11:: what's your favorite thing about yourself?

*************************************************

i tag: lisa @ the army chap's wife 

       jessica @ teachable moments 

       karen @ homeschool girls 

       theresa @ red oak lane 

       brenda @ the family revised

       rach @ in his hands  

if i didn't get to your site to tag you, please feel free to play along!  let me know if you do - i'd love to read your answers.

jan~week 5/366 {birthday, movie nights, and a beau}

we had a birthday.  of mega proportions.  my baby is double digits.  how does that happen?  i mean... i felt i was in the young mom category {interpret as... a mom with young kids} so long as i had a baby in single digits. kleenex?

i've just spent the last hour clicking pictures and home movies on an old hard drive. maybe i'll share them with you soon.  provided i can do it without sobbing.  uncontrollably.  kleenex?  please don't remind me that it only gets worse as they get even older. *sob*




for gracie's birthday, she wanted a day with her best friend and her family.  we love this family, so that was easy.  kids play.  adults talk.  it's a gift to everyone, really. ;)

note to self:  marshmallow cream makes a good frosting for cupcakes, but not barbie's dress.  unless you plan to eat it within 53 seconds.  otherwise, gravity takes over.  it's also flammable.  the end. 



did you know jason gray has a speech impediment? 
gracie loves oranges.  {11th birthday possibilities? i'm sure she'd love that.  a parent can dream.}
flowers in winter.  why not?
hubs was between LA and TN this week. maybe it was harder because we saw him in-between... long enough to say goodbye at the airport.
that called for a girls' movie night with my 'little miss sunshines' and my beau.  he looks thrilled, yes?
we watched the shunning. it was a good movie, in that it gave us plenty to discuss, but we were a tad disappointed with the way they left the ending.  really?



homeschool on the go.  gracie catching up on american girl, while nator is in piano lesson.  
one of my favorite memories... singing. squirting whipped cream. eating strawberries.  dancing.  fun in the kitchen.  with my girlies.  *sigh*
when beau suckles in his sleep, his tongue stays out.  it's the funniest sight.  really.
we were thankful to have hubs home on the weekend!  we're thankful for a hubs who isn't afraid to brave the grocery store crowds, day before super-bowl!  go giants!!  woot-woot!!

seriously.  is there anything funnier?

we got word that beau's brother was adopted this weekend from the rescue organization we used for beau.  yeah!!  because if i'm being completely honest... it crossed my mind to go back and get his brother, too.  mostly, because i felt bad leaving his sibling alone.  hubs already had a cute name picked out for him.  so glad he has a forever home now, too.

how was your week?  or week 4?  or maybe you've already blogged about week 5?  it's been a busy day.  mama is tired.  and may or may not look like beau at the moment.  only he looks cuter.  i'm gonna hit 'publish' now and hope this post makes sense.  mkay?  pushing it... now.

{cat} fever

so i may have re-pinned this picture on pinterest.

it may have accompanied a confession.

i officially want another cat.  i know.  kinda makes you drop your jaw a bit.  well, kind of.  when it dawned on me, i may have dropped my own jaw, anyway. 

not to replace our beloved bella.  no, we have grown quite accustomed to her.

we quickly realized we could look past her flaws.  you know... the biting.  once we thought we were going to have to move and give her up.  

amazing how quickly you come to appreciate what's right in front of you... when you are threatened to lose it.

well, that... and she's learned there are consequences to biting.  and we've learned her triggers.

basically, petting her anywhere below the neck.  or constantly moving your arm as you are typing, while she's trying to nap in your lap.  

tail-flicking is the first sign of annoyance.  then the ears stretch back.  then she may or may not give an internal growl.  many times, before that point, she gets evicted from the lap.

we noticed early on that she has wobbly eyes, too.  but i've since learned that it could be a trait of the siamese.  of which she is a mix. it doesn't seem to bother her.

oh. dear. lord.   at this very moment, jasmine just made all of my nose hair curl.  oxygen mask, please?  what did we feed her for dinner again?  her big, brown puppy eyes better be extra cute tomorrow.

where was i?

oh, yes.  the truth is... friends of mine are having babies.  or doing other things in which i don't want to participate.  don't get me wrong.  another lil' person would be wonderful.  but mama doesn't function well on sleep deprivation.  i remember those nights.  and i'm getting older.  and hubby travels a lot now.  that means less time to help mama.  just sayin'.

i grew up with dogs and cats.  they feel like second nature to me.  birds and fish even seem a bit exotic.  our last fish lasted a week and a half.  and hamsters?  a little too rodent-like.  sorry, gracie... mama just can't go there.  not to mention, we have a cat in the house.

oh. heavens!! might be blacking out soon.  using my shirt to filter the air.  tempted not to feed this dog tomorrow.   she snores right through it.  thanks, jazzy.

ummmm... yes, the cat. 

to me, there are few things better than the cuddles of a lap cat.

i'm glad our girls are experiencing this.  the warmth.  the purrrrr.  nator especially loves it while she's reading or crocheting.  she's a sweet, old soul.

the problem is... there is only one cat and three of us gals.  we find ourselves competing for bella's affection, especially when hubs is out of town.  the person with the softest blanket usually wins.

i may have mistakenly voiced my desires out loud and the girls may have jumped on that bandwagon with me.  both feet.  gracie wants another dog, too...  but we wouldn't be able to afford the out-of-town pet sitter fees.  we'd have to donate a child.  and that's not happening.  i worked too hard not to hear them called me blessed one day. ;)

cats probably have house parties while we're away.  i'm convinced that's why the house is still a mess upon our return.

*****************************************

now... for the cuteness meter and your giggling pleasure, i give you another opinion the pioneer woman. 

read his little muffuletta, ethereal, kitty love, playful, sleepyhead, the difference between cats and bassets, and why i love my cat.

the pioneer woman rids the stereotype of 'crazy cat lady', yes?  you can't get much cooler than the pioneer woman...  also known as ree.  who is married to marlboro man.  which i'm sure also has a name... 

bottom line.  ree pretty much makes everything look good.  aaaaand, her lovely bloggy gave me the confidence i needed to move forward with teaching textbooks.

yeah, she homeschools, too.

*****************************************

anyway, i've convinced myself that hub's next souvenir to me the girls and i should be a cat. maybe a kitten this time? i'll rescue one.  it's a win-win.  i already have a name picked.  going a bit too far, huh?

if hubs reeeeally doesn't like this idea, i can always blame the pioneer woman.  right? ;)

kick your feet up & grab a cup of coffee

alternate titles:  life after the country music awards. counting blessings: roadside edition.  never a dull moment at its best.  god bless the good samaritans.  our nutshell life with a bowl full of nuts.

this is going downhill, so i'll stop.

*giggle*

would you believe that we have already enjoyed our {two} decorated christmas trees for a week and a half now?  still can. not. believe it's this time of year already!

sometimes i get the nikon out.  sometimes, the iphone camera.  but lately, it's been the video camera.  i know.  you can barely contain your excitement, right?  i have to admit... talking to the camera is a bit awkward, at times. ha.

we have a lot to catch up on via video.  feel free to put your feet up and grab that cup of coffee.  or tea.  imma tea gal myself.

{don't judge too harshly.  video is done in the worst lighting and most unflattering perspectives.  especially, the no-makeup-at-all-shots.  although, in this lighting, one can hardly tell when i do have it on.  ha!  have i ever told you that we can't see ourselves while recording?  that would explain a few headless video shots in past vlogs.  ha!}

{edit: yay! the entire video is working properly now.  due to my mad technical skillz. ha! and i also wanted to thank youtube for that ever-flattering freeze-frame. nice.} ;)

i know.  crazy, right?  i was nominated for best homeschool vlogger?  *giggle*  {thank you, sweet friend!}  i think voting ends nov 18th @ 11:59 p.m.  if you're so inclined, feel free to click on over to view all of the homeschool blog-o-sphere goodness.

and if you made it through the video, you'll be relieved to know that nator did make it to the bookstore for her much anticipated date.  dad was able to come, too! ;) 

i love that 11 year old.  11 on 11-11-11.  ;)

wishing you more moments of kicking your feet up, eating pumpkin cheesecake, yummy & delicious scents, christmas lights... and true happiness {as mentioned in the last 2 minutes of video}.  

have you unpacked christmas in your home yet?  

{pix of that to come soon} ;)

consuming life lately

birthday party for a bestie-friend turning 12.

each of the girls made her a throw pillow to match her new bedroom.  {i hope it matches}  the stitching is a bit rough, but it's the thought that counts, right?  no, really.  i think they were giftable...  is that a word?  anyhoo, the luvable webkinz we brought will match any lil' girl's decor. ;)

i'm in complete denial of the fact that my oldest will be turning 12 in 5 months.
not. believing. it.  
and my youngest double digits in 3 months.
lord. help. me.
tissue?



theater.  we are using a different (much better) theater this round.

the hard part?  day-time practices [3 hrs (extended to 4 hrs lately)/3 days a week + driving time] and performance prop preparation, which has been eating into our normal school hours; however, the experiences gained??  priceless and irreplaceable.  the girls have grown so much and have looked forward to each rehearsal.

{i'm so glad you're not checking my horrid grammar.  you're not checking that on this blog, right??!}

i've determined to pause schoolwork this week due to the logistics of theater performances, piano recital preparation, in combination with dance schedule, hubs out of town, and honestly... exhaustion.

i've also determined to bring my good camera soon. 



pretty sure a few of the kids don't care which camera is used. ;)

 

dance.  dance team competition.  dance solo for competition.

yes, the show must go on, in all departments.  even if one girlie wears a knee and ankle brace and watch from the sidelines, as recommended by our wonderful chiropractor.

at least we are finally experiencing fall temperatures.  fi.na.lly.  this has made us all giddy!!  i'm pretty sure i looked at the employee in academy like she had two heads when she said she hated this cooler weather.  is it just me, or is something wrong with you when you want triple digit temps all of the time?? 

jazzy is excited.  more car rides.  however, she is apparently disturbed when 6 kids crowd around her personal space the window to ask me a question about her.  she growls.  and gets in trouble.  this is her mama-just-fussed-at-me-but-i'm-still-keeping-an-ear-on-those-kids-out-there face.  notice how she sometimes sits in the seat like a person.  one of us really should tell her she's a dog.  geesh.

i wish i could tell you more that been filling up our days, but this pretty much sums up my bloggy absence.  the daily grind.  *hangs head in shame*

tomorrow is our last day-time rehearsal... and school will resume in full-speed.  i'm sure the girls are excited.  {insert mad scientist laughter}

so, what's new with YOU?  i've missed making my rounds in blogdom.  hoping to catch up with you soon!!

{please insert your own witty title here}

 

we have been relieved... humbled... and blessed with the outpouring of support for our recent... ummm...  kiddo-grandmotherio fiasco.  we are doing much better.  a huge {texas-sized} thank you to everyone who sent a lovely email, and/or comment.  your concern and compassion continue to touch my heart.  thank you for trusting me enough to share your stories with me, as well.

there's nothing like a great hug, or 107, to nurture the heart.

heart hurts are a parent's greatest challenge.

high fevers, too.

yeah, i remember those.

on friday, we all wanted to sleep a little longer.
the girls went to theater, while i took the opportunity to have a chat with their dance teacher, sporting my swollen eyelids, of course.
the talk went great.
she only confirmed that i handled everything with the crazy grandmother as i should have.
i think i kinda forgot to mention that the grandmother yelled at me at the dance studio.
mama wanted to put her head in the sand, like an ostrich.
they do that, right? ;)

i treated the girls to chili's since we were exhausted.
we missed our chili's {kids-eat-free} dinner thursday.
why do coupons have to expire? boo.
that was a rhetorical question, i know.

at least the library is free.
you know, as long as your kids don't forget to return a book.
nator thinks she's won the lottery when i announced this field trip.
{read: mom is too exhausted to do any other schoolwork today}

speaking of coupons, have you seen tlc's extreme couponing show?
apparently, it has gotten some negative press.
i have mixed feelings about it anyway.
who has that kind of time to clip, window shop for sales not advertised, clip, and clip some more.
it's like a full-time job.

speaking of jobs,
i'm so very thankful for hub's job.
just wish they would let him stay on the ground {at home} a lil' bit more.
when crazy grandma had me shaking in my boots, he was in the air, landing at his next destination.
that makes parenting challenging, too.
kuddos to all the single moms and dads out there!

hubs was home over the weekend.
he grilled.  yummy!
we shared it with friends, talking for hours!  so much fun.

hubs went to the store for us, put gas in the car, air in the tire, and we whisked him off to the airport again.

it's a good thing mama has pumped up "girlie movie nights." 
thankfully, the girlies look forward to them.
{games. manicures. giggles.}
but we're running out of movies we can agree on.
kid-friendly,
but entertaining enough for mom...
{read: we haven't already watched it 78 times}
suggestions???

{disclaimer: it is 3 hours after mama's bedtime.  she should have gone to bed an hour early, so make that 4.  read:  mama is deliriously tired and if none of these ramblings make any sense, we can blame it on 'delusions of productivity while extremely tuckered-out.'}

one of these things is not like the other

 

we took the girls to see their friends, who were performing in the sweetest lil' play.

they had our girls at, "do you want popcorn?"

the girlies will be performing with them soon.

and our wallets will be shrinking in half.

but at least hubs left with a souvenir from a friend, right?

his friend is really into this kind of thing.

he's actually in a club.

a beer club.

who knew?

i was uncertain with what to do with it, so i simply stashed it in the fridge.

right next to the organic eggs.

hubs is only disappointed that i didn't get a picture of the label which read...

"no preservatives."

healthy, right?

eggs, brains, and cell phones

how's that for a title combo?
well, it has to be better than this combo...

unless you really are into dipping your cookies in beer?
*shivers*
honestly, i didn't realize i lived right smack in the middle of redneck-ville.
who knew?

we looked for eggs.
or the people who stock them.

when organic is on sale,
it's a big deal.

we've done it in fashion.

tutus are always in style.
side ponytails are 80's, but don't tell gracie.
she's bringin' it back.
she's also into half shirts, layered on top of other shirts.

we've painted pottery.
seems we're always thinkin' of ice cream, you know.
with sprinkles.

we've exercised sibling generosity.
gracie bought nator a gift with her own money.
a token of appreciation for nator having done this before, as well.
this is a bigger deal than eggs.



we've made brains.
these girls understand much more in education than i ever did at their age.

we bought the girls their first cell phones.
we always told them they'd have one when they needed it.

when you have 2 kiddos, so close in age...
two phones are more for the parents' survival, you know.

with a few activities away from mom, we feel better knowing they have easy access to us...
they just... ummm... look so young for phones, ya know?
*sigh*
many youngsters have them these days.
up until now, we'd say if they needed mom, they only had to look to their left.

they were sooo excited.
we told them we were getting dad a new phone.
*giggle*
we're sneaky like that.
imagine their surprise.

no, really.
imagine it.
because i can't seem to upload my iphone movie into imovie.
mama needs an updated version.
mama also needs to be less tech-challenged.



we went to a splash park.
{ignore the roof caving in. the mom-wagon is getting some tlc soon.}
it was a homeschool-planned field trip.
minus all the other homeschoolers.
imagine our surprise.
we played anyway.
we were hot.
we came home.

and that, my friend, has been a sliver of our july, thus far.
how's yours going?
are you ready for cooler weather, too?!

we interrupt this alaskan series to bring you a {real} post

and by real, i mean... keepin' it real.
since we've been back in town, i've had a little trouble picking up where i left off.

hubs was out of town this week.
he left on his birthday.
good thing we ate at marble slab the night before.

we celebrated last night.
three days later.

outback.
yummo.
we normally like to make a week out of birthdays, anyway.

yes, this is breakfast.  yes, the clock is right.
that's how we've been rolling lately.



we are sloooowly wrapping up some loose ends in school.
initially, i wanted to school year-round this year.
you know, the full sha-bang.
we took june off due to summer activities.
i'm only committing to finishing up our last chapters in science and history in july.
and ummmm...
i guess we can count this as art, too.
the full sha-bang will resume in august.
that's year-round, right?

it's schooling for me, too.
i'm learning to relax in our schedule.
learning is more than a lesson plan.
if you make those, that is.
i don't.



i had to have a talkin' to a little girl who was being mean-spirited to one of my girls, and her friend.  this girl was at the same inflatable-fun-room we attended.
only she came with a karate camp.
that could spell trouble.
we've had a bully issue before... even in a christian homeschool group.
so i'm quicker to act when issues arise.
by the time we left, the young lady was nice enough to apologize for her actions.

this is an apron hubs gifted me for valentine's day.
even though it was something i really wanted,
i used it for the first time this week.
now i'm officially addicted to aprons.
especially cute ones.

my girls are, too.
but we are window shopping for now.
window shopping helps save money.
my girls have saved more than they ever have before...
since i have started making them 'think a night on it' before they buy.

i'm not a fan of the dentist.
we need them, i know.
and i bring my girls to all of their check-ups and more,
but i'm waaaay overdue a check-up. 

my girls were eager to work the concession stand at one of our dance fundraisers, a community concert...  of course, that means mom gets to, as well.  it's 102 degrees.

hubs was at a baseball game with co-workers.

i may have complained a time or two that i was ready to go back to alaska.

and that's all i'm confessin' for now.

except for the fact that the family is waiting on me to get dressed so we can go to the store.
i'm still in my pajamas.

just one {or two} more {quick} thing{s}

tennis.
nator believes she's found a new hobby.
love the smile a new challenge brings.




she looks rather cute in her tennis uniform, yes?
the 8 inch purple egg on my tibia from practicing with said tennis player yesterday and her newly discovered backhand?
not so much.
ouch.

i'd do it again to see her gain a little confidence in making contact with the ball.
but not today.
hurts. too. much.
i shall not grimace in front of her.
she feels bad.
it's all good.
or will be.

comes with the parental territory.
you know... like choosing to let your baby throw up on you vs. the carpet.
parents do things like that.
{huh, hun?}



makeup.
i've been putting this off.
unfortunately, i can do this no longer.
and i waited until the busiest week in our summer to start lessons.

she will be left to her own devices when getting ready for her mini-recital on friday.
a teenager helped her last year.
she wants to do it herself.

i'm reminded of her two year old self.
"no, i do it."
*sigh*

if she comes out {not} looking like a clown with black eyes...
i will consider these lessons a success. 



she even lured me out to the swings for a few minutes.
she lures me with her cuteness.
and the little girl voice she musters up for times like this.

tibias, tennis, dance and makeup...
have a great week, y'all!

confessions and wonderings

hubs and i are in the final planning stages of our alaskan get-a-way and we have no activities set in concrete.  yet.  i'm super excited.  on the inside, i'm jumping up and down like a squeal-y school. girl.  on the outside, i'm calm-cool-and-collected.

what would you want to do in alaska?  so many choices.  the squeal may come bursting through soon.  yes, i'm that giddy.

i'm also nervous about logistics.  of which there are many.  i will miss my girlies.  if it weren't for my hubs, i'm not sure things like this would happen.  i'm a home-body at heart... with a flare for the adventurous.

we were hoping it would work out to surprise the girls with a trip to disney by the end of the year.  we wanted it be a surprise in case it didn't work out... and to get their reaction on film.  you've seen those commercials, right?   note to self:  one should never leave tweetdeck open on computer when one has sent direct messages to a friend about said trip.  11 yo may read it.  and cry because she realizes she shouldn't have.  oh well... surpriiiise!!! maybeeee!  ;) 

i'm wondering how long a cat can stay home alone?  you know... before retaliating against parents for leaving said cat for an extended amount of time.  i don't want any presents upon return... if you know what i mean.  i think said cat will be fine.



even with doses of melatonin, my body has seemingly found a loophole.  once awake, i'm up.  not cool.  so i find myself googling other things to try here during crazy hours of the night.  i think my next step will be taking L-tryptophan, an amino acid.  it's supposed to help your body produce melatonin on its own.  or induce funny dreams.  i don't know.  don't listen to me.  i'm sleep deprived.



gracie's camera ready "cheeeeese" smile and nator's sweetness.  kills me every time.  doesn't nator's expression {on the left} make you *giggle* just a little? ;)

i'm wondering why i ever thought short hair was a good idea on me.  these are the flattering pix.  really.  the others.  not so much.  i'm sure it had something to do with having small children.  if a third had come along, shaving the head may have been next.

there was a window of one year in which hubs and i were on the same page in having a third child.  it didn't happen.  infertility is not fun.  the other years, one of us talked reason into the other.  we took turns in that role.  sometimes i still wonder what one more may have been like.  *sigh*

i have been on the verge of old-picture-induced tears.  can these girlies pause growing up for just a little while?  please?



old cameras with cute babies are a crying shame.  cameras have come a long way, baby... and these are sooc.  the quality of older photos makes me seem much older *cough* than what i actually am *cough*.

i'm sure i have more to confess, but i'm off to see if this second dose of melatonin will sneak me in a couple more hours of age-defying sleep! if there are any grammatical errors or messpeltings, i blame it on the melatonin.

oh... and also, i don't like 'labeling' my posts.  i have too many labels. ;)

okay.  i'm done.  night-night... or good morning.

a {quick} confessional

i'm linking with melissa @ a familiar path for a quick confessional.  if you haven't visited her site, you should.  she's purdy, writes 'real' posts, homeschools {yes, that's a verb}, and takes purdy pix, too.

okay, here goes:

1.  i have over 500 pictures to go through and edit between our trip to the science museum and the girls' yearly photo shoot.  i take a lot of pictures.  some might say too many.  it's an addiction.

2.  my house is a mess, so instead of taking a few minutes to tidy before going to piano recital, i'm blogging.

3.  i don't normally like posts without pictures.  yet, i'm breaking my own rule.  *hangs head in shame*

4.  i've had a love/hate relationship with my stretchmarks for 11 years.  i don't like them.  at all.  and no one warned me about the extra skin.  not cool.  but i would do it all over again to have my babies.  *sigh*

5.  if i weren't afraid of dying, or being awake under anesthesia... or the expense, i would fix it.  maybe.

6.  i write in lower-case a lot.    

7.  i take my own yearly pix of the girls.  i try to make it fun.  but it's work.  i am not beyond bribes of playing in the park, no school, and smoothies.  photo-shoots are work.  even with family.



see?

now that i've posted a picture, i feel better.  i think.

and i'm too lazy to add "family team" to most of my pix, too.  *sigh*

now... go read the other confessionals while i hurry to this piano recital.  confessions make me feel normal.  ;)

in the {moment} and lots of random

So easily, I get caught up in what the next project should be... that I forget.  Forget to enjoy the moment.  Who cares if the final phase of touching up my walls looks like a different shade of paint.  I'll just do it all. over. again.  *sigh*  Where was I again?  Oh... the moment.

In light of Japan's recent tragedies, we are reminded {once again} how precious life truly is.  I could go on and on about this one topic alone... but it's just so... so... *sigh*

sad.

This computer is completely filled to the brim with pictures and videos in it's hard-drive, that hubs says it's time to delete.  The very thought of deleting pictures gives me hives.  At least in my mind.  Didn't I tell you about the time I lost 5,000 pictures and home movies on a new external hard-drive?  The company that was hired to retrieve our pix was known for retrieving information off of hard-drives that have been rolled over by vehicles and retrieved from burning buildings.  Apparently, they had not met the hard-drive that fell from the coffee table to the plush carpet... maybe 3 times.  ;)  There were tears.  You know, since many of those pix were not backed up elsewhere.

Since that time, I have been diligent about burning pix to DVDs monthly.  And I'm holding out on deleting them till I make sure I've uploaded them for future online orders... and until I find the spare external hard-drive that's around this place.  I've been so fixated on making sure that the last two years are well documented, that I've not taken many new pictures. *hangsheadinshame*

Other than a few with my iPhone.  Wanna see?  {I'll pretend you said yes. Mkay?}



The most expensive thing Gracie and I found at the dollar store.  A $10 pony ride.  We agreed that the lady was not nice to her animals, so we hung around a long time and gave lots of love to her ponies and bunnies.  I think the llama just wanted to kick everyone.  {Sorry, Mr. Llama, we would have even loved on you, too.  Thanks for the ride, Mikey!}  Looks like Mikey is giving us that 'tilted puppy dog face', yes?



They are test-driving possible motor vehicles for future use already.  Can never start too early, right?  I hope you don't take me too seriously.



Gracie has been all about the games here, lately.  I'd forgotten how fun In a Pickle was.



We're losin' teeth here.  Nator has lost one since this, too, but we didn't manage to get a picture.  She informed me that it was her last baby pre-molar.  *sigh*  I believe she was mostly concerned with the dough that was going to land in her tooth pillow anyway.  She couldn't wait to get her hands on an episode of Fetch with Ruff Ruffman for her iPhone {simply used as a touch, not as a phone}.

They've grown to appreciate the value of an iTunes gift card.

They watch Ruff while going to the gym.  Yep.  We are on our third day {in a row-woohooo!} of going to the gym.  Together.  You see, I always had the gym as 'non-mommy' time, but I realize the need for cultivating good habits in the girls, too, so...  We are rearranging our schedule a bit.  Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.

Stop trying... and just 'do'.  You know what I mean?

I'm bracing myself for the groans I plan to hear in the coming weeks.  {remember we did this before?  the girls grew tired of it... but mama is sticking to it this time.  i have to.}



Oh... and we all grew a little Justin 'Bieber fever' recently.  We almost cringe to admit it.  Except for Gracie.  She thinks she's his biggest fan.  We took the girls to see Never Say Never.   Nator simply went from dislike to like... not crazed fan.  She's level-headed, that one.

Confession:  It was as great as everyone said it was.  He obviously has God-given music ability.  Wow.  I can see why all the girls crush on him.  I mean, I have a weakness for intelligent, funny musicians, too.  Obviously, a little older, that is.  Without the well-oiled machine of Disney to back him, he did things a little old school, visiting many radio stations, etc.  A bit of ground work.  Did you know he broke his foot while performing on stage, and finished the song? Wow.

He homeschools, too, of course.  The girls liked that part.

{The negatives, Justin?  The short-skirted Miley.  yikes.  And the One Less Lonely Girl... poor thing.   I think the 'lonely girl' you pick out of the crowd really does want to marry you.  Be careful.  You may have them believing you really want to, as well.  ;)  And please, please continue to keep your lyrics clean.  Those R&B singers you look up to should heed that advice, as well.  All spoken in the loving tone of a parent... to one of your biggest fans.} 

Okay.  I feel better now.

Moments.  I'm off to create more of them.  And may or may not take pictures.  And may or may not listen to Bieber sing Never Say Never, Born to be Somebody, or U Smile while tackling my to-do list.  :)

See.  Aren't you glad we caught you up on our pictures and little adventures?  {again, i'll just pretend you said yes.}

I 'did' say there would be lots of random.

no beiber, nor baby fever here

Today, I'm joining Joyce from This Side of the Pond for her weekly hodgepodge random.  Joyce does random well.  Even when she has a lot going on.  Falling icicles.  Crazy weather.  Airport drama.  And all.  She has two beautiful daughters she loves spending time with, and a hubby who travels a lot.  Maybe our husbands have met on a plane.  If not, maybe one day.

1. What is more important-doing what you love or loving what you do?

Maybe it's late, but I don't see the difference??  Or maybe I'm just under the influence of dark chocolate... I may or may not have just eaten.  So my answer is... yes.  :)  I'm not even making sense to myself... and I'm only on #1. 

2. Do you like bleu cheese?

No.  And no offense to those who do, but to me... it simply looks like left-overs that have been in the fridge waaaay past expiration.  A Science experiment gone bad?  Not that we've done that, you know. 

3. What is the most difficult emotion for you to handle?

Wow.  That's a loaded question.  Ummm... I've experienced a lot in my lifetime and I would have to say that grief would be a tough one.  Losing someone really close to me.

4. Fresh flowers or a box of chocolate? 

I'm guessing this is a Valentine's Day question?  Honestly?  They say that love is in the details, right?  If you want to give me 'warm-heart-fuzzies', do something out of the ordinary.  Flowers and chocolates are nice {and appreciated}, but something that shows sentimental thought goes a lot further than the 'expected' gifts.  And makes the best memories.  ;)  A planned date.  A surprise item I happen to mention in conversation.  Time spent together.  A letter... 

5. What's a song you love that has the word 'love' in its title? It doesn't have to be a 'love song'. 

Again, I'm cheating a bit.  Hubby sang "I Will Be Here" {Steven Curtis Chapman} to me at our wedding.  It doesn't say love in the title, but it makes me feel loved.  An instant tear-jerker.

6. Are you the person you wanted to be when you grew up?

I am certainly doing what I envisioned myself doing when I was little.  Wife and mother.  I like the sound of that.

7. Any special Valentines Day plans?

We will probably spend a quiet evening at home with our girlies.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

First, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Heather @ Faith, Family, and Fun for this Stylish bloggy award...  Me?  Stylish?  *giggle*  {Thank you, my homeschoolin' friend!!} 

Secondly, if you are reading my bloggy for the first time {or for the 2 of you who've been here 48 times - hi, hubs}, please don't linger in the archives {long}.  It makes me nervous.  Why?  I forget much of what I write.  One day, I could be having a bad-mama day... and the next, I could be having 'baby-fever'.  Not that I am.  There are no 'baby-fever' posts that come to mind.  Just an example, you know.  This mama is getting too old for that kind of talk.  Maybe if I were younger.

{Speaking of fever... have you seen this lil' 3 year old with a major case of Bieber fever??  I'm speechless.  Wow.}

Surely, I'm not the only blogger who feels this way??  About the 'reading of the archives', that is.

Thirdly, and lastly, {I hear that *sigh*} thank you to everyone who has been so kind regarding these silly vlogs lately.

Maybe I've gotten a bit too comfortable with you guys.  I mean... no makeup, nose and mouth shots of me most of the time {because I'm not always able to see what's being filmed - i'm driving}, squealing girlies, lots of conversations with my dog.  Crazy.  But I'm just keepin' it real, you know. ;)

All that to say... You know how to make a mama feel special.

(((((hugehugs)))))