Favorite Pictures from the Winter 2005-2006

(There were so many more pictures but blogger gave out on me...if you are not included, don't feel unloved! More are coming soon!)

(Oh...and others have requested not to be included so I will give those people honorable mention..."I have enjoyed all my times with Stephanie and Amanda!" Better, girls?)




Supper ClubI have enjoyed all my time with Stephanie a



The Great Holycross Candy Makin' Festival!



Willow-our hairless cat...in a hair dryer! Isn't it ironic?



Merry Christmas, babies!



The Hurricane Katrina Relief Fundraiser



Party...no, um...Potty time!



Nic, Jules and Charity...October 2005



A little Sam support...just when I needed it!



Girl time! (With the small recommendation as shown on our faces that grown up girls need a little more sleep than three hours!)

Josiah

I know, I know...Every parent thinks that they have the cutest, smartest, most creative child and I'm determined to not become one of those doting mothers that everyone scoffs at. I keep telling myself that my boys are "normal" and that the average mom next door had the same thoughts and feelings as I do. Since every child in the world can't be cute, smart or creative...Some of us HAVE to be wrong. I'm married to a teacher-I've met ridiculously hopeful moms!

I won't be accused of rose-colored parenting!

I won't!

(But, I still think I've got the cutest, smartest, most gifted boys around! I just keep it a secret!)

Josiah.

He's four and I have to say there are a number of things that I really admire about his personality, even at such a young age.

He has absolutely no fear of man. He's not about to put on airs for anyone. This has made cultivating the character quality of "friendliness" a little more challenging but for the most part his relaxed nature is a joy. I wish I was more like that...Not feeling like I had to make everyone be at ease with meaningless chatter.

Sometimes it's tempting to think that Josiah has nothing going on in that little head of his. It's easy to misinterpret quietness with emptiness.

I'm thrilled to find that my son has taught me to be careful about that judgment.

This morning Josiah crawled into my bed to discuss with me the disappointment he had that I would not allow him to pick out of the green snack bowl for breakfast. I will admit that the green bowl is a grand feast of various snack cakes and chips but I simply could not live with myself if my own laziness lent for Little Debbie mornings!

(I know this for certain as in the past, many a morning sickness morning has caused me to turn a blind eye...Oh, the guilt!)

After bringing Jo to some sense of happiness that he could have something with syrup on it (which still seems ALOT like a snack to me but you can't break breakfast tradition), he went on to discuss with me what thoughts he has had on his mind lately. Here are some of them...

"Sometimes girls make good fixers!"
(This is in relation to his Grammy that can always make his worn out kitty jammies like new.)

"A Superhero has to be a good kisser."
(Uh...I'm not sure where this came from. It concerns me, but I feel there is some truth in it so I'll overlook it!)

"Little girls turn into Big mommies."
(This could be a tiny bit hurtful, but Josiah is only a little over three feet tall so everything is Big to him. I must believe that is the cause of this statement and not take it personal!)

"Birds don't say bad words."
(Well, this is apparently on his mind because "birds" would be the polar opposite of "boys" who sometimes do say bad words...And then get into big trouble!)

Sweet baby! How long has he been thinking all that through?

Men are from Mars...Thus they need pudding

The differences between men and women become increasingly obvious when you get married, although, the ways you decide to deal with those differences varies throughout time.

The first year, you just giggle about them. They are fun, interesting...Even endearing.

The next nine years, you argue with each other over them.

It's around the tenth year that you begin to overlook them and just appreciate that you can pay the bills and get a full night's sleep.

Yesterday, my husband and I had an extremely stressful day.

VERY STRESSFUL.

You could see the effects of it on each of us as we slumped onto the couch after putting the boys to bed and mindlessly flipped through the channels on our TV without saying anything.

Suddenly, I hopped up and walked to the computer, mumbling "I'm going to check on Expedia deals...I need to go home. I need to see my family."

Matt then looked at me and said, "Really? I was just thinking that I needed pudding."

Pudding?

Bubble Tea

After some great debate and a little arguing over the choice...

I attempted to drink my first glass of Bubble Tea today.

My friend Diane picked me up in the afternoon to head downtown to the Arts Festival and we came across a local tea shop that was offering this infamous "Bubble Tea"-flavored teas and slushes that contain large tapioca balls in the bottom. The balls are slightly smaller than marble size and are black which I must guess is needed so you will know that one is about to slide up your straw and aid in not choking you!

The straw is rather large, but after some getting used to, I felt the size adjustment was needed as to avoid sudden clogs from those sneaky balls!

I sipped and then reluctantly released my tapioca balls at least three times before I built up the courage to suck one on in.

It was relatively tasteless and harmless but being a person that loves the culinary combinations of smooth and lumpy, I enjoyed the constant activity in my mouth.

Others, I'm sure...hate that duo.

It would disgust my brother Travis. As a kid, any texture difference that involved lumps made him gag and was totally repulsive to him. The reminder of that made me giggle while I was drinking my tea thus making the whole experience even MORE enjoyable!

I highly recommend that you at least give Bubble Tea a try and I vote for the lemon slush. It was very refreshing and with the accompaniment of the tapioca...quite filling!

A Mother's Plight...

I certainly hope that I am not the only mother that has this problem.

I am quite convinced that when I am gone from this earth and my children and their children look at our photo albums...They will talk amongst themselves as to if I ever REALLY did exist.

My sons might say something like, "Yeah, I mean supper was always made and I never hurt for clean underwear, but I can't seem to find any physical viewing evidence that she was apart of our lives? Vacations...graduations...Trips to the park...Special birthdays...Even Christmas! Where was she??"

I'll answer that, young boys. I was ALWAYS taking the pictures, and to get one of myself, I had to thrust the camera at someone's face and actually say, "How about a picture of mom??"

Pathetic.

Really Pathetic.

So today, I had the idea that I would go into the yard on this beautiful afternoon and take some pictures with the boys and myself.

This is the best shot they could get...



I'm not sure whether I want to see a plastic surgeon or just give up on the photographic memories altogether!

Back to the pictures of them....Ah yes, "them" is better!

An Act of Antique Appreciation

Yes...I've started yet another job. If you know me well, then you know I'm always concocting some sort of vision of entrepreneurship and I'm seriously drawn to people that have drive towards owning their own business and becoming a success through excellent craftsmanship.

I, at present, manage several properties out of my home for a broker here in town and while that's easy enough and helps out with the rent....My real interest was sparked when a good friend of mine approached me to be her right hand gal for her online business. It is called "Em's Heart". My friend has an amazing assortment of antique linens that she is selling and everything from her napkins to sheets and pillowcases are beautifully stitched and a dream to own. I can remember the first time I walked into her room of linens. I honestly felt that I had been magically transported back to the Edwardian Era...They nearly had to drag me from the room.

On my first day of learning the business, she lovingly gave me a gift. Eight beautifully embroidered napkins with the initial "H" on them.



They are so awesome! She is urging me to use them but I'm tempted to wrap them up in some acid free paper and hold out for a daughter! (Yeah...Doesn't look to good so far! Maybe you know someone who wants to give me one?)

Regardless, if you have a love for the finer things and enjoy giving a gift of linens and such wrapped in delicate bows and crisp white paper-I compel you to visit her site. Every arrival makes you feel like a princess!

Thanks Em, for the job and the knowledge of all that you do.

Today in my hemisphere, it's all antique and lacy...just as it should be!

Here I go again....

Well, I'm going to venture back into the world of blogging. I've been missing it so much and with the ease up of my schedule as of late, I think I might enjoy it again.

I've sort of gotten out of the practice of seeing life through the possibility of a "potentially great post" and I'm looking forward that! I saw a lot more of what was going on around me...I "looked" for the good stuff!

Fun, Fun, Fun.

Let the stories begin.