Cuz I need a few giggles every day....

Oh this blog is the funniest thing...

www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com

Because I love both cake and stupid people.

Seriously love them.

EDITED: I have no idea why the link isn't working, but copy and pasting is worth it. and then scroll down to the playboy cakes. Unreal.

Kids ATC swap

We have to have our cards mailed out by the weekend and only have a few finishing touches to add to them tonight. I will take pics of each, for sure! Teagen received her first card today from a girl in FL and her mom included a photo of her actually creating the card. So cute and what a great way for a 4 year old to be able to comprehend what this is all about. So I whipped up these little cuties above and I am having Walgreens print me 5 of each right now to include in the envelopes. We are having so much fun with this! And Teagen loved the card she got today. I am going give each of the girls a little photo album to collect their Artist Trading Cards in.

After we get ours sent out, I will be asking again if anyone wants to participate in doing one. We'll do a week for an official sign up and hopefully get a decent number of kids involved. Minimal parental effort on this, seriously. The only reason I did the pic thingys is because I am crazy;)

It was a very good day, and reason number 104 why I will not get the Mother of the Year award.

Is it bad that I let Summer skip school for her sister's birthday?
Well, I don't really care. It was worth it.

The funny part was that we all got ready( usually 3 out of 4 of us are in PJ's when taking Summer to school) and brought Summer to school. But she was unusually quiet on the ride there. When she was getting out of the car, she asked if Grandma Donna would still be there when she got home, and I had to answer honestly that I was not sure. Instant tears. That would not stop.

Lets recall that this child hates getting sick because she NEVER wants to miss anything at school.

I told her to get back in the car and we drove away from that school as the bell rang.

And went to the bagel shop for smoothies.

And coffee for me(I did sneak a few smoothie sips but nearly cracked my teeth with the hot/cold combo)

This kid is a maniac. I really hope the other patrons were not trying to get any really important work done. Grady's volume controls were on the fritz.

Love these people. couldn't wipe the smile off my face the entire time.

And the fastest cake in history. I decorated this thing is less than 30 minutes. Rockin'. her main request was that it be a rainbow. the shape kept changing. last minute, she choose the butterfly, with strawberry cake and cookie dough ice cream.

Its great to have a big sis to read your birthday cards to you.

Teagen got A LOT of these for her birthday. Barbie Peek-a-Boos. What is with little girls and tiny tiny toys? (they are pretty cute)

Grandma Donna got her the new dress for Bitty Baby. I should have had video rolling, because her reaction was priceless. This girl has a love for clothes that I have never seen at such a young age. She wanted to go clothes shopping for her birthday! And she is always asking when I am on the computer if we can go to websites and look at little girl clothes.

Oh, my...

For dinner she wanted Bob Evans. We invited Grandma Joan and Grandpa Bob to join us. Teagen insisted on wearing a new dress up dress. its her birthday, who's gonna argue with that?

And after dinner, back to our house for the cake.

I know she had a super fantastic day. She smiled and giggled more in that day than she usually does in a week! If you know Teagen, then you know that she has never been quick to smile or laugh, especially as a baby. We had to WORK for those smiles:) I am SO happy that we were able to make her feel as special as she is to us.

Because she is one amazing little girl.

She did it...

...Teagen went and turned four this morning, when I specifically told her not to.
She never listens.

More posts to come(between picking up the house and baking a cake) We have already had a special morning:)

Oh, and if you happen to see me, congratulate me on NOT having a three year old for the next 6 months. And then it begins again.

(who am I kidding, if 3 is tougher than 2 with the G-Man, I'm bailing)

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

I wish you all knew how many times I have nearly purchased one of these skirts! But they cost a fortune. So I have settled for various tutus and such.

Hey, Kim won one of her last giveaways, maybe its my turn;)

And he's mine, all mine.

Yes, these oldbooth photos have been floating around for a while, but these are some faves that have been sitting on my iPod for a while and downloaded today when I updated itunes.

I thought I would share the utter hotness that I married.





(but for real, his chest hasn't looked like this since he was 7 years old)

All this, AND he moped the floors yesterday! {{{{SWOON}}}}

Crabby Patty

I am trying my best to adjust to being away from home a few hours a week, but I cannot get my attitude in check. It doesn't help that the job itself is annoying me to no end. I hate that the schedule doesn't come out until Thur and has hours for Sunday. I will not know until Thursday if I have to work Sunday!! I make plans by weekends, people. Don't we all? It makes me want to spit. And the house stuff is still here. All the same stuff, and now even less hours to do it. I just wish when someone sees something out of place, that they would take care of it. Like the pile in the kitchen. and the 2 bags that need to be unpacked from the weekend. And the fact that Summer went to school w/o snow pants today, because I haven't seen them since last week.

I realize this is a bit much to ask. But I seriously might lose my marbles. And I would have no clue where to find them. They are likely under a pile of laundry.


For the record, Jason is trying. His schedule is a bit much right now too. I am hoping that things get better soon. I cant handle this much. I am not designed to spread myself so thin.


The weekend didn't go as I had envisioned. Jason and I both had to work Saturday AM. And he needed to be in for a while so was unable to take littles with him. Friday night when I was working(again) he took them all to my in laws for a sleepover. I come home to an (unexpectedly)empty house, and I'm instantly sad. It was a rough night, I feel sad not being home, and no ones here when I am. But I am so grateful to my in laws for making things easier for us. To make a long story short, Summer was in a fishing tournament in Whitehall on Sunday. So Bob and Joan kept the kids all weekend since I was working. We all spent Saturday evening at their house, but its hard to leave them behind, when I know I am just going home. But I needed to work AGAIN on Sunday. So it was leave them behind, or drive back up to drop them off. Really really really, we are so lucky to have family that helps so much, I just wish I didn't need the help.
PITY PARTY OVER-I think.

Jason and I did exchange fun Valentines. I got him some sweet aviator sunglasses and olives. He got me a Biggby Coffee gift card and flowers;) And we spoiled the kids like we do... the bestest was sharing tons of Bernie-Os at Bob and Joan's! Nummy....OH and Summer got 3rd place in the fishing tournament! She caught a pike that was like 28 inches long! Crazy kid.

And here is something cool that I stumbled across when I was out blog stalking. Its a kids ATC swap. ATCs are Artist Trading Cards. Tiny pieces of art(2.5x3.5 inches) that you make and trade. Its been a hot thing in the crafty world for some time now. But I never noticed a kids version before! What an awesome idea! So each of the girls are making 5 cards to send out to 5 other kids in their age group. Apparently there are over 900 kids involved. Summer even has an Aussie in her group! We are so excited and have been practicing on paper cut to size, just to get the feel of working on a small scale. I am using really heavy chipboard(like what you would find on the back of a sketchbook) for the final projects. But you can also use cereal box cardboard and such too. The re-using sends a great message to the kiddos and helps them to start to look at packaging differently.

These are what we are using for final products.

And Summer working away.

How cool is it that they are going to start getting mail with tiny pieces of art! What kids doesn't live for getting mail?!? I think we might frame the collection, or start a book. After its done, I am interested in maybe doing a kids swap locally, among kids of friends and family(and anyone else lurking who's interested) Let me know if you want to try to do this too! I will post finished projects soon.

I am hoping this is the last of my schizo posts. Really I am OK. There is always more good than bad. I'm naturally a complainer. I don't wanna be, I am working on that. Always. My life is not perfect. Not even close. That's why I need to balance the crud with totally awesome happenings like an artfest at the dining room table. Or enjoying a drive with my Hubs(without noisy kids) wearing sunglasses that make him look like a super trooper(a hot one, babe) and in the end, giggling manically at everything that is so insane in our everyday. That's the only way I know how to make it all work:)

Friday fill-ins

And...here we go!


www.fridayfillins.blogspot.com


1. It seems like the world is getting scarier. And funny-er too! Every headline that scares me is followed by one that makes me laugh out loud at the stupidity of someone or something.



2. Put everything away when you're done, please? (I wish saying this actually worked)



3. If I thought it would help, I'd brew a pot of coffee right now and drink it. I might anyway.

4. Being happy, having fun, feeling safe, and supported is what I think of most when I think of you.(Jason)



5. To me, Valentine's Day means gushy, squishy LOVE.LOVE.LOVE. But I hated it in school, because I never had boyfriends, and didn't get "candygrams" or balloons or flowers.boo-hoo;) Of course now if one of my girls ever comes home with any of that stuff from a boy, I am gonna FREAK. (and flowers and candy are lame)



6. MY family gives me strength. For them I would do anything. Anything.



7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to um, I'll be at the store, tomorrow my plans include not sure, but we will all be together and Sunday, I want to go up to Whitehall while Jason takes Summer fishing(if there is enough ice) and visit with the fam!


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

I wanted to touch on the last post just for a second. I think all schools are just getting out of control. I still believed that WHS was immune to this change( even with all the recent bad publicity) and was shocked. But I have a lot of hope for us. Obviously the schools can't do it by themselves, so its going to take MORE parental involvement by US in order to keep them safe and on the right path. I think most of us are already doing that. And by actually being parents, not our kids best buddies. I've said it a million times, but if kids don't fear their parents just a little, then they will do whatever they want to. It was fear that kept me out of a lot of trouble, that's for sure.

Last thing, and I hope typing it out helps to clear my head of it. Last night, not 10 miles from here, two babies were killed in a house fire. A boy and girl, same as Teagen and Grady. I am so angry and so heartbroken. I barely slept. All I could think of were T and G huddled together under a bed, and I just cant get the image out of my head for more than a couple minutes. I just don't understand where the adults were. I am certainly more tolerant of naughtiness today and hugging my littles close.

These are the Days of Our Lives

I have noticed that unless you have been on vacation, there is just not much to blog about. I am getting back to the basics, the reason I started doing this in the 1st place. Just to document the every day, before its gone. Here is the random latest, along with random pics.
This girl is going to be 4 in a couple weeks! She is quite a piece of work. I will be doing a lot of Teagen blogging in the days leading up to her b-day.

Oh lets see, Summer was invited to a birthday party last Saturday. We encountered a situation of interest. She was invited by a boy. Who has a twin sister in the same class. So it was a joint party, but the boy invited Summer. I felt confused, because the mother made it clear that gifts were only to be brought to the child who invited my child. But it just seemed strange that Summer was not getting her "girl" friend a gift. I have to say that if Summer was a boy, I would not have had the same concerns. And of course, my concerns were completely unwarranted. Social stuff is like no sweat to Summer, that's all me. She was thrilled with her spiderman goodie bag, and ate the "girl" HSM cake instead of the "boy" spider man cake. Just another lesson for me in worry 101. Someone tell me to chill...

For Rachael's birthday, I was supposed to watch her kids so she could go to the casino with Gary and her friends. But then our folks were going too. And Rachael got really sad that we couldn't go. And Jason was supposed to go fishing with Ian, but he had to work. So Jason was sad. To make a very long story short, we got Jason's step sister Johanna to watch our kids(1st time we have ever paid a sitter) and we went too! I am not a big fan of the casino, but I did play for 45 minutes on $5, so that's cool.

My Aunt Julie is going to love this....I broke down and bought a Wii. I just told her last week that I was not going to do it, but I got it for $199(Thanks Jodi) And Summer paid half. It is really fun(DUH). The kids crack me up. All Teagen wants to do is make more Miis! And Grady laughs so hard at the funny faces. Its just what we needed to get through these last several weeks of cruddy weather. On Sunday, Rach and Gary and the kids were over and the grownups played The Price is Right. Very silly business.

Summer Valentines party is today. I do not recommend waiting until 8pm the night before to assemble store bought valentines. Not cool, people. Not cool.

Other than that, I started this week on the floor at the big "S". First I had to complete 22 hours of training sitting in a room at a computer. Ouch. I am just a cashier, for crying out loud. Monday I worked with a girl who went to Whitehall(class of 08) And got an earful. I know all schools are different since I was in school, but I just can't imagine WHS being so horrible. The drug use is out of control as are the pregnancy rates. The stories coming out of the mouth of this little cheerleader(with a baby) are like nothing I have ever imagined. I am moving to Amish country. I guess I don't feel so bad living in the city(for now) anymore.

Anyway, tonight is my second night, so we'll see if its better. And if I learn something of use to me in the store as opposed to high school life.

I want to send BIG congrats to my girl Marie and her hubby Ryan on their new baby girl!!! Yea! Welcome baby Kate:) I can't wait to meet her.

And I leave with a pic of Grady trying to hide from me.I think that it will at least make ya smile, if not laugh out loud....

yes, he has a freckle on his "cheek" :)

30

Happy Birthday Sis. This was as embarassing as I would go when it comes to posting a pic with me in it too;)

I am having a love affair with the Sun

Because I have missed it so much. I even have ALL the shades up. I tend to keep them down most of the winter simply because our windows are 80 years old and do not keep much heat in(or cold out) And the shades help a lot. Sad little leftover mums from Autumn. Spring may be over a month away, but at least there is hope that this snow will melt this weekend! Hello 40 degrees!!

Someone else enjoying the sunshine. Griffin is the 1st one to the window. Chase is the 1st one to bark. Apparently this is what they have worked out having been together for nearly 10 years.

And thanks for the help on my last post. I think they were totally hives, we will not know why unless it happens again. But it all cleared up in 2 days. You would think that after 3 kids, I would be smart enough to keep benedryl in the house. Better get my act together, spring is coming, along with its buggy friends.

Pink Toes and Cheerios

I bought yogurt blast cheerios for the kids to have as a snack, and everywhere I look I find little cups with all the pink ones pick out. Little buggars.

And We have some slight skin issues going on with Grady, that may or may not be related to the cheerios. He was playing with Teagen, and I noticed a large red welt across his face. As red as can be and raised. They had been fighting, so I assumed that she slapped him one! But he said she didn't, I just let it go. A bit later I was changing him into pjs and noticed these slap marks were everywhere. and they contained bumpy hives too. Now, Summer always had skin issues as a little one. Broke out from anything,which is why we use fragrance free everything. But Grady and Teagen both have the most porcelain skin you have ever seen. When there is something going on, it just seems very wrong. I put him in the bath, call Rachael, since she has seen it all with her kids and Fifths Disease, among other allergic reactions. We ruled out Slap Cheek. She is certain that its some kind of contact reaction. And the rash kind of "moves" fads from one spot and then get bad somewhere else over the course of an hour. Jason thinks its because he is itching. I think he is itching because he is having a reaction.

He was up once last night. This morning it was all very calm, but now it seems to be flaring again.

Ok, I gotta go, but if anyone has a clue, let me know.

A Moxie Fab Layout

I found another cool scrappy paper lovin' blog www.moxiefabworld.com and they threw out a challenge a ways back calling for banner projects. Instantly caught my eye, because of my love for the vintage, pennant-style banners made from fabric. So the idea has been brewing in my brain for a bit. Today I had the chance to put it in action, and scrap a few 1st birthday pics of Grady!(FYI-he was sick that day and barely touched that lovely little cake)

vintage tickets, Thickers, and a Scenic Route Label.

Fabric scraps and some Elle's Studio tags(Number 1 and circle)

Paper is October Afternoon and yellow ruffle is my new favorite "product" crepe paper streamers.

In other news....have you listened to the 3 newest songs on here? They are the best! I would love to tell you that I discovered the first two on my own, but actually I took the girls to see Hotel For Dogs about a week ago or so, and heard these songs, wrote down the lyrics right there in the dark theater and then found them on itunes! I was so happy, and now I cannot get enough of them. Oh and the Ting-Tings song is purely for Teagen. She sings it constantly;)