Quick Update

Little Bit has goop in her eye, and though it has not definitely been diagnosed as pink eye, she is on an antibiotic drop. Kiddo is obsessed with his hair. I cannot figure it out - but if his hair doesn't sit EXACTLY FLAT on his head - he literally flips out. Whining and tears and shaking - the whole bit. When I towel-dry his hair after bath-time, he can barely stand it if I don't immediately brush it flat. Is this some kind of OCD thing? Do I ignore it? Do I try to make him understand that it is just hair, and at some point, some day it will stick up in odd ways no matter how hard he tries? I'm kind of at a loss with this. He's constantly running his hand over his head to make sure it's all where it is supposed to be... Hubby is good...though he seems quite preoccupied. It's getting quite close to a date I know he tries not to think about, yet here it is again. I wish he'd talk to me. I might not be able to fix it, but I can always listen. I've got the beginnings of Bronchitis...again. This is the 3rd time since November. Luckily, though - I didn't wait until I was really really sick to go to the doctor. I was proactive (mostly) and went only after I realized that my voice wasn't coming back on its own and this wasn't just a tickle... Now I'm on a good, strong antibiotic and have instructions from "Doc" to take it easy. Take it easy. Yeah. Right. As if that's going to happen? I've got entirely too much to do between now and Saturday when my Mother-in-Law comes for a visit. I'm very excited to see her, but I don't want her getting to my house and deciding she needs to clean. I want her to relax and have fun with her grandchildren. (Oh, and the grand-dog, too. Nalla loves Nani!) TTFN JMS

Thought I'd share

We had Take Your Child To Work Day at my office yesterday.

 

Here's me and Kiddo.

 

TTFN
JMS

Monday Randomness

Hi! It's Monday. As if you didn't know! ***** Have you tried those Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals Cheese Crisps? So awesome! Have you see the new Clash of the Titans? So awesome! ***** I'm back on my FlyLady kick. If you don't know about FlyLady - got to http://www.flylady.com and check her out. Also, I've started my FlyLady Journal - and if you want to follow my "Reclaiming My House" escapades - you can read the journal at http://ladyonafly.blogspot.com. ***** Well...I guess that's it for today. I really don't have much to say at the moment. I guess that could change in about 15 minutes... Love you all! Thanks for sticking with me even when my posting frequency sucks! TTFN JMS

Major Milestone & Budding Artist

So, we've had a major (well, in my eyes, anyway) milestone happen at our house overnight. Little Bit - who, as I've mentioned at least twice now that I know of, is potty training - slept the entire night in "big girl underwear" and woke up this morning completely dry! The very first thing she did when she woke up was to get on the potty and do her business...and she was SO excited! We're very proud of her! And something else noteworthy (again, in my eyes, anyway) is the fact that Kiddo is making his own thank you cards for the folks who came to his birthday party. He's drawn landscape scenes, dinosaurs, flowers, sunshine and is only about 1/3 of the way finished with them. I can't wait to send them out! Hm...that's got me wondering. What do you think about Kiddo's cards being on my Etsy site? Do you think anyone would want them? He really is pretty amazing for a 6 year old artist. Of course, that might be a biased opinion. And, of course, I would give him any and all of the "proceeds"... TTFN JMS

in just spring... (my little nod to ee himself)

I'm off to see the wizard... (Hmmm...where did that come from, I wonder? And why oh why is it the very first part of this post? Maybe we'll never know.) You know what I do know, though? I haven't posted since March 16th! I now Little Bit is now 3 years old, Kiddo is officially 6 years old, I have a good full-time job that is solid and time consuming, a part-time job (Avon) that is fun and makes me feel good, I haven't crafted anything in weeks and weeks which depresses me slightly, my house is a mess as usual, my kids are perfect, hubby us awesome, and things are basically good. This is good news. I'm sitting here somewhat in awe of the fact that even though I'm tired and there are definitely things weighing on my mind right now, I feel pretty darn good. Some things I'm thinking about that I want to mention; in no particular order:

• K&NM & family have finally found a little house to rent and will be moving in May. This is awesome, fantastic and exciting news and will hopefully be the beginning of a new and more prosperous chapter of their lives. Prayers for them, however, are always still welcome.
• HB is now a year older, having had her 28th birthday on March 31st. Happy Birthday HB! You'll always be my bean!
• CG is also now a year older - but I think she'd probably kill me if I mentioned her age so I'll just say Happy Birthday big sister! You are always in my heart!
• My friend EB and I will be hosting a Premiere Jewelry / Avon Party sometime in June... Those interested need to contact me for an invitation - otherwise, keep your eyes open for details!
• Spring is here and along with it, hopefully, warmer weather.

Anyway - I guess that's it for now. I'm going to leave you with a picture of Kiddo & Little Bit (who is potty trained, now - btw) on Easter Sunday.

TTFN JMS

...Sigh...

...SIGH...

 

Yes - I'm a tad melancholy today.  My family is leaving me for almost a week, going up to my mother-in-law's house in Virginia.  Though they haven't actually left yet, I'm at work and they were all sleeping when I left.  Well, for the most part, anyway.  Hubby was up and helped me get our cars switched out.  He's taking mine because the Great White Beast (1990 Volvo 240 wagon) has an oil leak.  Anyway - I didn't get to hug my children goodbye, and that makes me sad.

 

So I'll try to focus on the things that make me happy today...right?  Isn't that what you would do?

 

Little Bit is potty training...and doing a most excellent job!  She's been in "big girl underwear" for 2 weeks now and has only had 2 accidents!  She still wears a diaper at night - but it's nearly always dry in the morning.  If she has to go, no longer does she go and then say, "I have to go potty!" after it's already too late.  She high-tails it into the bathroom doing this cute little dance and says, "MOMMY!  I've gotta go potty!"  Of course, the nearest parent (and even Kiddo has been known to run to her aid) comes running to help her out.  She does her business, we clean her up and get her dressed again and then repeat the process about 2 hours later.

 

This no diaper thing is GREAT!  We went out after Church on Sunday - all the way to Knoxville - for lunch.  WITHOUT THE DIAPER BAG!  We visited the bathroom twice, but I'd much rather do that than lug that silly backpack everywhere we go!

 

Plus - if all goes well, by the time the box of diapers we have is completely gone, she'll be ready to be without them totally.

 

It's like her little body turned 3 (did I mention she just turned 3 years old on March 5th!?) and all of the sudden BAM! she was done with diapers. 

 

Huh.  It's amazing the things one finds newsworthy or noteworthy as a parent.  I never suspected I'd ever be one to discuss, much less be pleased to discuss, my child's potty training trials and successes.  Again I say..."Huh!"

 

Kiddo is still excelling in school - and specifically reading.  I caught him sitting on the floor with Little Bit the other day and he was reading her "Green Eggs & Ham."  Last night, the two of them, led by Kiddo, were playing Chutes & Ladders together on the floor of her room.  It lasted for about 10 minutes and then he had a meltdown because I told him it was bedtime.  It was instant breakdown, too.  One second happy child playing Chutes & Ladders with his little sister.  The next second screaming almost-6-year old (did I mention he will be 6 on March 26th?) in total meltdown mode.

 

Me thinks this time change thing really has them messed up.  They're not tired at 8:00 right now.  But if I don't try to maintain the routine, even if it seems different, then they will be all confused and tired.

 

Anyway - I guess that's it for now.

 

I'm still working.  I'm still happy here.  I'm learning things quickly and all is well.  I'm also now selling Avon.  I decided to do that because I'm not busy enough.  (You hear the sarcasm there, right?)  No, really.  I decided to do it because I really like the products and it's something I can do in my spare time that I enjoy.  If you are interested in a catalog, let me know.  If you'd rather visit my website, go to http://www.youravon.com/jennifershell.

 

TTFN
JMS

"So...whaddaya think about your new job?"

This morning, I figured out where the mail room is at my new office.  Yeah - I know...seems silly, right?  But really it is a very good thing for me to know were the out-going mail goes; part of my job, after all, is sending letters and such.

 

Someone asked me just a few minutes ago, "Is it too early to tell, or do you think you're going to like it here?"

 

Well, so far everyone has been really great.  The office is beautiful.  The work is pretty self-explanitory.  I like my boss.  These are all very good points.  The gold stars on the chart, so-to-speak, are stacking up relatively quickly.

 

The hardest part of my job so far has been learning all about the health care stuff.  This information will be intregal to my success here, not to mention that there are so many little nuances that I need to know.  But I know I can do it.

 

*****

 

One quick thing and then I've got to WORK!  :)

 

I got a voice mail message at my office just before I left work yesterday.  It said, "Hi mom!  It's [Kiddo].  I just wanted to tell you I love you.  Um...  Bye!"  and then you hear, "Can I tell her?"  and then "I love you, too, mommy!"

 

Made my heart glad.

 

TTFN
JMS

RSOA & Work & Kiddo & Little Bit

I spent 6 hours (Ok...so I thought it was 5, but math has never been my strong suit and it was really 6) yesterday in a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSOA) class learning all about alcohol, its effects on people based on body type/size/gender/medications/illicit drugs/mental health/emotional state etc...  How to card people effectively.  How to cut people off if they've had too much.  How to make sure folks get home safely once you have cut them off.  And on and on.

 

It was actually quite interesting.

 

I got a 96 on my test.

 

That means I get my Server's License from the TABC (or wherever).

 

That means I can continue working at Applebees for the foreseeable future.

 

That also means, because I've made a commitment to them, that I'll be working there every Sunday until Mid-June.  I'm going to have to make arrangements with them to come in at noon on Sundays in May, though, because I have to teach Sunday School in May.

 

I'm not a big fan of this whole Applebees arrangement, if truth be told.  But I did what I thought was the best thing to do when I was unemployed and seeking.  I needed to make sure I had something - anything - coming in so we didn't wind up completely destitute.

 

Now that I've spent an entire week at my new, full-time job, I'm feeling better about the future.  I've got a lot of learning to do about the industry I'm involved in now (Health Care) but I feel surrounded by folks who actually seem to know what they are doing, and are friendly and helpful, too.  This feels like a good start to a positive, long-term future.

 

I'm busier than I've ever been.  I'm definitely having trouble juggling everything.  But I think once the routine settles in, I'll be better than I've been in a very, very long time.

 

****

 

Quick change of subject and then I'll let you, my beloved readers, get back to your lives.  I haven't mentioned anything significant about my kids in a while, so I thought I'd do a quick update.

 

Kiddo is nearing his 6th birthday (March 26th).  I'm stunned.  I'm flabbergasted.  I cannot believe it's been nearly 6 years since he made his way into this world...6 weeks early and raring to go.  He's in the home stretch of Kindergarten and his teacher is very pleased with him, says he's very smart and that he'll be more than ready for 1st grade.  He's reading at nearly a 2nd grade level.  He's drawing pictures I never dreamed any Kindergartner could draw.  (I'll have to scan a couple and post them for your viewing pleasure.)  He amazes me daily.

 

Little Bit is nearing her 3rd birthday (March 8th).  I'm overwhelmed.  I'm a bit sad.  My baby is no longer a baby, she's a big girl.  And a princess, too.  At least, that's what she tells me.  She knows she's beautiful and blond and blue-eyed because I tell her every day.  I may be doing her an injustice by saying those things to her, but they're true.  She is beautiful.  She's also extremely smart.  Her nursery teacher at church has decided (though she's not 3 yet, which meets the minimum age requirement to do so) to move her into the Pre-K/K Sunday School class with the "big" kids...including Kiddo.  The teacher says, "She's just too smart.  She likes to play, but ultimately I think she's bored.  She get more out of class than some of the bigger kids!"

 

My children amaze me.  I feel like the luckiest mother in the entire world.

 

Just thought you should know.

 

TTFN
JMS

WOAH! Is this really my first post of 2010?

I've been out of commission for a LONG time.  Mentally out of commission, I suppose.  After the blow of losing my job back in July due to lay offs, I was able to find another administrative position with a local manufacturing company. This job, too, was pulled out from under me early in January.  There are many reasons, but I believe 2 things:  1) They were looking for someone with heavy accounting skills, which I do not have and 2) There was an unknown-to-me personality conflict with my manager.  That's the simple explanation and frankly, I don't feel like going into too much detail about it.

 

Suffice it to say, losing 2 jobs in a row really hit me hard emotionally and I lapsed into a major depression, for which I am now sufficiently medicated.  I took a job at Applebee's waiting tables to make ends meet, I've kept busy doing some contract work for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture as well as trying to help where I can with a friend and pastor's effort with The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good.  This on top of trying to find a new full-time administrative position has kept me away from my computer for the most part, and especially from my blog.

 

I miss my blog.

 

This post is an effort to 1) catch my readers and, hopefully, still loyal followers, up on what I've been doing and 2) to reinsert myself into the blogging world.

 

I just started a new job on February 15th.  President's Day.  I've been immersed in orientation and training ever since then and, while it's A TON of information to assimilate, it's been great so far.  Very comprehensive.  Everyone seems very nice and I really like my new boss.

 

Anyway - that's the VERY SHORT version of the story of the last few months.  It's been a roller coaster ride, and definitely not a fun one.  But things are, finally, looking up again. 

 

I'll try to post again sometime in the next few days.

 

TTFN
JMS

Christmas Gifts, Baby Cousin's Birthday, Ralph S. Mouse

You know, I've decided that I'm further along with my Christmas gifts than I thought I was! This is exciting to me. I've still got a few other folks to get something for, but it's nowhere near as awful a prospect as I expected it to be! I guess I plan ahead better than I thought I do! There's one thing I ordered, and I'm hoping against hope that it arrives in time to be gifted for Christmas. If not, then I'm not sure what I'll do...although I suppose it's not a huge deal. I've got a TON of stuff to do this weekend because I promised Kiddo that we'd work on decorating the house. I think we're supposed to go get icicle lights for our house...? I've got to get Kiddo to clarify that for me. I'll leave getting the antique Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus lighted plastic lawn ornaments out to my very capable and creative Hubby. But, though I'm scared of heights, I want to do the lights on the house myself. Or, at least be there to direct Hubby while he's doing it. Inside there is quite a bit of picking up and rearranging we need to do in order to accommodate our Christmas Tree. That is going to get done this weekend come H*** or high water. This Christmas is going to be me making it a good, fun, exciting and memorable time for the kids, which means I need to get off my duff and do it. Does anyone remember the Beverly Cleary Ralph S. Mouse series? Mouse and the Motorcycle etc...? I got the three books for Kiddo for Christmas. I know they're still a bit too advanced for his actual stage of reading ability, but I think he'll really enjoy them. I plan to read these to him a little bit as often as I can. His reading ability, though, is skyrocketing! I'm SO extremely proud of him. He actually was able to check a book out of the library at school this week and when he got home, he read the entire thing to me - with no help. When I asked him if he'd read it before he said, "No. It just looked interesting so I got it." It was about bears. He amazes me. Little Bit, ever the Diva, woke up from a nap yesterday hungry. But, rather than say, "I'm hungry!" or "I want a snack!" (which she is perfectly capable of doing) she simply stood there and cried. Big, fat, wet tears. Snot. The whole shebang. Finally, after Hubby and I got her ready, she, Kiddo and I went out to eat. After food she was much more cooperative and happy. Then we went to Wally-World to get a few things. They wanted to pick out a gift for their baby cousin (Who turns 1 today, by the way! Happy Birthday Baby Cousin! We love you!) for Christmas. So we went up and down all the toy aisles and the kids were SO good! They didn't once ask for something for themselves. They kept saying things like, "No - she's too little for that." or "No, that's a toy for a boy!" They finally decided on one of those wooden puzzles with animal cut outs on the front and a fat knob for babies to grasp? Kind of a match the piece to the picture thing. They were very proud of their decision and I was very proud that they worked together and agreed on something for someone else without arguments. Anyway - I guess that's about it! Have a great weekend! TTFN JMS

Oh...just stuff today. Nothin' special.

Do you know those people who do all the funky things with keyboard characters? Example (albeit a really super bad one) ...**^**...**^**... Ayup...that was really bad. Anyway - some people make these really exotic swirls and complicated loops, tall hills and deep valleys - all using just keyboard characters!!! AND I CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW THEY DO IT! Who in the world has that much time!? Phew. Ok. Now I've gotten that outta my system. What's new in your world today? I'm really looking for some interaction here, folks! Does anyone even read my blog anymore? Sigh. Feelin' cyber-lonely! TTFN JMS

Small Joys

♥ the first sip of an ice cold Coke ♥ a fluffy bathrobe, warm, right out of the dryer ♥ a freshly made bed with no wrinkles ♥ "Mommy's home!" said with as much excitement and happiness that a 5 and a 2 year old can muster. ♥ a small space heater on cold toes under the desk ♥ finding $$ in a pocket of a pair of pants you haven't worn in a while ♥ getting on the scale thinking you'll be depressed again, only to find that you've lost a couple of pounds ♥ brownies ♥ an Etsy sale (Ha! - had to throw that one in, because it IS a joy...) ♥ Light & Writing's Blog: http://lightandwriting.blogspot.com ♥ watching my children sleep ♥ a hot bath and a good book These are just a few of mine. What are your small joys? TTFN JMS

Thankgiving to Christmas: Call me a Non-Depressed Mommy!

You know what I'm going to do tonight? I'm going to eat wonderful turkey dinner leftovers from last night (Hubby fried a turkey last night because he didn't get to do it on Thursday for Thanksgiving...), cranberry salad, sweet potato casserole etc... YUM! Then know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna clean up and rearrange the living room so we can accommodate our Christmas Tree! I want to find a fresh, real wreath for the front door... Hmmm...I can almost smell those spruce cuttings now! (Speaking of smelling stuff...I keep getting a whiff of wintergreen mint in the hallway at my office. It's driving me nuts because I cannot figure out where it's coming from!) Hubby is working late tonight, so I thought that the kids and I could put on some loud and jazzy Christmas music and go to town. They'll probably dance and run around while I do the work, but I'm sure they'll want to help some... Anyway - I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year. Usually it's a very difficult time for me and I get horribly depressed. But Hubby said something the other day that was like the proverbial slap in the face (he did NOT, repeat NOT actually slap me). He said, "Just remember, it's for the kids." And he's right. So this year, I will be all about the kids, making sure Christmas is fun for them and that they have a happy, non-depressed mommy. I guess I just need to start thinking about some gifts so there's something under the tree on Christmas morning, eh? TTFN JMS PS: WOW! I just re-read that post. Boy, was it random or what?

Creativity Display

So I've spent a lot of time (well...not TOO much time) lately working on various jewelry projects. Yes, I've done a couple new button rings...but really only two or three. Mostly, I've been working on necklaces, earrings and bracelets

I thought I'd take a minute to share with you some of my newest creations. Visit http://jshell73.etsy.com/ or click on the link under each photo to see the listings!

Caramel Delight - Stacked Button Ring

Bold -n- Beautiful - Necklace

Chaos - Necklace

Sea Foam - Necklace

Sea Foam - Earrings

TTFN JMS

Random Things - Item of the Week

Click graphic to be taken directly to the Etsy listing!

TTFN JMS

I'm thankful for...

This is the time of year when folks actually take the time to count their blessings; actively think about the things they are thankful for. This is a time for family togetherness and good feelings and good friends and good food. Tomorrow, almost everyone in the country will participate in "The Great Feast" - then most likely everyone will take a long nap after gorging themselves on turkey (why oh why do I always want to put an "H" in the word Turkey? Thurkey? What is that? Moving on...) and stuffing (or dressing, as it's called here in the South) and cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole and on and on and on. Oh, I'm drooling already just thinking of it! This year, we have been invited to spend Thanksgiving with friends here in town and I'm SO excited I can hardly stand it. She said to me, "We're thankful for our friends..." when we were talking about heading that way for roast bird. It nearly made me cry then and it is threatening to make me cry now. Why did we not make the trip "North" to visit Hubby's family for the annual multi-generational gathering to celebrate the Day of Thanks? Because I only have one day off and it is just not enough time for an up and back trip in one day. I'm disappointed, but then again, we're having our Annual Family Christmas on December 19th - so we'll get to see them soon. Anyway - I do have a point, and it is this... I am thankful for:

• my son, who is so smart and incredible and sweet and...and...well, just wonderful. I adore him so much I cannot even put it into words. He's reading, and doing so well he barely needs help, except when he decides he's just not into it and would rather you just read for him. He draws awesome pictures and when he colors, he is meticulous about staying in the lines. He doesn't pick up his room or put away his clothes or rarely does he actually listen to what we tell him - but right now, I don't care. He's my buddy, my friend, and my love.
• my daughter, who is also super smart, but mostly right now she's just a princess. A diva. A beautiful little blonde-haired, blue-eyed sweetie who gives butterfly kisses, Eskimo kisses and sloppy wet kisses and hugs that could break your heart with the amount of love she puts into them. Who says, "Ok, I'll get up - after I'm done sleeping." At 2 1/2 years old....she's a woman after my own heart. Who wants her soft blankie just-so, and her fluffy blanket tucked all around her, and her Dora comforter up to her neck. Oh, and I cannot forget to kiss bunny and Curly Shirley - the comfort toys she cannot sleep without. I so adore every little thing about her - even with the attitude!
• my husband, who is always there. I feel like I should say more - but I don't think it's necessary. He's there. He's not out somewhere else doing God only knows what, but he's home, with me. He's my love, my life, my friend and my future.
• my job. Though it may be the most difficult job I've had to-date, I'm thankful for it.
• friends who think enough of us to ask us over for dinner again and again, though we, ourselves, rarely entertain.
• the ability to be creative enough to make Christmas presents this year and have some guarantee that they'll be well received rather than dumped in a drawer to collect dust when I'm not looking.

What are you thankful for this year?

TTFN JMS

Feelers...

I'm puttin' feelers out there. I'm looking for a bunk bed for Kiddo, and I'm pretty specific about what I want, so I thought I'd see if there is anyone out there (those who regularly read my blog, and maybe those who stumble across it) who knows where I can find a good, yet inexpensive, bunk bed. I want a wooden, twin-on-top bunk, with a desk underneath and STAIRS rather than a ladder. Meaning, it does not need to sleep 2 (one up and one down), but rather have that space underneath utilized for a desk - I guess they call it a loft bed. I don't want a ladder because I'm uncomfortable with Kiddo going up and down in the middle of the night when we're all asleep. Granted, I'm sure he could probably handle it, but I'm not sure I could. Anyway - used is fine, as long as it is in good condition - but I'm striking out on Craig's List. See - I found almost the perfect bunk bed for his room, but it's $2000.00!!! I'm not willing or able to pay that right now. Though, yes, I'm drooling over it. Actually, the one I want has a ladder. Somehow, I cannot seem to find the entire coveted combination: twin loft bed, desk, stairs and NO 2nd sleeping location. Although I guess a 2nd sleeping location wouldn't hurt; visitors, you know. Hmm... So, if you have any feedback for me, or leads...will you drop me a line or leave me a comment? I know this is an unusual post - but, ah well. Thanks a bunch! TTFN JMS

Random Things: Item of the Week

Click on the graphic for more details.

TTFN JMS

Now I'm Gobsmacked!

Aw, shoot...now I'm gonna have to make more button rings! Such a shame. I mean, everybody knows it's something I absolutely hate...right? OK - can you hear the sarcasm dripping off those words? LOL! The first ring I sold after renewing some expired items arrived at its destination yesterday and the buyer (bless her) loved it so much she went back and bought 3 more! As UB says, now I'm more than flabbergasted, I'm gobsmacked! (Brit-speak for being smacked in the mouth, or "gob".) LOL! Anyway - just thought I'd share! I mean, any excuse to drag out the ol' craft stuff again, eh? TTFN JMS PS: It's Veteran's Day today - to find the nearest vet and give him (or her) a hug and thank them for their service!

Little Bit, Kiddo, and Hand-Me-Down Clothes...

So my Little Bit still has a temp. Well, not right at the moment, but when she woke us up at 3AM it was 101.4. She's exhibiting no other signs of any kind of illness except for the initial upchucking (and even then, it was just a tiny bit). She doesn't have a runny nose, she isn't having difficulty breathing, her lungs sound clear to me (and I'm an expert...honest. If 30+ years with asthma and bronchial issues doesn't make you an expert, I don't know what will!) and she's not tugging at her ears. Can she possibly be teething at 2 1/2? That was suggested to me, but I can't see how teething can bring a 101.4 degree fever along with it. Maybe that's just me. Anyway - she's really doing OK. She's not floppy and lethargic anymore like she was the first day and seems to be her usual self otherwise. Kiddo has been doing GREAT at school! He didn't get any checks at all last week (did I mention this already?) and he didn't get any checks yesterday, either. His behavior at home, however, definitely leaves something to be desired. I think he and I are going to spend some quality time together tonight going through all of his clothes making sure what he has still fits him and if not, we'll give it to our friend little boy (who is just a few months younger than Little Bit right now. I'm sure they'd love to have them. Plus, they were the ones that gave us bins and bins full of girl clothes when Little Bit came along - so now maybe we can return the favor! Anyway - Kiddo was just given 3 bags of boy clothes from another friend, so after we figure out where we are with what he has, we'll start weeding through the new stuff. I love how kids clothes get passed around through families and friends. It's such a nice thing to be able to fill a need and/or have a need filled - especially for your children. And one final note before I leave off for the day: I just added something new to My Etsy Shop! I really like it because it's simple, yet useful and quite pretty, too - IMHO. TTFN JMS

Follow up to "I'm Flabbergasted" (a.k.a. the last post...ya know, the one just below this one.)

I spent the entire day taking care of my sick little girl. She really did OK for most of the late morning and early afternoon, but come late afternoon early evening, her fever came back. Low-grade, but still elevated. She either gets really super grouchy or super lethargic when she's sick even a little bit, so she was quite floppy today and needed a large amount of hugs and kisses - which, of course, I was happy to give. She'll be OK...it's nothing major, I don't think - but we'll keep watching and if I think a doctor visit is in order, we'll go - insurance or no insurance! Kiddo spent most of the day with Hubby. Church this morning (he sat through the entire service and was extremely well-behaved, so I'm told) and then later this afternoon Hubby and the Chancel Choir from our church went to another church for the annual choir concert. I went last year (or maybe it was the year before), and it was an awesome experience. Hubby said, though, that if I had gone this year, I would have most likely needed an entire box of tissues. (I tend to cry if music of any kind is involved - it is a very emotional thing for me.) Then Kiddo and I went to the grocery store and to get something for all of us to eat - and then we had our Sunday night ritual (such as it is) which includes America's Funniest Videos and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Little Bit goes to bed after the videos and Kiddo hits pillow after the makeover show. I just logged into my email about 30 minutes ago to see if anything interesting was happening that I needed to know about and wouldn't you know it, I'd had ANOTHER sale on Etsy! Again from someone I do not know. I'm floored by this because I've been basically inactive on Etsy for 4 months and then I go and reactivate some listings and BAM! It's like I'm suddenly the popular kid in high school. Anyway - quite happy about the sale, but will be even more happy when my Little Bit gets better. TTFN JMS

I'm Flabbergasted! (Wait...did I spell that right?)

I recently became re-acquainted with an online friend. We'd both been going through some life changes (you know, me with my job and she...well...I'm really not comfortable divulging her issues, but she was definitely in deep) and were just now able to reconnect. Ah...the wonders of FaceBook! (HA HA!) Anyway - We briefly discussed our Etsy shops and I mentioned that I'd been thinking about closing mine, but then decided not to. Last night, I spent about 15 minutes renewing several expired listings at My Shop and much to my surprise, I had a sale! I'm guessing the sale had to have happened minutes after I renewed the item, but needless to say, it flabbergasted me! How cool, eh? I think Kiddo and I will spend some quality time together (with help from Little Bit, too, of course) getting the item packaged and ready to send to my newest (and completely unknown) customer! What a boost! I feel great! Almost enough to start crafting again... My only hesitation is the fact that I really don't have anywhere to craft if I don't do it at the dining room table - and I think after the mess that was just cleaned up by my sweet and helpful hubby, he would be none-to-pleased with that. We'll see. TTFN JMS

It's All Good!

Ah...life is good. 1) I'm employed. I'm supporting my family in the best way I know how. 2) My son is the sweetest little guy every in the world. No real reason prompting that statement...he just is. He is also getting VERY good at BEING good. At school, that is. (LOL!) He's gone 3 whole days with no "check" marks! He's very happy about it and I think the good feeling will carry him through Thursday and Friday, too. My sweet little man woke up early today and said, "Mom, before you leave for work, will you please help me pick out my clothes for school today? We forgot to do it last night." So now he's comfortably dressed in jeans, a long-sleeve collared shirt with a white stripe across the chest and his favorite Transformer light-up sneakers. He even let me cuddle with him for a few minutes without squirming to be let down. 3) Little Bit woke up this morning with a completely dry diaper! YAY! The potty training is finally taking shape! Phew! But those who have never potty trained a child don't realize just how difficulty it can be. Also, my sweet baby girl is just the sweetest, too. Again...she just is. 4) Our Baby Nalla (the dog, for those who don't know) is recovering nicely from her illness - which was a combination of several things that combined to make her lose almost 20lbs, lose most of her fur, and basically look like she was an abused and neglected urchin. She is not abused nor was she neglected - and she's FINALLY over the hump and on the road to recovery. Even her attitude is happier, which is great to see! She actually wagged her tail and smiled at me yesterday! (Yes, she smiles...goofy thing.) 5) I'm feeling the urge to craft again, but I don't want to pull everything out and make a huge mess of the living room all over again. Especially after Hubby pulled out all the stops to get it picked up! I'm feeling glad I haven't closed my Etsy shop, because maybe...just maybe...some new stuff will wind up there in the near future! I have some really great broken, natural shells that we found in St. Augustine, FL, that are just BEGGING to be made into something! Anyway - I guess I'm done for now. There's plenty more where that came from, though - so I guess you can expect to hear from me again in the very near future! Wow! Two posts, two days in a row! TTFN JMS

Playing Catch Up

OMG!!! It's been over a month since I posted anything! No wonder I'm feeling so desperate to write something! But, since I'm severely pressed for time right now, I'll do the ol' bullet-point list...just to cover the basics. If you see anything you want me to elaborate on, shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll do my best!

• October was my birthday month. The 16th. It was a very nice day, even though I worked all day! I got a new cell phone! YAY! Good-bye TracFone!
• My friend SW visited from New York and I got to spend some time with her. Granted, it wasn't quality time - but I am so glad she decided, on a whim (very un SW-like) to buy a plane ticket and come for a visit. It was really, really good to see her!
• I'm still employed. My job is amazingly busy, which seems to account for my lack of posting to my blog, but I do really like it. Except for the whole having-to-process-payroll-and-be-responsible-for-other-people's-money thing. That, I could do without. Otherwise, it's a great job and I'm very blessed.
• We went on vacation during the last week of Oct. We visited St. Augustine, FL and had a fabulous time. I actually even got to spend a couple of days with my little sister, HB, who lives about an hour south of St. Augustine in Daytona Beach. It was SUCH an amazing thing to get to talk to her, face-to-face, and actually learn more about her as an adult! The last time I saw her, she was 19 and in my wedding! That was over 9 years ago! It was almost 12 before that. Thanks to my Aunt and Uncle in Maryland (no AC/UB, the other ones...sorry) for providing the beautiful condo we stayed in!
• Kiddo got his very first soccer trophy on Monday. He was SO excited he could hardly stand himself! He wanted to carry it around with him, but I had to convince him of just how upset he'd be if he accidentally dropped and broke it. He conceded, and allowed me to put it up on a shelf where he could admire it from afar. Way to go, my little guy. I'm VERY proud of you!
• Little Bit is becoming the little fashionista. She really likes to pick her own clothes and has definite opinions of what she will and will not wear. It's really pretty funny.
• Oh, and we missed Halloween this year because we were traveling back from Florida. Kiddo and Little Bit seem only slightly upset by this...and are already thinking about costumes for next year. Frankly, though, I'm glad I didn't have to worry about it this year!

Anyway - that's about it for now. I'm sure there's plenty more where that came from, but again...time is a-wastin'!

TTFN JMS

A dream... It was only a dream.

I had a strange, disturbing and almost scary dream last night that I am having trouble letting go of. It started that I was at my best friend's wedding (not someone I know or recognize from the waking world). It was in an auditorium, kind of like a high-school auditorium, with a stage, curtains and seating, only the walls were a bright yellow and the hardwood was a light, and beautiful, shiny wood. I was out in the very back seat, waiting for instructions because my friend had asked me to be part of her wedding. I was not there in a bride's maid or maid-of-honor capacity, but I just had this feeling that whatever it was she wanted me to do would be super special. (I should have had my clue there, right? I mean, I thought if this person as my best friend, yet I was not a bride's maid or maid of honor? A little thought provoking in and of itself, eh?) Anyway - all of the sudden, the lights went low and everyone got silent and then out onto the stage came the entire wedding party. No procession, no preamble, nothing...just "Oh lookie. There they all are." I remember being very hurt and turning to my seat neighbor (again, don't know who that was) and saying, "I just knew something like this would happen. She doesn't care about me. She could care less that I'm here to help her or that she asked me to be here!" And with that, I grabbed my backpack (yes...backpack) and stormed out of the auditorium, making sure to make enough noise so as to disturb the happy little group of folks on stage. Ok. So now I'm outside and, with the magic of dreams, am wearing jeans and a sweatshirt - but I still have the backpack. I'm making my way across a darkening parking lot (sun going down) and as I come upon my little burgundy Toyota Corolla (yes, the car I drive in the waking world) I notice the front driver's side door is open. I'm curious rather than scared at this point, but I cautiously open the door all the way and peek inside the car. I look behind the seats to make sure no one is hiding there and then I see a graying head on the far side of the car by the gas cover. I holler, "HEY! What the **** do you think you're doing?" The dude pops his head up and looks shocked to have been caught. Hmmm...had he really not heard me stomping, ticked off, across the parking lot in my heels? (The heels had vanished by this point, too.) Brave, I stormed around to the other side of the car, thinking I'd use the steam from the anger at having been humiliated at the high school auditorium wedding. I got right in this guy's face and demanded he tell me what he was doing. Not a young guy, but not old, either - he was probably in his mid to late fifties with graying hair. Otherwise, he had a somewhat forgettable face...so his features didn't stand out enough to remember. He said some lame thing about testing the gas in my tank, and waved his hand in the direction of a bunch of little bottles and test trips that I'd missed seeing during my angry trip around the back of the car to confront the guy. I wasn't buying it and then, suddenly, I got scared. REALLY and truly scared. I guess my self-protection instinct started kicking in, and I began backing away but by then it was too late. He grabbed me by the upper arm, and dragged me off. The next thing I remember is that I'm in this big, but old-feeling house, with lots of white-washed walls and paneled rooms. There is a phone in my hand and I'm desperately trying to call Hubby (yes, Hubby from my real life) but for some reason I cannot get the numbers to punch in right and I keep making wrong number calls. Finally, though - I get the number punched in right and he answers. He's abrupt and asks if he can call me right back, but I SOB at him, "NO! Don't hang up. Pleeeeaaaassseeeee don't hang up, I neeeeeeeeed you. I'm stuck. I'm in trouble. I don't know where I am but I think I've been kidnapped!" I remember at this point I looked outside and I could see the guy and two kids (older kids, like teenagers) loading stuff into the back of a truck with a camper cover, using one of those sliding things that sets up at loading docks with all the wheels on it. You know, the things that make sliding heavy or big packages really easy? I don't know what they're called. I knew at that point that I was getting ready to be loaded into a big box and then loaded into the back of that truck.... ...But then Hubby's alarm went off (in real life) and he rolled over and said, "If you're going to take a shower don't you think you should be getting up now?" I'm still shaken up. TTFN JMS

Kiddo, Little Bit & Baby Nalla

Kiddo has had a pretty good week...so far. I have yet to hear what his day was like today, but according to him, he's gotten "none checks" for his behavior this week. This is a very, very good thing. Looks like we might just have figured out the trick to convincing him that good behavior, especially at school and when out in public, is vital. Especially if he wants to stay alive! (JOKE! That was a JOKE!)

Little Bit is doing well, too. She LOVES her school and talks constantly about this friend or that friend. She's such a sweet and loving little thing. On Sunday, NM came by with a bag of clothes for Little Bit that had been NM's daughter's. You know, the whole "don't-fit-my-child-anymore-so-pass-them-to-someone-who-needs-them" thing... I LOVE hand-me-downs for my kids. I mean that. And when we're done with them, unless the person who gave them to us needs them back, we pass them along to someone else who needs them. Pay it forward! Anyway - she and I were going through the cute and colorful girl clothes from NM and Little Bit kept hugging everything and proclaiming, "I love it so much! It's so pretty!" or "Oooohhh! Thank you! It's my favorite shirt ever!" And so on. She was so enthusiastic, it was almost funny...in a sweet and endearing way.

My kids are the greatest! They make me laugh daily. And there's nothing better than coming home to "MOMMY'S HOME!" and great big hugs and kisses. Baby Nalla - the dog - had surgery on Monday. Sunday Hubby noticed that her right ear looked kind of strange. For a dog who's ears normally stick straight up, to have one flopping over was strange. He touched it and then made me touch it, too! It was all puffy and felt like someone had pumped the ear flap full of air; like a balloon. It was awful! I squealed and jumped away, knowing I'd have nightmares. But poor Baby Nalla! It turns out, after a visit to the vet on Monday, that it was an Aural Hematoma, which required surgery to relieve the swelling and prevent infection. For a dog who is already dealing with a hyper-allergic reaction to flea bites (an ongoing, and might-I-say, supremely irritating battle) and doesn't have any hair from the waist down and is already suffering, to have to send her back to the "hospital" for surgery was just more than I could bear. I worried and worried about her all day Monday, hoping that she'd come through the surgery OK. She's an old dog, and and I was worried she might have issues with the anesthesia.

Anyway - she's home now, and she's pathetic. The enormous E-Collar, to prevent her from scratching at her ear is ridiculously funny, but necessary. We're supposed to keep it on her for 14 days post-surgery, until we go back to have the stitches removed. She's going to have a quilted looking, puckered ear from now on, from all the stitching they had to do. She's on 2 antibiotics, a pain killer (how, pray tell, do you tell if a dog is in pain?), and a bazillion other things. She HATES the collar. She shakes and shakes - but how do you tell a dog that 1) shaking isn't going to help either get the collar off OR help her hear and 2) that the more she shakes, the more irritating it's going to be? She's funny, though - trying to get around the house without bumping into stuff and getting stuck. We'd take it off of her while she was trying to eat, except for the fact that we'd NEVER get it back on her. Do you know how complicated those things are? Anyway - say a few prayers for our puppy dog. She's in seriously bad shape and in need of some lovin'.

TTFN
JMS

Quick Update

I'm feeling kind of burned out right now. There's SO much to do and I barely have time to breathe anymore much less write in my beloved blog regularly. Oh, it's so neglected. I feel like such a bad mommy. Quick Update - before I have to run again...

• Kiddo is learning to read. His teacher sent home a pack of little flash cards with "sight" words on them. ("a" "can" "the" "to" "like" "I") She made them herself and there are only 6 right now, but she's supposed to add a couple each week throughout the year. I'm supposed to quiz him every night on the words to make sure he's got them - and he's does, most definitely, have them. Kiddo and I also made little posters of the words and stuck them to his wall so he can see them every day. We'll add more when the teacher adds more.
• Little Bit is potty training and doing very well. She's got a bit of a head-cold right now, but otherwise doing fine.
• Hubby and I just celebrated or 9th Wedding Anniversary on September 16th. He sent me flowers at work, the sweet man.
• We're in the market for another car...again. My Toyota is being crotchety so we're looking to replace it. No real rush, but I'll feel much better when we make a decision.

That's really about it right now. Hope everybody is well!

TTFN JMS

Kiddo and Divine Intervention

OK - so it's been A LONG time since I posted anything of significance. I'm making no guarantees that this post will be significant...so proceed with caution. If you know me, this post could go either way - be a long rambling nothing about everything or a short snippet of something about something...whatever that "something" may be. Confused yet? LOL! **** Kiddo is still playing soccer and loving every second of it. He had a substitute coach last night who told me, "[Kiddo] is a real go-getter; he does a great job!" He's the smallest one on the team and everyone seems shocked when they find out that he's 5 1/2. "He's so small!" they exclaim. It really pisses me off. Yes - he is a little on the small side, but I know he's growing because he cannot wear the pants he wore just last winter! 2 inches of his ankle stick out the bottom and he looks goofy! I know he's growing because he's as tall now as our friend's almost-4-year-old daughter. Of course, she is quite tall for her age - but he's definitely caught up to her height. I measured (visually) on Sunday when we all had lunch together after church. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with him aside from being a little bit on the short side. And you know what? My little brother was a bit on the short side, too - and now he's 6' 2"!!! I have always been rail thin (until I got a secretarial job, got married, and had a couple-a-kids, that is) but Kiddo is a carbon-copy of me at that age. He looks like his daddy - but he's A LOT like me. So why does it tick me off so much when people who don't know us from Adam comment on how small he is? Because who cares how small he is!!! He's extremely smart, his vocabulary surpasses many high-schooler's these days, and he can run, jump and play with the best of them. These people should not have the power to anger me so badly - but they do. I want to whip around to face them and say, "Yeah? So what? He may be a bit on the small side, but I'll bet he could out think your child! You know - you have absolutely NO idea why he is the way he is and I'd also bet you have no idea how RUDE it is to comment on other's children. Oh yeah, and by the way - stop feeding your child junk food! She's too fat!" Ok - I've vented. That is directed to no one in particular, honestly - but those are some things I would so very much like to say to the next parent who comments on my son's smallness. Go ahead. I dare you! **** On another subject - I really, really like my new job! I heard a report on the radio the other day about the 15 million folks who are unemployed right now, some of whom have been unemployed since late last year, and I am considering myself extremely lucky, extremely blessed, to have not only found a job in about 3.5 weeks (how awesome is that?), but a job I like a lot. I was talking to someone the other day who credited me for that, saying that my skills and abilities must really have shone true in my interview. I will not take credit for it. Ok, maybe just a tiny bit - but really I credit God for this. I believe with all my heart that my finding this particular job, when I did, and as quickly as I did, was nothing less that Divine Intervention. I also believe - now that I'm passed being shocked and upset and angry - that losing my previous job was all part of His plan. The basic time line, as I understand it is something like this:

• I lost my job on July 15th
• I started looking in earnest the same day, not willing to sit back and wait - I needed to DO something and, after all, God helps those who help themselves.
• A day later (according to very reliable sources) the Office Manager at the company I now work for was let go for multiple reasons, not the least of which being the fact that she had whittled her days down to 2 a week and this is definitely not a 2-day-a-week job!
• The day after that, a friend at church emailed me and asked me to send her my resume stating that her husband wanted to give it to a friend. That friend turned out to be my new boss.
• So about 3 weeks after emailing my resume to this friend, I get a call from my new boss asking me to come in for an interview.
• I interviewed on a Wednesday and was called on Friday with a job offer.

Divine?

Absolutely!

What do you think?

TTFN JMS

Soccer

Did I tell you about Kiddo's first soccer practice on Monday? No? Well then...let the venting begin, shall we? **** To begin at the beginning, Kiddo had his first soccer practice this past Monday. He really had forgotten about it and I didn't say anything to him because I knew that if I did, he'd be too excited to eat a decent dinner. But, I suppose I need to start even before that... We signed him up nearly a month ago and were told then that we would be informed as to when and where our first practice would be and who our coach was. Tick...tick...tick. Nothing. So the day of the first practice comes (and I only knew the date because I picked up a flyer when I signed Kiddo up that had the meeting schedule for the AYSO figureheads) and still no word from them about where we needed to be and when. Finally, around 4PM when I was leaving work, I decided to try to call them...again. And as I was nearing home I got a call back from someone who apologized profusely that we had not been contacted, but stated that we were not the only family who was dealing with this lack of knowledge. She told me to be at one of the local elementary schools at 6PM and that the children were not required to wear their uniform, but that the cleats and shin-guards were vital. (Duh!) So we do our part and show up on time, with gear in tow and water out the wazoo... And we wait around, greeting the other moms and dads and kids we know and trying to find the coach. Guess what? The coach we were assigned to never showed up! Thankfully, one of the other coaches kindly offered to absorb the kids on our team who otherwise would not have been able to play. Kiddo had a great time, and never knew that anything was amiss. He kind of got a hint that we might have to go home and not play if the coach didn't show, but then the other coach took him under her wing and let him play with her. Crisis averted. I did, however, make another call to the woman I'd called earlier that day and voiced my intense displeasure (as kindly as I possibly could, because it was not her fault the coach didn't show) and requested that she please call me back as soon as possible. She called back just after 8PM and said again how sorry she was but that they were trying to track down the no-show coach and figure out what happened. Apparently all the AYSO big-wigs had meetings upon meetings that afternoon after they were alerted (by my call) to the fact that the coach was MIA. So later we find out that this coach had been called away on business last minute. What? It was so last minute that he couldn't make ONE phone call to let the AYSO know that he wouldn't be there so they could make other arrangements? Guess not. What have we learned from all this? 1) We know that our coach is a flake (maybe) 2) Our practices are every Monday at 6PM all the way across town 3) Kiddo is going to have an absolute BLAST playing soccer 4) Whatever hassles there may be, Kiddo having a blast playing soccer is the most important thing. After all, that's the whole point, isn't it? TTFN JMS

The Weekend Recap

Little Bit had a rough afternoon on Friday. The copious amounts of fruit she ate that morning at breakfast didn't agree with her, and while riding around in the car with me and Kiddo (of course, it would have to be in the car) everything came back up. YUM! We were already almost home when it happened so she sat quietly (I couldn't believe it) until I could clean her up once we reached home. Inside, she got a bath and the car seat got a preliminary scrubbing but not a full-out wash because I knew I'd have to use the seat again before Hubby got home and there wasn't time to run it through the washing machine and let it dry. She didn't have a fever and was otherwise acting fine, so I thought, "One-time thing... Probably something didn't agree with her," although I was monitoring her closely. About an hour or so later, we got back in the car to take Kiddo to church. She did it AGAIN! Twice! I had to call Hubby to come rescue us so Kiddo could get to where he was going and I could go back home and give Little Bit ANOTHER bath! We weren't going anywhere at this point so I just put her in her Jammies and we snuggled in my bed and watched WonderPets. (A friend said that the WonderPets have great healing power!) She fell asleep early and slept all night. Saturday, she was completely herself and ate like she'd been starved for 3 days! She never had a fever, she just felt kind of yucky. It's amazing how needy they are when they don't feel well, and how blasted independent they are when they feel fine! Sunday was church and then later in the day, dinner with friends we hadn't seen in about 6 years! Their two kids, our two, and the son of two more friends all had a great time. 5 kids ranging from 2 years to 5 years and 7 adults. It was chaotic, but a very nice evening. It was after 8PM by the time we got home! I couldn't believe we'd stayed so long. Hope everyone's weekend was as wonderful as mine. (Oh, except for the puking! That was sarcasm!) TTFN JMS

More work stuff

It's somewhat quiet here today. Don't get me wrong, I'm still crazy busy - but less-so than the rest of the week. Hubby and Little Bit came to the office this morning after they dropped off Kiddo at Kindergarten. They brought me a clock that belonged to CD before he died. It's silver and glass and looks great in my office. It's nice to have a clock that reflects an accurate time! :) They got to meet 2 of my bosses and one of them, the President of the company, disappeared in to his office and reappeared seconds later with a big zippy bag full of balloon animal balloons! He asked Little Bit what color she wanted (of course, she chose pink...she's such a princess!) and then -ZIP!- there was suddenly a pretty little balloon french poodle! So cool! She was very excited about her new "toy" and it was a fantastic first impression. Then Hubby and the Operations Manager spent a little time talking about me (all good...thank you very much!) and then everybody went back to work or, in Hubby and Little Bit's case, whatever they were doing before they came to see me. Anyway - I'm beginning to make myself at home at the office. I'm getting everyone's names down quite well, have mostly figured out the QuickBooks software and am gearing up for a 2nd round of Payroll on Monday. Feelin' good. I've got a picture of Kiddo and Little Bit on my desktop (the computer screen, that is) and another one of them on one of the shelves. I've swept, dusted, cleaned and organized. All this on top of the regular work they've had me doing. So I guess that's it for now. I feel very blessed right now. TTFN JMS

Deets on new job!

Ok - so you want details, eh? **** I got this job because a friend from church gave my resume to a friend of his. His friend called me, requested an interview, and the rest is history. I half wonder if they weren't afraid of losing me to another company because after my 2.5 hour interview on a Wednesday, one of the 3 folks I interviewed with said, "You can expect to hear from us in a week or two..." I heard from them on Friday. You cannot imagine my excitement and relief when I answered the phone to hear my new boss say, "When can you start?" Anyway - I am the Office Manager and my duties include things like Accounts Payable & Receivable, Payroll, and general office support. So far, I'm learning...and it's A LOT of information to take in...but I really like it and think that after a couple of weeks of this, I'll be just fine. It feels strange to be responsible for other's paychecks, but since I do have some familiarity with the process, it's just a question of learning THIS way. I really like everyone I work with and for and...this shocks me for some reason...I have my own office! Granted, it's kind of a walk through to the reception area where the office supplies and the fax machine are...but I don't care. I've got a HUGE window and there's a little bitty Hummingbird that comes to visit me each morning. He flies up to the window and looks at himself in the reflection of the glass. Then, once he's satisfied he's still beautiful, he flies away. I see him a few more times during the day because there are two lovely blooming crepe myrtle trees on either side of my window that he visits. I made a comment to one of my new bosses that I was going to get a shepherd's hook and a hummingbird feeder and put it right outside my window. His response? "Whatever you want to do!" Well, OK then. Anyway - I'm very busy, which is good. I'm trying to readjust myself to working hours. I've spent too much time over the last few weeks staying up late and sleeping in. Now I'm up and gone by the crack of dawn again. It's amazing how just a few short weeks (it was less than 1 month that I was unemployed. 3.5 weeks until I got a call saying, "Hey - why don't you come work for us?") can really mess with your inner clock/schedule. So that's it for now. I'll write more again soon! Hope all is well out there in blog-land! TTFN JMS

NEW JOB!!!

I'm gainfully employed!!! YAY! Big sigh of relief. So now that I'm working and back to a semi-regular schedule, maybe I can start posting regularly again! More later, OK? TTFN JMS

Thing 1, Thing 2, Roth IRA & 401(k)

Thing 1: Forgive me if my typing and/or spelling is atrocious...I whacked my right pinkie finger into the door jamb running for the phone a little while ago and, while I don't think it's broken, it sure hurts like the dickens! One frozen bag of peas and a good taping to the ring finger seems to have lessened the heat a bit...but it sure makes for lousy typing. Of course, I'm terribly particular so I will most likely correct any error I see even if it takes me the rest of the night. Thing 2: I was running for the phone because I am awaiting a call to confirm an interview on Monday!!! I'm very excited about this interview (thanks JB) and really hope this pans out. The woman I spoke to was VERY nice, if that was any indication. This is for a local company that does a lot of environmental clean up work with DOE...so I'm THRILLED! Just say a prayer or 2 for me and think about me at 1:30PM this coming Monday. Other than that, not much else to report. Unless you consider opening a Roth IRA with my 401(k) funds newsworthy... TTFN JMS

Dreary and unproductive day. Am I allowed one every now and then?

It's a dreary, rainy day and I've been a lazy bum today. I don't really feel well and I'm just tired. I really have been working so hard on finding a job that I forgot to rest. Sleeping, well...I've done quite a lot of sleeping; resting, on the other hand, I have not done. I limited myself to email inquiries and web searches today, rather than dressing up and hitting the pavement. I cancelled that interview at the insurance agency that I was supposed to have tomorrow. After doing some more research and speaking with my Brother-in-Law, it seems that I may have stumbled across something that wasn't all it was cracked up to be, after all. The web was crawling with folks who have had bad experiences with this particular company, either with their sales tactics or their hiring practices. I was not getting the warm-fuzzies from them and, after having a conversation with my BIL today, I decided that it would not be a bad idea to cancel that particular interview. Not only that, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it was for aggressive sales training and it was all the way downtown - which really is just too far away. I got a phone call today from one of the places that I walked into off the street. A company that is here in town and is quite large. The woman I spoke to was very nice and explained 2 positions to me thoroughly and then told me that both the positions paid around $10.00/hr. I've said this before and I'll say it again: While I'm willing to take a cut, I'm not willing to cut it that far. So she kindly offered to hang on to my resume for another 6 months (I hope it does not take me that long to find a job!) and if anything comes up, she said she'd give me another call. A friend emailed me a job they found online and said, "Found something that sounded 'you'" - and so it was. I immediately applied for this particular position and I am going to keep my fingers crossed because it is nearly identical to the position I just left! And, it's here in town, which would be super-ideal. But I am also going to try really hard not to get too excited. If I do, I'll just be too let down when nothing comes of it. So I guess that's it for today. The kids are doing well. They're finishing a quickly thrown together dinner of chicken fingers and corn and peaches (not all mixed together; God forbid anything touch!) and then I think we'll pile in my bed and watch a movie. TTFN JMS

What's goin' on?

I got The Letter from the Unemployment Office today. Yay! I do get benefits. Minimal; less than 1/2 of what I was making working full-time; but benefits none-the-less. And very welcome those benefits are. It will at least pay the mortgage. I had a good interview with the temp agency this morning. The woman I spoke with was very sweet, extremely professional, very thorough and I got a much better "vibe" from her than I did from the other place. The position she wanted to discuss with me was an Executive Assistant position, but it did not offer benefits - which is a must-have; a need rather than a want. Hubby, Kiddo, Little Bit and I went canoeing this afternoon for about an hour - in the bright, hot sun. But it was lovely. I did not bring my camera for fear that it would get wet, but we saw a couple deer hanging out by the water's edge and/or in among the trees, some fish, a turtle or two, and a couple dudes in a sweet-looking motor boat out trying to drown some worms. The kids were overheated, Hubby and I were sweaty and also quite warm, so we hit Sonic for a quick bite and something cold to drink. Now the kids are in bed. Well...Little Bit is sound asleep but Kiddo is quietly coloring in an over-sized Diego coloring book in his room. Hubby is out having some quiet/alone time running errands. I've had a shower and feel human again. Oh - and about 20 minutes ago I got a phone call from an insurance company downtown (really - downtown, like more than 30 miles away) and they want to see me on Wednesday morning at 9AM to interview for....well, I'm not really sure what for. But they found my resume on Monster.com (I'm beginning to LOVE Monster.com) and thought I seemed promising. I've done some preliminary research on this company and it seems legit - so I don't think I'm walking into anything I shouldn't be. So wish me luck with that, too! The phone calls, letters, emails and benefits are starting to come in. "They" were right about it taking 2 weeks for anything to really start happening. I think all the prayers, hard work and persistence are starting to pay off. Say some more, will ya? TTFN JMS

Third Eye...Blind?

So, I think I have convinced my poor 5 year old son that I actually, in fact, really and truly do have an extra eye in the back of my head. When we're driving in the car and I discipline him for something that I see him do (in the rear-view mirror, of course) he's absolutely amazed. He cannot, for the life of him, figure out how I could have possibly seen what he was doing without turning around to look at him. The concept of mirrors has not really taken hold yet. I mean, he knows what a mirror does - reflects an image of himself back at him - but he doesn't yet understand that I can see him, too. He actually asked me today, "Hey, Mom? Can I see your extra eye?" And when I looked at him funny, he said, "You know, the one at the back of your head?" I almost fell out of my chair for laughing so hard. See, I've been known to say things, while we're driving around, like, "I can't see what you're doing back there because my extra eye is covered by my ponytail today," or "I'm going to be able to see you better now that my hair is shorter in back!" One of these days, I'm just going to have to 'fess up and tell him that there really isn't an extra eye in the back of my head. But for now, I'm having entirely too much fun with this. Oh - and the reason I decided to write about this today is because we were listening to a classic rock station and the song "Crazy on You" by Heart came on. I could see Kiddo going absolutely NUTS in the back seat (through my rear-view mirror) and realized he was trying to play the air guitar! I said, "Buddy - do you want to learn to play the guitar like that?" Kiddo: "Yep. I want to be a rock star, Mom!" 'Nuff said. TTFN JMS

Wow! Three Posts in One Week?

I've got Little Bit in my bed while I type. She's gotten into the habit of getting out of bed, tip-toeing to her door, opening it as quietly as possible and then standing in the hallway waiting for someone to notice her. She does this repeatedly, every night, and it's starting to get old. I've said, "You get back to bed!" in my harshest Mommy voice possible, but that just sends her skidding toward bed in a mad rush of tears and I really hate it. So now she's hanging out in my room with me while I play on the computer waiting to watch tonight's episode of Numb3rs on CBS. I've got a lot to do this weekend, not the least of which is try to get my bedroom and the bathroom clean, but I also am down to only 4 cards on My Etsy Site and really need to buckle down to make a few more. I've also been commissioned to make a birthday card for Pearl's (almost) 1 year old nephew. And, I need to make another Heart of the Dragonfly card for MDB, who (and I'm not sure of the story here, folks) managed to lose one of the three she just bought from me! (??) And I have 2 new house warming cards to do. All those are not sell-able...just send-able. That's OK by me...but it also means I've got a lot of work ahead of me. YAY! An excuse to craft. Wait! Who needs an excuse? Anyway - I'm having trouble keeping off all that weight I lost. I need to get back to eating my yogurt or oatmeal in the mornings, my grapefruit in the afternoons and then having a sensible dinner. Also, exercise would be beneficial - but I refuse to go to a gym and the weather has just been so darn hot that it's nearly impossible to do anything outside. I HATE...repeat HATE...the heat; especially if it's humid, too. SO I guess that's about it for Friday. I think I did good this week, didn't I? I managed three posts in a 7-day period. That's more than I have done in quite a while. Have a lovely weekend. Think of me tomorrow as I'm slaving away over the house and my projects! Say a little prayer for me, will ya? TTFN JMS

The Next Great American Novel (or, what's been up with Jen)

Ah...my poor blog is suffering.

 

I know I've mentioned this before, but it's beginning to really bug me.  I mean, this blog has been a near daily part of my life for about five years now (if you can believe it).  It was the first thing I did when I came in to work each morning (before my shift started, of course) and now...?  Now, I don't know.  Do I just not "need" it anymore?  That cannot be the case because I constantly think of things that I want to blog about.  Does it just not mean as much to me anymore?  Maybe, but I'm not sure that's it either.

 

My honest opinion is that I have just been so busy I haven't had much time to take care of it the way I used to.  I work full-time and am constantly busy at the office.  When I'm home (and when I haven't been sucked into a game of Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook...ugh) I'm taking care of the kids and doing laundry and doing dishes and...and...and...  It is a never-ending cycle.  I'm down to posting to my blog maybe once or twice a week, as opposed to once or twice a day.  I feel like a bad mother who is neglecting one of her children!  Ok, Ok...so that's a bad analogy because I would never neglect my actual children and a blog is not a child...but I think you get the picture.

 

For example, last night after I got home from work, I did dishes, figured out dinner, did laundry, did more dishes, did more laundry; I was still folding laundry at nearly midnight!  I'm tired today, but I feel alright. 

 

Cleaning up Kiddo's and Little Bit's rooms has inspired me to do a deep cleaning of the entire house.  I thought my project last night was going to be the bathroom, but instead I did other things.  Still, I was productive, which is a good thing because I could just as easily (and maybe even more easily) have plunked my butt down on the sofa and done absolutely nothing.

 

I did, however, watch the series premiere of Warehouse 13 on SyFy (does anyone know why they changed it from SiFi to SyFy, btw?) which was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to watching more episodes.  I hope it isn't like Moonlight, which I also loved, that only ran one season and then got cut.  Of course, while I was watching this, I would jump up to fold laundry during the commercials and during the show I sorted out some great vintage buttons my cousin in Michigan sent to me.  (I can't wait to use some of them; they're awesome!)

 

And on top of this, I've been fielding doctor's appointments for the kids, trying to find an apartment or condo for SM so she can move here from Greenville, SC, helping out within the church where I can, and doing a million other things.  Just a typical full-time working mother with a husband, a house, and responsibilities, I suppose.

 

Sometimes I wonder, "Will it ever end?"  Sometimes I'm so tired I can barely function - but I think I may have found a solution to some of that exhaustion.  My doctor and I discussed my medications at length this last time I was there and I have now taken myself off of all my anti-depressant meds.  They didn't seem to really be doing any good.  I had also been taking a medication for ADD and that didn't really seem to help my frazzled brain any, either.  So after a good cry and a hug from my sweet doctor (who I do love; she's absolutely wonderful!) she said, "I want you to try something for me."

 

Me: "Sure.  What's up?"

 

Doc: "I have a patient who has been going through very similar issues with her emotions and in her life.  She was given a book called The Mood Cure and after reading it and beginning to follow the program, she says she feels better than she ever has in her entire life and is nearly off all her mood meds."

 

Me: "So...um...you want me to read a book?"

 

Doc: "Yep.  The Mood Cure.  I don't know the author's name, but I know you can get it at Books-a-Million, because that's where I got my copy!"

 

Me: "Tell me more about it.  How can a book help me with my moods?"

 

Doc: "Well, I haven't read it yet.  I brought it on vacation with me to read, but I wound up reading a couple trashy romance novels instead!  But my patient tells me this woman (the author) talks about four different types of mood issues: The Black Cloud, The Blahs and a couple others I can't remember right now.  Each "mood" is discussed in full and then the author (who is a doctor, herself) talks about which amino acids and supplements might alleviate some of the symptoms of those moods.  I want you to read it and see if anything hits home, OK?"

 

Me: "Um...OK."

 

So I got the book and read the introduction and the first chapter on The Black Cloud and within 10 pages I thought, "OMG!  This book, this chapter, was written about me!  This is me!  Everything this woman, the author, talks about is exactly how I feel.  Exactly.  Every single point she made felt like it was directed at me!  I'm working on chapter 2 right now, about The Blahs, but after chapter 1 I went out and got a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement (which I take once a day) and a serotonin-inducing supplement called 5-HTP, which I have been taking twice a day.  I already feel like a new person.  I'm calmer.  My slight OCD seems to have been put on the back burner.  I'm more productive.  I'm less tired during the day and I sleep better at night.  It's absolutely amazing.  I've been doing this for about a week and a half now and if it continues like this, I might be all better!

 

My doctor also took blood for lab work.  The labs came back and everything looks just fine, except I have a severe Vitamin D deficiency.  She wrote me a prescription (which I need to fill) and told me after the prescription was gone that I would need to take a certain Vitamin D supplement (she told me which one, but I don't remember right now) to maintain it.  I don't have the paperwork in front of me right now, but a normal Vitamin D level is something between 30 and 100.  Mine was 21.3.  Whatever that means.  I trust my doctor and so I will also fill this Vitamin D prescription.  Hopeful that will just be the icing on the cake, however, because this 5-HTP and multi-vitamin I'm already taking have me feeling like a brand new person.  I'm really amazed.

 

Well, now that I've written the next Great American Novel, I'll sign off.  Also, check out My Etsy Site sometime.  I've put up a few new things since the last time I posted on my blog (I think) and I'm running a Buy-One/Get-One special on my greeting cards during the month of July!  Just make sure you ready the Shop Announcement (all those words at the top, before you get to the listed items) for more details!

 

TTFN
JMS

Jen's "Catch 'em up" post...

It's a list...and it's long...so read what interests you and ignore the rest!  My days are all confused so I don't know what day I did any of this stuff!  That's what happens when I get a long weekend!

• Happy 4th of July!
• I spent 2 days cleaning the kids rooms.  Little Bit's room took about 4 hours, Kiddo's room took an entire day.  Not even kidding.  I've been at him for about 4 months to clean his room, and no amount of threatening seemed to get through to him, so finally I just did it myself.  He whined about "losing" his toys, but though I did go through everything I found and filled one small box of stuff for my yard sale, I didn't really throw anything away.  I went through some of Little Bit's stuff, too...so they're even now.  I even went so far as to move all the furniture around so I could scrub the hardwood floors!  My next top-to-bottom project?  The bathroom.  After that, our room.  Then, the living/dining room.  I think I'll just let the kitchen rot, because by then I'm not sure I'll have anything left in me!
• We went to Dollywood one of those days.  It was the first time I'd ever been there!  Can you believe it?  I will have been here (don't fall over, now) 10 years in August and this was the first time I've been do Dollywood!  It was lots of fun.  The weather was perfect.  Sunny but not too hot and there was a lovely breeze.  We took a train ride, waited in a couple of very long lines, ate some great kettle korn (yum!), watched a string band show at the Back Porch Theater (Little Bit LOVED that) and drove some really neat little itty-bitty 50's automobiles.  Kiddo and Hubby's car was red, Little Bit's and my car was pale blue.  They had a great time!  We arrived at around 10AM and didn't leave until 4PM; it was a great day.
• Saturday - I know it was Saturday because it was the 4th - we went to a neighborhood pool party.  I wasn't going to go, and initially did not go; but hubby called me shortly after they arrived and said, "You really should think about coming."  So I went.  The kids had a great time and were absolutely exhausted by the time we left.  Little Bit fell asleep in the car (it's a 5 minute ride home) and woke up enough to let me get her out of her wet bathing suit and swim diaper and into something dry and then fell asleep again and slept for nearly 3 hours!  After she woke up, we all went over to Our Favorite Mechanic's house for a BBQ!  (I had the absolute best BBQ grilled chicken I've ever tasted!)  We did some kid-friendly fireworks (as much as fireworks can be considered kid-friendly) and later, after it started to get dark, the adults set off some adult-friendly (ha!) fireworks until one went astray and smacked into the side of Our Favorite Mechanic's house!  Mrs. Mechanic said, "OK guys, that's it.  Fireworks are over now!  Pack 'em up!"  I don't blame her.  It was 10 PM by the time we got home and tucked the kids into bed.
• I skipped church on Sunday.  (Can you believe it?  Me, skipping church?)  I spent the ENTIRE DAY cleaning Kiddo's room.  Of course, since I've already mentioned that I won't go into detail.
• Now it's Monday again.  My Favorite Receptionist (although she's really only receptionist by title - she actually does WAY more than answer phones and greet people) is sick today so I am covering the front desk.  It's OK, though, because my boss is out today, still on vacation.  He went on a cruise to Mexico! 

Oh - and one more thing!  I guess now that the cat's out of the bag I can feel free to talk about this.  (No, I'm not pregnant - get your head right!)  Many of you know that I work for Brink's Home Security.  Last year, Brink's broke off from their parent company, Brink's, Inc. to become an independent, publicly traded company, Brink's Home Security Holdings, Inc.  Part of our break off agreement was the knowledge that Brink's Home Security would have to rebrand; change our name.  As of Tuesday last week, Brink's Home Security is now Broadview Security.  It's a very exciting time for us and we hope that all of our existing Brink's Home Security customers will be just as pleased, if not more pleased, with Broadview Security.  Keep your eyes open for the commercials regarding the new name to hit the airwaves (TV and Radio) today, July 6th. 

 

TTFN
JMS

More New Cards on Etsy!

Ok - so I got a little crazy with the cheez whiz last night...  before I knew it it was 11:30PM and I knew if I didn't got to bed right then and there I would be awake and crafting all night!  (Wait...that might have been fun!  Who needs sleep anyway?) These three cards are the result of my hard-won efforts!

 

Did it snap me outta my funk?  I don't know yet.  ...but I sure am pleased with these newest additions to My Etsy Site!

Heart of the Dragonfly: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27004575

 

Go Green: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27005029

 

Orange Blossom: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27005221

 

TTFN
JMS

Sigh...again.

Ok - so maybe it's not really a funk...

 

Maybe I'm just focused on other things right now.

 

But my poor blog is most definitely suffering.  And I suffer when my blog suffers.  The poor little thing.  It desperately needs someone (ahem...me) to breathe some life back into it.  But I just can't do it right now.

 

For starters:

 

1) I'm working on collecting all the C-R-A-P in my house and separating it as follows: FreeCycle, Recycle, Throw, Keep, Yard Sale...and not necessarily in that order.  So far I've managed to uncover the area rug in my living room (ugh...I need a super high powered jet pack vacuum cleaner to get all the dog hair, pieces of cracker, crushed cheerios and whatever else off of it, though) and have also located many many single socks that must have grown legs and scooched (is that a word?) themselves under said couch. 

 

2) I'm working on getting all that C-R-A-P together for a yard sale, but a) I haven't decided on a date for said sale yet, and b) I really need an extra storage building in our back yard to get all said C-R-A-P outta the house.  Did you know that one of those PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) units is like $200 a month?  You gotta be kidding me!  My goal is to get it all out of the house BEFORE the sale, but to do that I'll need to have extra outside storage.  I'm still trying to work out the particulars of that dilemma.

 

3) Kiddo is spending another week (well, 4 days) in VBS at another local church.  He's enjoying it; he's got friends there, too.  Little Bit is too young, so she's been spending time with me.

 

4) Hubby's 1990 Volvo 240 Wagon (remember, I used to call it the Beast) runs and drives better than my 1993 Toyota Corolla.  I LOVE my Corolla...but after driving the Wagon for the last 2 days, I think I might change my mind.  Especiall because the Corolla is IN THE SHOP...AGAIN.  Downside to driving the Wagon?  It is without air conditioning.  Ha!  We've got 3 cars: 2 with working Air, 2 with working Heat and neither are the same car.  Wagon = No Air / Taurus = No Heat.  Hey, we've got Winter and Summer vehicles!  See...there really IS a bright side to everything!

 

5) I've got ideas for cards and stuff running around in my head like toddlers chasing each other for a coveted toy.  Problem?  When the H-E-double-hockey-sticks am I going to find time to do all the stuff I want to do?

 

6) I want a REAL craft room.  No, strike that.  I want my Sister-in-Laws adorable craft room from the house she just moved out of!  That's not possible, is it?  I mean, unless I want to buy her house and move to Kingsport...which isn't gonna happen.

 

7) I got my hair chopped off.  10 inches of it...gone to the floor-gods-of-the-salon.  LOVE IT!  It's the first time in ages that I've actually had a style and it's off my neck now, which - as hubby pointed out - is back-asswards from what I normally do.  I cut it off in the Winter and grow it out during the Summer.  My reasoning?  I can pull it back into a pony tail in the summer time and it's nice and long (covering neck and ears) in the Winter.  I guess I'm learning to sleep at night instead of during the day.  (All parents out there will understand that analogy.)

 

8) It's 4 months until I visit Florida.  St. Augustine.  My wonderful and fantastic little sister whom I haven't seen in 9 YEARS!!!  I want time to fly.  Do you think it could really grow wings?  Just for little ol' me?

 

TTFN
JMS

Sigh...

It's a funk.

 

That's all it is.

 

I hope.

 

TTFN
JMS

It's a Dog's Life

VBS.  Vacation Bible School.  It is over.  I had a blast!

 

I don't remember if I mentioned this or not, but I got to be "Cooper" - the 6 foot tall doggie mascot - a couple of nights.  That was a blast in and of itself.  Hardly anyone knew it was me (adults, mostly - the kids had no idea) and it was so wonderful to suddenly feel a little body hurl itself against my legs and give me a hug!  The kids adored Cooper!  Last night, some of the girls even "fed" Cooper some freshly-made doggie biscuits!  (I had to clean the snout out after I took the costume off!)  I jumped around, made a fool of myself, danced (terribly) on stage during music time, stood out at the street with some of the Youth, waving at cars and jumping around like a goofball, to advertise the free car wash we did last night, and just generally had a good time.  I think I may have missed my calling!

 

I have already forewarned the girls in the picture that this would be posted on my blog, so they should expect to see it today!  I know there's really no way to prove it was me behind the mask, but I promise you I'm in there...somewhere.

 

All-in-all, I think this year's VBS was a huge success.  We had 70 kids!!!  I'm exhausted.  I've gained back all the weight I lost eating all the yummy food that Jeanetta and her crew prepared.  I know that Kiddo and Little Bit had a wonderful time.  I will most definitely be helping next year.  It's a week of lots of work and very little rest, but it was totally worth every second!

 

Another thing that was a blessing to me was the fact that I had a chance to get to know some of the other folks who come to our church that I don't normally get a chance to talk to.  There are such wonderful people there!

 

Such a great time.  Such fantastic kids.  Such excellent planning by Debbie and Diane (both pictured with Cooper).  Such superb help by the Youth and everyone who assisted in all the various capacities.  I'm definitely blessed; and so was VBS this year.  I guess all our prayers were answered!

 

TTFN
JMS

Outta the Mouths of Babes

As you know, I'm deeply involved with Vacation Bible School at church this year.  There are three activities that the three teams rotate through each night: Bible Story, Games & Crafts.

 

Last night, when Kiddo was sitting in the Bible story getting "learned", up comes this really big storm; thunder, lightning, rain - the works.  One great big clap of thunder sounded and without skipping a beat Kiddo says, "Holy Crap!" right in the middle of his Bible lesson!  (I was not there to witness this, but I got it from several very reliable sources!)

 

We don't talk like that round him, so I'd really love to know where he picked it up, and why he thought it was appropriate to come out with that DURING A BIBLE LESSON no less...?

 

***

 

Yesterday before VBS, he looked at me as I was helping him get his belt on and he said very seriously, "You need to lose some weight, Mom!"  He was grinning like it was something funny and good that he'd just said to me.  I didn't react, but I said, "[Kiddo], that was very rude.  I hope you realize you really shouldn't say things like that to people, right?  You might hurt their feelings like you just hurt mine."

 

He immediately burst into tears and said, "I'm sorry, Mom.  But it's true, isn't it?"

 

Well yes, it is true - I do need to lose some weight - but I still don't want to hear about it from my five year old!

 

TTFN
JMS

Etsy stuff...

I've not had much time to craft lately.  I've had several things in the works for quite a while, and last night I had an opportunity to throw together two rings and a bracelet.  One of the rings and the bracelet I've had ready to go for almost 2 months!  And finally I was able to put them together.  They've been in a holding bin of my projects-to-do with all the pieces and parts...I just had to finalize them!

 

Then, and I don't know if I mentioned this, I found some absolutely fantastic pressed paper buttons on Etsy through GreenPost.  She's in Florida and makes the coolest things!  She's quickly become my favorite seller/crafter on Etsy and I definitely think you should go check out her stuff.  Be on the lookout for more of my cards and rings using some great recycled paper from GreenPost.

 

My newest listings:

 

Green Glass Stone & Vintage Button Ring: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26595456

 

Earth Tone Glass Stone Link Bracelet: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26595655

 

Eco-Friendly Stacked Button Ring - Violet Stripes -n- Golden Swirls: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26595969

 

Have fun viewing and let me know if you have any questions!

 

TTFN
JMS