our vacation (part 2)

...The colors of the sunset were just breathtaking. We could have spend $350 for professionals to take our pictures on the beach at sunset, but I decided to try it ourselves. This is one of my favorites.

This photo looks a little strange, but the concept was great. Heading back from the beach, we stopped in Mobile at the Exploreum to look at their frog exhibit. There were some really neat frogs that we have only seen in pictures. There was this aquarium that had a hole in the middle for kids to go inside and look. Hence the picture.

And this video is something we found at the Exporeum. It was hilarious and very, very cool.

It is tiny, magnetic particles reacting to the music. It is neater in person because the video doesn't do it justice.

our vacation (part 1)

...These are some images from our Alabama vacation. I'll show more tomorrow. The first 2 photos are of the beach. Noah and Rhett had a great time swimming (or letting the wave carry them) to shore. The rest of us (Seth's brother and his family were with us) picked up shells and played in the sand. Seth, the boys and I were standing in knee-deep water when Melissa yelled out, "Jellyfish!" We were out in a flash and that pretty much ended our trip to the beach.

Our hotel was across the street from the beach and we had a lovely view of the bay (the last photo). The boys posed on one of the docks for me and that is where I took the picture of the jellyfish. Apparently, they love warm water and that is the reason why they were there. Their presence fascinated all of us.

A little side note: I took such good precautions about us not getting sunburned (UV shirts, hats, lots of sunscreen, even swim goggles with UV protection that we left Alabama sunburn-less.

Then we go to Friona's Cheeseburger Festival on a overcast day and guess who got a nice little sunburn on her shoulders and back? Me.

Sigh.

hello there

...It's been a long but fun week. I went to the beach, in the Gulf Shores of Alabama. I would love to show you pictures and I will, but tonight I am tired.

But here are some interesting (at least to me) facts about our car ride to and from our lovely vacation spot:

*We (mainly Seth and I) spotted 27 license plates from different states. A couple of surprising ones: Maine and South Dakota

*We drove through 5 states to get to our destination. Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

*Rhett's great sense of smell was lost on his own feet. Usually, he is the first to say, "What is that smell?" During one point of the long drive, Seth asked that question. We were in Louisiana at that point at we were both wondering that maybe it was the air outside (it was a swampy kind of smell). I told Seth that I was going to ask Rhett if he smelled it. I did and he answered, "Oh. That must be my feet!" Then we all laughed. He had just taken off his crocs. And had no socks. Poor guy with the smelly feet. We bought foot powder the next day and on the way home, there was no smell. :)

*Noah can't read. We were trying to pass the time on the road and at one point, Rhett says, "Let's find things that start with each of our names! S for Seth, A for Aimee, R for Rhett and N for Noah!" Seth saw several signs for shrimp and seafood, I saw a sign that started with A and Rhett found one with an R. Then Noah shouted, "Aahh! I can't read!" We all laughed at the one for a while.

*At the final leg of our journey, I almost cried, I was so tired of sitting in the car. On the way back, I did cry. Long car rides are just not for me. I am very thankful for my husband though. He drove the entire way without complaining.

*We made it all the way there and all the way back safe and sound. Thank God.

a love story

...After seeing a VISA commercial during the Olympic Trials about Derrick Redmond, the British Olympian who was favored to win the 400 in the Barcelona Olympics, I teared up because I remembered watching that very race Morgan Freeman (the voice-over in the commercial) was talking about. I found someone who told it better than I could. The author is Mac Anderson, which I quoted in my header. You'll find the quote in this story. I think he wrote this story in August of 1992. I hope you enjoy:

Derrick Redmond from Great Britain was favored to win the 400-meter race during the summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, but as he powered around the backstretch his hamstring snapped. Derrick tried desperately to finish the race, but he still had half the distance to go. Because he couldn’t walk, he began to hop. One step – a grimace. Two steps – a yell.

Jim Redmond had to get to his struggling son. He doesn’t remember all the steps down from Section 131, Row 22, Seat 25 of the Olympic Stadium. He doesn’t really remember leaping over the railing or pushing off security guards who were too stunned to stop him. He was not just a spectator at the Olympics anymore; Jim Redmond was a father, and he had to get to his son.

“Dad,” Derrick said, “Dad…Get me back to lane five. I want to finish.”

And leaning on each other, father and son made their way around the track as the crowd, with the whole world watching, rose to their feet cheering. Olympic Organizers can light the skies with fireworks, they can invite kings and queens…but this was the magic of real life.
That day people saw an example of great courage, but they witnessed an even greater story about love.

Love, simply stated, is the essence of life. It can put the smile on your face, the bounce in your step, and most importantly, the joy in your heart. Even when your whole world is crumbling around you, one person holding your hand, looking into your eyes, saying “I love you” is enough to get you through.

Love is to attitude as the rain is to flowers. Surround yourself with people who love you, and whom you can love back. This, more than anything else you can do, will provide the music for your life and the fuel for your soul.

Just recently a friend included a wonderful poem by Robert Ward in her letter to me. I hope you like it as much as I did.

I wish you the courage to be warm when the world
Would prefer that you be cool.
I wish you successes sufficient to your needs;
I wish you failure to temper that success.
I wish you joy in all your days; I wish you sadness
So that you may better measure that joy.
I wish you gladness to overbalance grief.
I wish you humor and a twinkle in the eye.
I wish you glory and the strength to bear its burdens.
I wish you sunshine on your path and storms to season
Your journey.
I wish you peace in the world in which you live and in the
Smallest corner of the heart where truth is kept.
I wish you faith to help define your living and your life.
More I cannot wish you, except perhaps love, to make
All the rest worthwhile.

Have a wonderful week.

jobs, lifes, and wives

...I don't know why, but the most meaningful conversations with my children come right before bed. Maybe they are just trying to delay lights out or maybe that is the only time they will allow themselves to be reflectful (I am sure it is the former not the latter). Anyway, last night was a great conversation.

It started off with just Noah. He was in the bed and I was hugging him good-night. Rhett was saying good-night to Dad in the other room.

Noah: Mom, I wish we could be married.
me: I know. What we have is so great though! You are going to be my sweet son forever and I'll be your mom forever.
N: But what if I'm a Dad?
me: Then that's even better! You'll still be my son and you will have also made me a grandmom!
N: Oh yeah!

Rhett walks into the room.

Noah: Will Rhett and me live together when we're Dads?
Rhett: Only if our wives let us!
N: I think our lifes will want to live together.
R: It is wife, not life!
me: I guess you could live together if you wanted to. You could live next door to each other, or in the same town or in different towns. My sister Krista lives way far away from me and so I don't see her very often. I don't see my sister Jana very often either. I wish they lived closer.
R: Yeah, we 'cause we don't see them a lot.

N: Mom, when I grow up, I'm gonna take of you and Dad. Because I really like you. And that's all I'm gonna do.
R: I'm gonna be a racer and then when I make billions of dollars, I'll be a billionaire. That is how it works right?
me: Yes, if you have a billion dollars, then you are considered a billionaire.
N; First, I'll go to the Olympics and then once that's done, I'll live with you.
R: A racer, go to the Olympics and a billionaire. That's all my jobs!

N: I wonder what my life (wife) will be like. What will my children's names be?
R: Mom, if we can't get a job or can't afford a wife, can we live with you?
me: (laughing) I guess if you live with me, you must not have made that billion dollars?
R: I guess not! But, really, do you think we can afford a wife?
me: (laughing again) How much do you think a wife costs?!?
R: Probably a lot.

me: (leaving the room) If you can't afford a wife or can't get a job, you will always have a room in our house. Especially if Noah is taking care of us.

I'm glad to know that they are thinking about the future. I do wonder what kind of wife Rhett wants though. She seems like she is a little high-maintence to me. :)

something random for you

...I sat down here to blog, but am not inspired. What should I blog about? The weather? No. You probably know it was hot. The weekend? It was fun. We saw fireworks, the boys stayed awake (until we got back into the car and then they fell asleep. Let me tell you that getting a 7 and a 5 year old out of the car when they are deadweights is not fun. Seth and I were both grunting and moaning!), and the rest of the weekend was spent doing things as a family.

Should I blog about the Olympic Swimming Trials? Did you see Dara Torres, a 41-year-old mom of one win one, but two events at the trials and now she is on her way to her 5th Olympics?!? She is amazing. I mean, Michael Phelps is amazingly perfect at swimming, but Dara Torres is amazing because she is defying odds and not only beating them but winning too!

Should I blog about the changes I made to the left of my blog? I am having mixed feelings about the new blogroll. On one hand, the fact that it updates blogs means I do not have to check them until they are updated. On another hand, it makes it seem that I am keeping tabs on blogs and does it make one feel bad that they haven't updated? So, that may go away. Also the slide show is neat but I don't like that I can't make it show photos randomly. Everytime you come here, you see the picture of the tree in the snow. So that may go away too until I can figure out something else. (In fact, now that I am writing this I am thinking I will make changes right after I post this, so you may not even see those changes I am talking about and that makes this paragraph null and void.)

Should I blog that it was my niece's birthday yesterday? Head over to Krista's blog to read a beautiful post about her. And Happy Birthday big 3-year-old!

Or should I blog about all the things I have to do this week but instead I am writing this blog about what I should write about? Does it seem to you, too, that I am procrastinating? Hmm...

have a happy 4th!

...Our neighborhood had a bike parade and ice cream social last night. The boys decorated their scooters and themselves and rode up and down the streets. Then they got to swim (at night!). A fun time.

Here is a wonderful reason to celebrate America's birthday: U.S. hostages that had been held by Columbia rebels for five years were released! That is great news. I remember reading about them a year ago and telling myself to remember their names: Keith, Marc and Thomas. I am so happy that they can go back to their families. After five years, that is a lot of catching up to do. But thank God they have the chance to do so.

Have a wonderful weekend!

surprises in the mail

...This past week, I have had a couple of packages in the mail. I always love getting packages and this time was no exception. The first was a lovely hydrangea from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. It now sits on my craft table so I can see it everyday. Thank you Scott and Melissa for the beautiful flower. The second package, that I received yesterday, was a colorful package that held inside a beautiful concoction of chocolate. Yummy chocolate brownies and cookies from Harvard Sweet Boutique. Krista, thank you so much for the goods!I had to take a bite out of it right out of the box. And it didn't disappoint. It was so rich, so gooey, it was delicious. I put the package in the refrigerator to hide it from the boys. When I told Seth about it he asked if I already ate them all. Ha. Ha. I would never do that! ;)

The last picture is one of my new hairdo. Now, for those that haven't seen me in awhile, it may not look so different than the last time you've seen me. But for months, I let my hair go without color and without a curling iron or straightener, so it was not pretty. Two Fridays ago, I took the afternoon to go "get my hair done." Nellie Connolly said it best in her book, From Love Field when she wrote about going to the beauty shop after getting her husband home and settled in, after he was shot. She said, "In those days, that's what ladies did when they felt worn down and worn out: They got their hair done." I think that still holds true today. I, too, was feeling worn down when I went to the salon. I told the hairstylist to color it darker and to cut it to my chin and she picked a beautiful color. I felt like a new person!

Have a great Tuesday.

what have you done with my mom?

...Last night, during our movie night (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark), I decided to wash my face and put on a clay mask (to make me feel refreshed, as the label on the bottle claimed). I came back out and sat on the couch. 5 minutes later, Seth finally looks at me. Though the lights are dimmed, he sees my face looking a little green and I tell him, "Mask." He nods his head and goes back to watching the movie.

During one of the best parts of the movie (Indy and Marion together on the boat, so romantic, so sweet, so funny), I say something to Rhett and he looks at me. I have been sitting beside him for 10 minutes with this mask on my face by the way. Anyway, he looks at me, looks back at the tv, then does a double take. His face was priceless. "What did...What is that!" I tell him, "A mask."

R: "A mask?"
me: "yes."
...
R: "Who are you supposed to be?"

At this point, I am laughing so hard. Noah finally looks at me too and his face went from smiling to horror. I have to tell Seth to pause the movie because I am laughing so hard.

me: "Rhett, it is a facial mask!"
R: "Oh. Then where are your cucumbers?"

Five minutes later, my mask comes off. My face is a little smoother. But my spirit is refreshed. The mask did what it claimed on the bottle; perhaps, even more so.

remembering celebrations and so on

...I missed my brother-in-law's birthday. (A card is on the way, Chris!) I think Krista's and Chris' anniversary is today. (uh, no card but have a great day guys!) And I know Holly's birthday is tomorrow. (Have a wonderful day friend! Your card, too, will be late. Sorry.)

Today I am going to take the boys to see WALL*E. They are very excited about it. They deserve the treat. I have probably been a bear over the last two weeks. I think it is just the way I handle things. I have found that I don't react to things right away. I absorb them, brood about them, but don't fully comprehend my feelings until later. It is strange because I wear my emotions on my sleeve, everyone can tell that what I am feeling, but when asked what is wrong I can't tell them what exactly. That is why journaling has helped.

Lastly, I do want to ask prayers and good thoughts for my friend.

Have a wonderful weekend.

follow up to the library

...Can you tell I know a lot of exceptionally literary people? (Look in yesterday's comments to know what I mean) Too bad Krista is out of pocket (hey, I used it too!) because I know she would have had something to say also.

I know about Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelusky. They are awesome and I have been reading the boys those poems for awhile. I guess they just weren't ready for the others. No big deal though. I will keep trying Christy.

Yesterday I was reading Harper Lee's biography and was amazed that I also picked up Truman Capote's biography because they did not just come from the same small town in Alabama, they also were lifelong friends! They begin writing stories together! Wow! (I love when I find a connection to something I was previously unaware).

at the library

...we picked up a mere 25 books in all, a number Seth found shocking, but I think it is a great number to keep us busy for 2 weeks.

Are you wondering what books I picked up? If not, sorry, I'm telling you anyway:

The Poems of Dylan Thomas (Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.)

Collected Poems for Children (Why shouldn't I subject my children to poetry? After I read the first one, however, Rhett asked if I could please read a funny one because that just was not cutting it. Sigh.)

Everything I know I Learned From TV (a good one for the pool, I think)

Not So! Popular Myths About America from Columbus to Clinton

I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee

and

Capote: A Biography.

So there you go.

a new week begins

...Last night we let balloons go with notes attached to them for the baby. At first, I thought I was doing this mainly for the boys. For closure. Turns out, Seth and I needed it more. We took pictures, but honestly, they are too personal to share here, so I found this image on the web. Like a child, I like the idea of my balloon reaching all the way to heaven. We watched them until they were no longer visible. Rhett said something like he hoped God would get them before a bird pops the balloon. Seth said God got them as soon as we wrote the notes. And I know he is right.

We made it through the week and I, for one, am so glad it is over and a new week is here. Last week, I kept myself so busy during the day that I didn't have a chance to think. Then, at bedtime, I was overwhelmed by thoughts. After two days of not being able to get to sleep, I decided to slow down. I bought myself a journal and now I write in it whenever I need to. It has helped a lot and now I can sleep again.

This week I want to take the boys to the library, start riding my bike again, start Pilates (I bought a video), plan my trip to New York, and find some fabric to recover my dining chairs. We also have 2 games and a practice for Rhett so we will be busy with baseball for sure.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and thoughts. It really means a lot to me. I was initially mad at myself for letting my pregnancy be known on the blog. It was too soon, I thought. And then having to write that I had a miscarriage was hard. But after reading everyone's comments, I was no longer mad at myself. We needed that support from everyone. It showed that we have many people who care about us. So thank you.

I'm going to try out my pilates video now. Don't worry, it is only in 10 minute increments, so taking it easy is the only way to go. :)

sad hearts

...I have sat here for ten minutes trying to figure out how to say what I am about to say. The fact is, nothing I come up with will make the fact that I had a miscarriage sound any better than what it is. I hate that word. Even the dictionary has the word "failure" in one of the word's definition. I don't feel like I failed. I don't think I should feel that way. What I do feel is sadness. A deep, deep sadness. Our hearts are broken for what could have been.

I believe God is here with us. I believe He has His own timeline. I believe we will get through this and we will be just fine. But I also believe that we will never forget that our baby, for however short of time, had a heartbeat.

I bought a book titled The Best Poems of The English Language, at least according to Alissa Heyman last week and have been reading through some of them. I found a poem today that resonated with me that I would like to share with you.

The Guarded Wound

by Adelaide Crapsey

If it

Were lighter touch

Than petal of flower resting

On grass, oh still too heavy it were,

Too heavy!

happy father's day

...to my dad, to Seth's dad and to Seth himself.

You know, I think about how blessed my kids are to have such a great dad. And it isn't about the showing how to hit a baseball or throw a football. It isn't about watching great movies with them. It isn't about going to Sonic to get milkshakes together or shop together or playing cards together. That stuff is great, yes. That stuff is important, double yes. But why I think my kids are blessed is because of who their dad is. He lets them know it is okay to laugh at yourself. He lets them know it is okay to be afraid of things. He teaches them about God and Jesus. He pays attention to their questions and listens attentively when they are talking to him. He shows them that working hard and getting a job done right is important. He encourages them not to quit, to keep on trying their best. He lets them know he loves them, no matter what.

I love you Seth. Thanks for being such a great dad to our sons.
****
Dad, a little note: If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have ever learned the importance of checking the oil in my car. I wouldn't have known who to turn to when my brakes stop working. If it weren't for you, I would not have ever "looked it up," and I still would be clueless on a lot of things. If it weren't for you, I would never tell my children they are "more trouble than a goat" or hear Rhett and Noah say, "That's bad business." Thanks for being a cool grandad. I love that my boys think you wrestled with a crocodile. And thank you for always knowing everything. Because of you, I don't even need a newspaper. Ha. Ha.

Happy Father's Day. We love you!

mmm

...I simply do not have any time to blog right now. I just found this at the bookstore...

...and will be figuring out what I want to make first. Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake anyone?

funny

...Last night, I went to get band-aids and neosporin for Noah, whose finger injury from the batting cages is getting to the point of annoying to all of us. Would the darn fingernail just fall off already so I can stop being grossed out (remember I'm pregnant) and Noah can stop crying every single time he hits it. Sigh. Anyway, I also stopped by Sonic and got four $.99 milkshakes for us. I would say this is a special treat, but lately we've been getting these alot.

The four of us were in the living room enjoying these cold treats-Rhett enjoying his without the lid-trying to figure out what we were going to "conversation about" (Rhett's words) when we got tickled at something. When I say "tickled" that means that Seth and I were giggling and Noah and Rhett were laughing hysterically.

What happened next was when I wished that there was a button to freeze time, run and get my camera, take the picture and then press the button back to the present again.

Rhett, somehow, fell chin first into his milkshake. He had his legs on the couch and he was bent over toward the coffee table with his face in his cup. And for a long, few seconds just sat there in this awkward position, I guess trying to figure out how to get up. After asking if he was okay, Seth and I tried hard to play stern. I mean, he got chocolate milkshake on a few places, including the carpet. He shouldn't have had the lid off. Blah, blah, blah.

Seth couldn't hold it in. He burst out laughing. The boys were laughing. I couldn't not laugh. It was by far the funniest accident I have ever witnessed.

i love movies, apparently

...Good afternoon. I am enjoying today. It is rainy and cool--a perfect summer day for doing not much of anything. My kind of day. Of course, we are doing some things. I told the boys we are going to start to clean out their rooms for the big "room sharing" event that will take place, hopefully by the end of the summer (hint, hint Seth). We have a lot to do, but if we take it slow, it won't be so daunting.

The weekend to see the grandparents went well. We saw "Kung Fu Panda" which I happened to think was quite funny. I always love when a kid's movie delights me too. It makes it worth it, you know? Also, mom and I were able to watch 2 movies this weekend: "27 Dresses" and "Juno". We loved them both!

Then last night, Seth, the boys, and I watched "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." The boys couldn't get enough! Add a little history lesson about Nazis and Hitler, and it wasn't just an enjoyable evening, it was a little educational too. Who knew?

Have a great day!

right now

...I should be folding laundry. I should be packing clothes, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, and taking out the trash.

Instead, I am cruising the internet, looking at interesting things and eating ice cream. Ice cream is such a wonderful thing.

Tomorrow the boys and I head out to see the grandparents (Nana and Pop-I haven't told you yet, so, we are coming!) We are going away before Rhett starts baseball. We are going away because my house may (or may not) be somewhat clean and I want it to stay that way for a few extra days.

Right now, I need to do some things though because the boys want to go to the pool and I can't fold laundry at the pool. Wouldn't that be a sight? Bringing my basket of clothes to the pool to fold while watching the boys swim. Ha!

So, I have to go.

pictures!

...Part 1
Here is Noah with his star certificate. What a wonderful idea. (I might have already said this so bear with me if you have read it before). His teachers got their Super Stars an actual star in the sky. I can't wait to look for it. I don't know if Noah actually understood the coolness of it but hopefully, when we find the star, he'll see.


Noah took this photo of me at his school. I know, I look terrible, but I want to show you exactly what kind of hair condundrum I am in currently. I have been too tired to actually fix my hair so I have been letting it dry naturally and it is quite the curly, frizzy mess. Also, I became pregnant before I could re-color my hair closer to its natural hair color, so the blond-brassy color is about 2 inches from my roots now. So, I am trying to figure out what to do. I know, big problem. (I am being sarcastic. I know it isn't a huge problem, but I am at the point I might want to shave it off or buy lots of hats.)

This is Seth after his hole-in-one over Memorial Day weekend. His parents, the boys and Seth and I played putt-putt one night and it was so much fun. I also had a hole-in-one. Seth beat me by one point. Sigh.
Rhett, not wanting to be left out, wanted his picture taken with his finger in the air. Since he had just taken a 2 on the previous hole (which is great!), I let him hold up 2 fingers. The boys did really well. They had fun and didn't complain most of the time. At the end, Noah got a blister on his foot and broke down but at least we were at hole 18.

We were so glad Nana and Pop came to spend the weekend with us. I think putt-putt was one of the best times we had. We (ok, I didn't go) also went fishing and the boys caught some fish! They were pretty excited. When they told Rhett to throw it back, he took it literally and threw the fish like a football into the water. Poor fish.

And here is the picture I promised you two weeks ago. Noah with no training wheels! He is amazing. It took me so long to learn how to ride a bike. And he learns in his first day. Do you like his vest in the 90+ degree heat? Afterward, he said, "Man, I got hot!" He was happy though. And we were very proud. Rhett had to get a new bike. A 20 incher! It looks so huge and he looks so big on it. No doubt they are growing up...

I'll have a few more pictures later this week. Have a great day!

rhett's journal

...Since it is Rhett's last day of school today, I thought I would give you a little treat. He had to write in a morning journal throughout the year, so here are some of my favorite entries:

Wednesday, August 29!
I can play litsaver. (lightsaber)

Tuesday, September 11
I love America because I love The areme.

Friday, October 12
If I were an explorer I wold travel. (Ha!)

Monday, November 12 2007
I love Srufen. It is very fun! Srufs up! (He drew a picture of a guy srufboarding on the waves)

Friday, December 14, 2007
Today is special because it is my brithday. A brithday is fun. I will have fun! (His birthday is December 16)

Monday, January 14, 2008
I want to be an ashterknot I awas (always) wantid to go on a rockitship. It mite be fun. Others thinck it will.

Wednesday, January 16 2008
I thinck this year will go fine. Even I still get mad at my brother. I still love him.

Friday, Febrary, 15 2008
Over the weekend I will see my nana and pop. They have a chuwawae. He is funny.

Wednesday February 20 2008
I think Presidents wore a wig because they were bold. I know that is sounds funny. But that's what I think.

Wednesday, March 12 2008
On spring breack I am going to grandma's house. I will be lot's of fun. I will go see Horton hear's A who. I love movies.

Monday March 31 2008
Last night we had a tornado drill. We were luky. We did'nt have a tornado. My name is Rhett. My brothers name is Noah. My moms name is Aimee. My dads name is Seth. My only storm shelter is my clozet. My mom woce me up at 1:06 in the moning. I woke up in the clozet. Noah was sleeping on my let. I said whats going on. I heard the TV in my room.

Wednesday, April 9 2008
My grandpa restled a crockudile. Grandpa won. He even went on a sub. He was the only ship that came back.

And let's not forget Noah:
His class made a "Mom, can I have a? book back in March and while everyone else in his class asked for a dinosaur, Noah wrote: "Can I have a baby brother, Mom? Please?" :)

thanks

...Thanks to all of you for your good thoughts and well wishes. We are so excited.

I am sorry I haven't put the photos of Noah yet. I have been so tired this week and just haven't felt like it. But I'll get to it. Right now, we are enjoying time with some family (Nana and Pop!) and getting ready for summer.

Today was Noah's last day of preschool. He said, "Now I am a kindergartener!" :)

Have a great day!

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

...It occured to me the other day while I was filling up my car with $3.60/gallon gas that I was going to have to make some changes. Changes in the way I shop, the way I drive and the way I spend money. Don't get me wrong--I am pretty careful and don't spend money carelessly but I know I also don't think about what I buy a lot of the times. And I am going to have to start being more thrifty because we are going to have 3 kids in less than a year.
----
I'm pregnant! I realize most of my readers already know this but there may be 1 or 2 or you that don't :). Anyway, the due date is January 4 and that seems so far away, but I am glad I've got time. Before, when I was pregnant with Rhett and Noah, I just wanted the time to pass so quickly. Now, I am thankful for 9 months. I think our lives are going to change so much with a third child.

We are all excited in our little family. Rhett and Noah love the idea of a baby. We'll see if they still love it when it is a reality. :) They are going to have to share a room, which should be no big deal since they sleep in the same room anyway and have since Christmas.

So, yeah, big news.

Tomorrow, I will share some pictures of Noah riding his bike with NO training wheels. Yay Noah!!!

not much

...I am aware that it is Wednesday and I haven't blogged once this week yet. I just haven't been on the computer much lately. I am trying to clean my house. And it is taking a very long time.
***
The other day, I let Rhett call his cousin Nicolas and you would have thought they were two giggly school girls. Of course, what got them laughing was completely gross things, but then Rhett's face would get a big grin and he would be "hee-hee, giggle, giggle"-ing again. Funny.
***
Did I tell you I planted blueberries? I am so excited for yummy blueberries to eat. Yesterday, my neighbor said not to tell her son that they were blueberries, otherwise they would all be gone before I got to them. :)
***
Well, I'm done for today. I told you it wasn't much. Have a great day!

Rhett and Jana

...The other day, when it was rainy outside, I let the boys watch The Iron Giant. They have watched this movie before but it had been awhile. I was doing other things and when it was over, Rhett came into the room where I was and his little face was all scrunched up and he had tears running down his cheeks.

Immediately, I knew what was wrong. I had also watched this movie before. I had seen the sad ending. I had cried many tears.

me: The movie was sad, wasn't it?
R (bursting into many more tears): Yes!
me: But you know it will be okay, right? I mean, at the very end it has signs of a happy ending.
R: I know. But, it...is....just so sad!
me (now crying): I know.

This was the first time Rhett has ever cried over a movie. And he has seen some sad movies (The Fox and the Hound, Bridge to Teribithia, to name two). But I think this time, he just got it. He got the why it would be sad. Wow. My kid is growing up.

****
I know it is be inspired Friday, so I want to take a moment and share something great about my sister, Jana. She is graduating graduate school tomorrow! She is a superhero, for sure. A single mom with 2 kids, a full-time job and after-school activities with the kids and then she studies and takes classes for a master's degree. Congratulations, Jana! You are amazing and we are so proud of you!!

****
And, finally, to all the moms out there--Happy Mother's Day! (Especially to our moms!)

A for Aimee

...I thought this was really cool. I found this A on my floor, during the day when the sun was shining in between a space that the front door curtains didn't cover the window. It is like those letter photos that are so popular now. I can see the fascination.

Have a great Wednesday!

to those who teach

...The beginning of May. A few more weeks of school, the weather is turning warmer, the boys are getting to bed later and later...summer is almost here!

It is Teacher Appreciation Week this week. This morning we had to leave the house early so we could buy flowers for the boys' teachers. We would have made it to Rhett's school with plenty of time to spare except we had to go back to the house because Rhett was wearing the wrong shoes. (It is PE day--only tennis shoes will do). So we barely made it to Rhett's school and was a little late to Noah's. I will be so glad when Noah goes to the same school as Rhett!

Think about the people who have shaped your life, who have encouraged you, who have given you what you need to succeed in life. Chances are most of those people are teachers. Thank you to all the teachers out there. You really are special and amazing and appreciated. Even on the days that you don't think you are. :)

my family

...Here are some images of all of us yesterday and this morning-

My sweet Noah on the swing. I look at this picture and realize how much he has grown up this past year. Wow.

Rhett and Seth on their way to the zoo. The first graders are having a field trip today and Seth is a parent volunteer. He just called and said apparently there are 2 kids to a parent, so wow, that is a lot of parent volunteers. Oh and he said that all the parents had to take their own cars and follow the bus and that this was not the only school having a field trip to the zoo so you can imagine the mess and the traffic trying to get into the zoo. You might want to shoot a little prayer their way...:)
As you can see, Rhett is so excited. He has been looking forward to this for weeks.

Noah took this picture while I was on the swing.

Have a wonderful day!!!

observations around town

...Apparently, a few weeks ago, many cops graduated "motorcycle cop school" or whatever it is called. Now, there are tons of cops whizzing by on motorcycles, stopping traffic breakers every which way I look. It is a little nerve-racking. Not that I speed (on known streets that have many cops) but it always makes me nervous to see a cop. Guilty conscience I guess.

Anyway, today while taking Rhett to school, we saw 4 motorcycle cops stop 4 different cars on the little stretch of road in front of Rhett's school. 4! I see at least 4 drive by the same intersection every day, looking cool and scary in their dark glasses and helmets. Are they just excited or is this going to be an everyday thing now?

****
Speaking of seeing many of one thing, the possum is an animal that I have never actually seen alive. Only on the side of the road, lying on its side. In the past week, I have seen at least 7 dead possums on the side of the road. And every time I think, "The possum population just lost another kin." Why are just the possums dying? Are they too dumb to stay out of the road? Or is it because they are nocturnal and cars just don't see them? These are good questions, don't you think?

****
Have a great day, don't speed and watch out for possums!

good-bye Mr. W

...Last night, I found out my high school art teacher had passed away a couple of weeks ago. I knew it was coming because he had been ill. But it still is a shock and I am still processing it. I had heard that he told his family he was ready, that he lived a great life and he knew he couldn't live forever. But those kind of people are the ones who should get to, you know?

When I signed up for Art my senior year of High School, I knew I was going to be in a class that wasn't that popular. And I was right. Art class was down a long hall by the band hall and theater. I had one other friend in that class. The others were students that were barely getting by in other classes but were wonderfully, talented in Art.

I didn't know what to expect but I was immediately impressed by my teacher's talent and ability to teach. This soon became one of my favorite classes.

Mr. W soon became one of my favorite teachers. You could just tell that he believed in his students. He believed in me. One of my first paintings won an art award. He entered my Christmas card into a contest and I was a runner-up. This is a favorite memory of mine because my dad is the one who drove me to Amarillo. This is one of the few times that it was just my dad and me by ourselves. We joked that the winner was a little boy (7 or 8!) and I was 18!

Because of Mr. W, I knew that I wanted Art to have a place in my life, even after the class was over. At first I even majored in Art, but I soon was discouraged and found another career. But I still think creating is so important to me and I try to find ways to keep it in my life, whether it is in scrapbooking or cooking or crafts. He inspired me to live creatively, to find the beauty in everyday, to teach my kids the importance of making, creating, building, painting. I am who I am today because of many people in my life. Mr. W was one of those people.

The last day of class, he gave the seniors (there were 3 of us) a gift. He had made a screen printing of a tree on a hillside. It was beautiful. I have hung it in every home that I have lived in and today it hangs in my kitchen. It is right next to that painting that I won an award for. This two pieces of art remind me of what I did and what I learned and to keep those things close to me.

Thank you, Mr. W, for changing the way I think. Thank you for being that kind of teacher for me. Thank you for inspiring all who were around you.

You will be missed.

something to share

...on this cloudy day. Hopefully, this will make you smile, like it does for me everytime. (Sorry the view is sideways, I don't know why it did that...)

Have a wonderful day!

10 Ways to Make your Earth Happy

...Happy Earth Day! Welcome to all the scrapbook stashers that read Erica's blog and shop at yourscrapbookstash.com! Erica directed you here for some tips to make your scrapbooking and life a little bit greener. I made a scrapbook especially for today using only scraps and things that normally would be considered trash. But it is amazing how you can make your old stash and trash into a cool, earth-friendly scrapbook!

So where did I begin? In my scrap box of course!

I am sure everyone who scraps has a box or a file or a drawer full of leftover paper. Maybe you feel too guilty to throw it away, like I am. Or maybe you think, "Someday, I'll do something with that." Today could be that day!

Ten Tips On How to Go Green in Scrapbooking And Life

For my scrapbook, I used part of a cardboard box for the front and back covers, the folder that my pictures came in that I ordered from Shutterfly (that made 4 pages!), the plastic packages that stickers and rub-ons came in, tags from clothing and bags, old ticket stubs, ribbon, flowers, brads, stickers, patterned paper, tags and chipboard leftover from other projects, green paint and colored pens and markers already in my stash. It is important to note that I bought nothing new for this scrapbook. That makes this not only earth-friendly (reduce! reuse! recycle!) but also friendly on your wallet!

The front cover:

Note: The blue horizontal tag is from my Kate London bag. I have kept it for 6 months. I am glad I did. It matches perfectly with the patterned paper! It reads (if you are having trouble reading the image-the photographer--meaning me--did not do so well on this shot--ha!): Here are a few of my favorite things...GO GREEN: Ten tips on how to "Go Green" in Scrapbooking and Life"

The front inside cover:

Pages 1-4 are made from the Shutterfly picture folder I talked earlier about.

I painted it green and used the label space to write the subject and date. This was fun!

Open The folder and you have 2 more pages. Green Scrapbook Tip #1 and another green tip are found here.

Close the folder and you find page 4 with a green tip that gives you ideas on how to involve your kids in your green living.

Page 5 and 6 were also fun. I made those two pages out of a small plastic package that some scrapbook embellishments came in.

Here is the back or page 6:
Yes, those journaling tags are the back of old movie stubs.

Page 7:

And the tag on the side of page 7 reads:

Page 8:

I used another plastic bag that held embellishments to make see-through layers. I cut the plastic so that 3 sides were open and then placed chipboard and stickers on each layer. It is hard to tell in the photo, but the top layer has the star chipboard circle and the "i", the second layer has the blue circle and the word "see" and the bottom layer (the cardboard) has the biggest circle and the word "you!"

Page 9 and 10 is a thin sheet of cardboard that came in a package of scrapbook rub-ons. It had writing on the front so I just covered it with scraps of patterned paper.

Page 9:

And Page 10:

The ticket stubs read: Reuse the chipboard outlines of flowers, shapes and letters over and over by painting inside the shape! This is one of my favorite things to do. It saves me from having to buy a stamp or stickers and lets me experiment with different colors and textures!

Back inside cover:

This is probably the best tip that I can pass on to you. I have read many things about "going green" and most of them come down to this one thing: Simplify. I hope that this scrapbook helps you to simplify your scrapbooking. I am not saying to never buy new supplies. But I am saying that think of everything you use as a possible supply for your projects. And think of ways to reuse the things you do buy.

Back cover:Do you have any green tips on scrapbooking or everyday life? Please feel free to share on Erica's blog (link on the right under Scrapbooking) and have a chance to win a prize!! You are also welcome to share your tips here too!

Have a great, green day everyone!

Earth Day post coming soon

...Blogger is experiencing techinical difficulties at the moment...hopefully, it will be worked out in a few...stay tuned...

fyi

...From an email from Erica, head of yourscrapbookstash.com (it is also on her blog):

Greetings!
Come celebrate Earth Day and GO GREEN with us this Tuesday! On April 22nd, we will spend the day trying to save the Earth one step at a time.

Join Aimee Houston, Design Team Member and resident 'Greenster' as she shares with us ways to save the environment. And yes! That includes scrapbooking as well! No! We're not telling you to trash your stash, but Aimee will show you ways to turn your trash INTO stash.

We will run a contest that day on the blog. Post a comment on thats days post letting us know how you are 'going green' or trying to change things. It can be something small or something BIG! Just let us know. By sharing your easy tips with others, we can make a difference.

We'll pick winners throughout the day from the comments posted. Check the blog on 4/22 for more information.

So look here tomorrow for a special Earth Day post and if you want to be a winner, post a comment on Erica's blog tomorrow! It will be fun!

earth inspiring

...I have started a new feature on my blog: Be Inspired Friday. If you haven't noticed, that is okay, I've only done it once.

And since we will be celebrating Earth Day on Tuesday (be sure to check here for an Earth Day/scrapbooking related post), I thought I would share some inspiration on that subject:

*Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Aromatheraputic Housecleaning products are awesome! They really work, quite well in fact, and they smell wonderful. I bought the surface scrub and I love the fact that you can use it to also clean those stubborn stains on your pots. I also have the toilet cleaner and it leaves the bathroom smelling great.

*Buying and eating what is in season is better for the environment. Here is a recipe from Martha Stewart's site for Swiss Chard. If you haven't tried Swiss Chard, you should. You won't regret it.

*Who knew that if you iron clothes less, you'll help the environment? That little article made me very happy. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

fast as the wind

...I hadn't posted a photo in awhile, so here is what I had on my camera: Noah at his soccer game last Saturday. It was windy, windy, but he seemed like he had a good time. In this picture, the wind is probably pushing him down the field. Each team who had the goal downwind scored many goals!

I think this Saturday it is actually going to be a nice day, so I'm looking forward to going to his game, sans blanket and hooded coat.

Speaking of wind, it is howling today. And my neighbors still have those windchimes on their tree. Clankety, clank, all day long. :)

I can't believe this is the last 2 months of school. Pretty soon, Noah will start the big K and Rhett will be a 2nd grader! I am looking forward to this summer. I want to just hang out with the boys and enjoy not doing anything. I think they are too. Noah asks everyday if it is a weekend and Rhett has even started saying that he doesn't want to go to school--and he loves school!

Have a great day!

on the plus side

...Earth Day is next week. I am already doing some projects for Earth Day that I am excited to share with you. I am really trying to get in a good "green" groove and be more aware of how I can make an impact--both positive and negative.

+I can tell you that these past few weeks, we've only had about 1-2 bags of trash (from the kitchen) a week. The rest we recycle or I put in our "Creative Reuse" box. This box has milk cartons, plastic lids, cartons that held mushrooms or strawberries and paper towel holders. Cardboard is not recycled here in Edmond (or at least they don't allow us to put it in our bin) so reusing it is the way to go. I hope the boys go wild with their imagination.

+I have been saving lint from our dryer. You know, for pillow stuffing....Just kidding!!! Actually, I read that you can stuff lint in toilet paper holders, then cover with newspaper and ta-da--instant fire starters. We have a chimanea, so this will be perfect for this.

+I have been making my own tote bags. Yesterday I made a bag for my friend out of a big, burlap sack that held 50 lbs of rice. My friend bought this rice from an Asian market and gave me a few pounds of it and the bag. (This rice is the best I've ever eaten, by the way. I will never go back to Minute Rice.) Anyway, I found some fabric on sale and with that fabric, I made a lining and straps for the burlap tote. I didn't get a picture of it but it ended up looking rather cute and my friend loved it.

+We have replaced almost all of our lights with CFLs. Only a few rooms left that have regular lights. The problem is--What do you do with all the regular lightbulbs? I have a bucket full of them. I hate to throw them away. Any ideas?

****
-We still take too long in the shower. All of us.

-I can't bring myself to lower my thermostat down to 68 degrees. We have left it at 71 degrees and I still feel cold. And yes, I am wearing a jacket in my house right now.

-We leave the outside lights on all night (for neighborhood safety reasons) but sometimes I forget to turn them off until late afternoon.

-We rely on our cars too much. But we live in a place where neighborhoods are far away from stores and jobs. But I could carpool kids to school and I don't bother to ask anyone.

I think this year, more people than ever will be aware and know the importance of Earth Day. At least I hope. I encourage all of you to do something to celebrate Earth Day next week. Small or large, by yourself or with your kids or family. The best thing we can all do is simplify our lives. Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.

be inspired

...Just a few inspiring things on this wonderful thing called the internet that I've found this week:

1. Kristiana Parn's artwork is so neat. Scroll down to one of my favorites, titled "Cardinals Under the Mountain Ash Berry Tree." I found this yesterday because I was searching for pictures of cardinals and the image of the artwork popped up. I was searching for cardinals because I saw the beautiful bird sitting on top of a pile of tree branches by the side of the road while driving home yesterday. I didn't have my camera, so I made a scrapbook page with a hand-made cardinal on it. This was the inspiration. (You can see the scrapbook page next month on yourscrapbookstash.com and I'll also post it here later.)

2. A honey cupcake recipe that I found after some searching. This produced a very light and fluffy cupcake, almost angel-food like. Very yummy. And tasting of sweet honey. I wanted to find this because the boys were still in their "Save the Bees" mode and I thought it would be fitting. Only one neighborhood boy complained about them. He said, "This is not a cupcake. A muffin maybe, but now a cupcake." (I left off the frosting.)

3.yougrowgirl.com has many ideas for an eco-friendly and laid-back garden. I haven't gotten the chance to look around too much, but I love the home page!

it's so silly!

...Last week, Noah's teachers let them have fun with Silly String. So, of course, Noah wanted Silly String of his own. Because I was feeling generous (or crazy--sometimes I think these two go hand in hand) I let him pick out 2 cans.


He waited all afternoon (oh, those 3 hours until we picked up Rhett were torture I tell you!) to use his Silly String on his brother.


A short 3 minutes later all of it was gone. But, it really was fun for them while it lasted. Shouts of "Let's get some more!" were heard while I was picking up all of that {silly} string out of the grass. I could have said what I was thinking, which was, "Never!! I will never buy this $3 can of stuff that doesn't last but a few minutes again!"


Instead, I said, "Maybe this summer, okay?"

I know, I am such a nice mom. :0

****
What do you think of my new blog header? I wish I could say I designed it myself, but I didn't. I found a site that lets you use blog headers for free and when I found this one, I thought it was perfect. So, thanks Jonathan M., whoever you are.

i like

...my new weather radio. I am addicted. In the morning, I hit the button and it gives me an update. It will sound an alarm when there is inclement weather approaching. It is like a friend--always watching out for us, always making sure we know what is going on. With the weather. Ok, so it is not like a friend, but it is neat.

This time of day when Noah has his tv time and I get to have my computer time. We both get what we want and are happy.

Lemon Cake Cookies. Noah wanted to make a Lemon Pie yesterday but I talked him into these cookies instead and they are so good. Light and airy with a wonderful lemony glaze on top. Delicious!

This beautiful sky. Last night I took a few photos of the clouds, before storms hit our area. It is amazing to watch the clouds rise higher and higher.

My new paper bin. I cut "used" paper into notecard size and now that is what I use for grocery lists and to-do lists. It is great!

Have a happy day!

little activists

...Yesterday evening, I had just parked the car at swimming lessons and because we were a little early, I looked at a magazine while the boys did their thing in the back. (Which means fight). I came to a page that had a picture of honeycomb and a bee and both boys noticed right away. They asked what it was and I told them what it was and why it was in the magazine.

me: "Bees are in danger of extinction and if they all die, which may happen when you are 35 Rhett, crops such as apples and carrots and blueberries would suffer without their pollination. Then we would also have no more honey."

(They have just seen Bee Movie, so I didn't have to say anymore than that)

Rhett: Oh no! We have to save the bees!
Noah: Save the bees!
Rhett: Mom, roll down the window. Please.

I was a little afraid of what they might do. Sure enough, as soon as I rolled down the window a little bit, Rhett yells at the top of his lungs:

SAVE THE BEES!!!

A woman walking by smiled. I felt proud. A little embarrassed too. But proud.

not there yet

...So do you think that buying a magazine whose theme this month is "Going Green" is defeating the purpose of "going green"? I mean, I am not sure that this magazine is printed on recycled paper. And one of the things I am trying to get better at is not buying so many magazines. Oh well.

Going green is hard. I always forget my reusable bags or I buy too much to fit in the 2 that I bring with me. I still use and throw away sandwich bags. I want to compost, but I think it is too hard to start and keep at it. I throw away too much. I have too many projects that I want to do (make a blanket out of old jeans!) that I get overwhemed and don't do any. Aaah!

I am trying to get back on track. One thing at a time. First thing I am going to do is to start with my mailbox. Catalog Choice is a new free service that you can log on to and indicate which mailing lists you want off of for good.

And then I am going to visit earthday.net and find out how I can get involved with Earth Day activities. It is April 22, so it is coming up!

Have a nice day!