The Workshop

So my first workshop was a bit of a disappointment depending on how you look at it. Only one person could come and you could look at that as a disappointing turn out, but she brought her kiddos and our kids had a blast while we worked away on our cards! It was really a great time and so even though I didn't get to share this style of cards with everyone, we sure had fun playing!! The ocean color and watermelon cards were the style I was planning on, the black (it looks gray in the photo) was just me trying something out. I used the June Stamp of the month and stamped it in black on Whoops A Daisy paper...cool huh? I saw someone do this with a hippo stamp and it was so neat I had to try it. Anyway, to those of you who couldn't come, I missed ya, for you who did come...I had a BLAST. We'll have to do that again soon!!

The Dream

I had a dream early this morning. It was so real that I woke up because I was crying in real life. I dreamed that Ron was going to die, and then in the dream he did for a moment and then came back to me. Needless to say when you wake up like that, I was a little emotional! Ron was out of town, so he called me a few minutes later and asked me how I slept. Well after I said fine, I started crying all over again. It's weird how something as simple as a dream can remind you how precious someone is to you. I found myself thinking differently of my husband, my children, my friends and my extended family. I sometimes forget how precious life is and that it's not a sure bet. My dream helped me realize how important it is to let the little stuff go and make sure that my days and activities count. I was thinking of all of the things that get me in a crazy state of mind...3 red lights in a row, being a couple of minutes late for something, the person in front of me driving the speed limit or heaven forbid UNDER??!! Funny these are all driving things...maybe I have road rage...LOL..thanks Seattle!! I was fine before I lived there. Anyway, the list goes on...missing the bus, looking for lost items that should have been put away, cleaning under my kitchen table every day after every meal. When I really think about the big picture, I think I will be embarrassed when God asks me, "why did you yell about this or that?" "why did that make you so angry...the light is like a minute long?" See, when you look at it that way all the things in life that make us act like crazy people are just silly. I sit here today telling myself I will NOT get upset about little things, but I know come tomorrow morning when the clock seems to tick louder and louder and the time comes for us to leave...I will start to feel the stress. I guess my job tomorrow is to choose to handle it in a way that makes me proud of myself at the end of the day...just in case it's the last one I get! How's that for a profound yet morbid way to end this post? I promise something funny will happen around here soon...I can feel it... I WILL make you all laugh again...promise!

The Cake

I have decided to add another thing to my life resume and that is cake decorating! My friend and I are just finishing up our level one classes. Unfortunately Ron has to be out of town tonight and I cannot get a babysitter, so I had to do mine at home and just take it in to show it. I am super happy with how it turned out and I hope they offer the next set of classes soon! I did learn on my roses that sometimes shortcuts aren't always best. The teacher told us we didn't need to bother using a second tip for the base of the rose so I followed her advise. I was getting really frustrated though because my flowers kept tipping over while I was assembling them. I tried doing what the book said...the long way...and that's just what I needed to get it right...or at least close to right. I am actually finding the roses easier than this twist flower thing...I didn't take a picture of that because they just look like blobs. Anyway, here is a picture of my final project!

The Lie

It's no secret to my family and friends that I hate raw onions. I literally have a gag reflex that goes nuts when I eat them or eat something that has touched them. Well tonight Ron went to my favorite place for a burger...Five Guys...YUM! Last time they accidentally put one tiny onion on my burger and I threw up. Clearly I did not enjoy that and more so was disappointed that my dinner was ruined. So today I ask my husband if he could please tell them I am allergic to onions so they'd be super careful not to get any on my burger. Telling me he couldn't lie, I reminded him that I did in fact have a very adverse reaction to onions much like a allergy. Well my explanation must have worked because he told them I was allergic. Little did he know that they would all change their gloves, use new utensils separate my food from the rest. LOL well, now THAT's customer service!! I really didn't mean to cause so much trouble and Ron was sure the girl behind the counter didn't believe him. However, it was so great to enjoy my burger worry free! So thanks Five Guys...You make the best burgers!!!

The Graduate

Rebecca graduated from Preschool on Thursday. She is on to Kindergarten in the fall which will be yet another opportunity for me to hold in my tears until I get to the parking lot! It's amazing how one ceremony can change your perspective. Going into the week she was my little four year old preschooler and a piece of paper and a hug later I'm looking at my future kindergartner! What made this day even more special was that we got to share it with Nana and Pop Pop who drove 2 1/2 hours to see the five minute ceremony. How great are they?? It sure meant a lot to Rebecca and me for that matter! Rebecca learned today that goodbyes are bitter sweet. She was so sad to say goodbye to her teachers, but the promise of something new was exciting to her as well. I can't get over how fast they grow and how quickly she will be grown and gone. OY, I can't even think about that as I am on the verge of tears again. I just have to end by saying I am so blessed to have all of my children, but since this is about Rebecca, I am blessed to have her! She brings so much laughter and joy to my life. I love how her big blue eyes get even bigger when she tries to explain something to me. I even love how passionate she is about everything that she does. It's these few moments with her each day that I treasure. I couldn't thank God enough for picking out Rebecca for our family, or thank Ron enough that his hard work enables me to stay home and be apart of every aspect of our children's lives. It really goes by in a blink but I am so grateful that I get to take so much of it in! Getting to be "just mom" is the most fantastic thing I could ever do with my life. Thank you, Rebecca for being the most spectacular preschool graduate a mom could ask for...I love You!

The Vacuum

How long should it take to vacuum stairs? A few minutes perhaps? Not at my house, it's a good 10 minute job. Not because they are particularly dirty, but because my sweet son LOVES it when I suck up his hair!! This is what I love about children, they can take a crappy job and turn it into grins and giggles!! I must say the laughter made lugging my heavy vacuum up the stairs much more enjoyable. Even better is the fact that it gave me a reason to stop cleaning so I could write about it. I'll have to see if he can work his magic with the dishes!

The Routine

Every school day morning we have a routine. When this routine if followed we have a nice morning filled with pleasant people. When we deviate from the routine chaos is what's for breakfast. So we are well past 100 days of school, I know this because that is cause for celebration these days. And yet every morning my two dear, intelligent daughters come to me...always in the shower...and ask..."May we play the computer?" and every day for at least 100 days I say..."Are you ready for school?" and every day for at least 100 days the reply is, "No." Their grades and their teachers assure me they are not in fact retarded, so why this part of the daily routine. Many of you are probably asking why they get to play computer at all before school and I am sure this question comes from those of you whose children sleep past dawn. After they are ready for school, I allow them to play because they get ready so much faster!! Here is another curious thing...why leave out one item of the routine just to see if I'll mind. Today it was teeth brushing, you see i have to go through the list of things we do EVERYDAY so they can't come back with...Oh I didn't know I needed to brush my hair...or When did we start wearing pants to school??? Now we have a timer so i know it takes exactly 2 minutes to brush ones teeth. They could be done by the time they try to convince me that they will do right after they are done with the computer and tell me that this is the day they will remember, unlike all of the others. I guess I will just have to realize that from this day until they have their own children (I don't think it kicks in before that) I will just have to be the one that has the daily ticker of the everyday routine!