Kiddo's First Bike Ride, Ducks, Ice Cream, & Bunnies

We had such fun last night! When I got home, Hubby went outside and mowed the lawn. Ok...not really fun, I grant you. Then he put training wheels on Kiddo's 2-wheeler bicycle; a perfect-condition hand-me-down that was my nephew's when he was Kiddo's age. (Oh, my nephew is now 16 and driving!!!) Then Hubby came inside, told us all to get shoes and jackets on; we were leaving. The chaos of getting ready to leave the house ensued, but we were ready in short order (for us) and all packed safely in The Beast headed down to the marina to the walking trail and play park! Kiddo donned his helmet and climbed right on! Not entirely sure why he's got his front wheel jammed into the back wheel of The Beast, but... While Hubby spent some time adjusting the seat and handle bars, to make sure they were comfortable for Kiddo, Little Bit and I went over to the lake to look at the geese and ducks. They're very brave, brazen things that hiss at you if you get too close. Little Bit is not afraid - no, not at all - and charged right up to a huge white goose. The goose hissed at her and she laughed her goofy, high-pitched laugh, turned to me and said, "Mommy! That bird is funny!" Yep - that bird is funny. He'll eat you, sweetheart! Ha! So we spent some time looking at the geese and the ducks, and came across a couple of the Muscovy Ducks that always amuse me. They've got the funniest faces and seem so full of expression. They look at you as if they understand every, single word you say to them. (Yes, I do talk to ducks. They listen, even if they do not respond. And ducks aren't the only animals I talk to. I talk to my dog like she's human and I know she can understand me. Does that make me crazy? Who cares, right?) The Muscovy Duck in the first picture was wagging it's tail!!! It was waddling right toward us, Little Bit and me, wagging it's tail like it was pleased to see us! The Muscovy Duck in the second picture was even funnier! I think it thought that if it stood still enough, I wouldn't be able to see it! Like a little kid hiding their face behind their hands; I can't see you, therefore, you must not be able to see me. (Kid logic? Duck logic? Are they one and the same?) See how it's webbed feet are crossed on top of one another? This one is bigger than the first one and its waddle is so much more pronounced it makes me wonder if the crossed feet aren't natural, that maybe this duck has been injured? Oh, and I like the spiky feathers on top of his head, too. See? They are funny, aren't they? Anyway - enough about the ducks. Though they do amuse me, I'm not here to talk about them, am I? I'm here to talk about Kiddo's First Bike Ride! Ok, so the bike had training wheels, but it fit him, you know? He's gotten so big that he can't fit on the tricycle anymore and so it isn't fun. This "new" little red bike fits him perfectly, and even more so after Hubby adjusted the seat and handle bar. Well, wouldn't you know it, Kiddo took to riding his bicycle like a fish takes to swimming. He had such a blast! We wandered down the road in the park toward the peninsula that juts out to divide the cove from the lake, where the round-about and the flag pole are. Kiddo rode around and around forever, just getting the hang of things. Then we headed back the way we came and while Little Bit and I hung out at the park, Kiddo and Hubby went on down the trail. Little Bit spent a happy 30 minutes swinging, climbing, sliding and getting to know another little girl there who was just her age. We had a wonderful time, but eventually, I could tell that Little Bit was getting tired and I started looking down the trail for Kiddo and Hubby returning from their adventure. Little Bit and I headed off in the general direction Kiddo and Hubby had gone, hoping we'd find them sooner than later. I asked one lady, "Excuse me, did you see a little guy on a red bike with training wheels down there?" She had, and happily pointed me in the right direction. When we found Hubby and Kiddo, Little Bit told me she wanted ice cream. (No, I did not suggest this to her...she came up with it on her own!) So off to BR we went! Hubby doesn't really like BR, but I do. I was hoping they'd have that Daiquiri Ice stuff I like so much, but they did not, so I settled for the next best thing: vanilla on a sugar cone with chocolate sprinkles. Little Bit had birthday cake ice cream. Kiddo had pistachio ice cream (he made me eat the nuts, though). Hubby had a chocolate shake. So we went out for ice cream to celebrate Kiddo's inaugural ride on his "new" red 2-wheel bicycle! It was lots and lots of fun and both kids fell asleep within minutes of hitting their pillows; they were silent all night. I guess that's the way to do it, huh? Run 'em until they're exhausted? **** On another note, I finished my latest project. It was a little bunny made from 2 of Little Bit's receiving blankets. 2 button eyes, a button nose, a sewn mouth and a yellow and white polka-dot bow made from the ribbon around the vase of the flowers Hubby sent

me on Friday! It's pretty cute and it's completely hand-sewn. I don't think I'd know what to do with a sewing machine if I had one! I'm going to post it on my Etsy shop later today, so we'll see what happens! Happy Tuesday, everybody! TTFN JMS

Free Giveaway, Kiddo's Krafts, Little Bit's Milestone, Heard Around The House, & Happy Birthday My Sister

FREE GIVEAWAY! So the first thing I want to tell you about this morning is this free giveaway over at my friend's blog, Cloud Nine Creations. You really should go check it out, 'cause it's definitely worth it! And if I don't win this, well...I suppose I might just have to torture her until she gives up her secret recipe so I can make one myself! LOL! **** KIDDO'S KRAFTS We had a wonderful weekend! Kiddo is really into this "craft" stuff! He's glued buttons to paper, to each other, and who-knows where else (?), gotten a Frankenstein stamp of his own and wants his own ink pad. He's making envelopes and wrapping "presents" and making cards for family members. I think he's doing a great job, and, though it is the work if a 5 year old, I think it's brilliant! He's a genius! I'll have to take some pictures of his "work" and post it sometime in the next few days, if he'll let me, of course. **** LITTLE BIT'S MILESTONE Little Bit had a major milestone yesterday, and, being a mommy, I just had to share it with the entire blog-iverse! She POOPED on the POTTY! She told me she had to go, and we got her there, sat her down and.... Well, the rest is history. I told her if she pooped on the potty, she and I would go get her a special treat - which definitely excited her. So she and I went to the World of Wally and she got an Elmo balloon and a Backyardigans coloring book! We're very proud of her. She's doing so well! **** HEARD AROUND THE HOUSE When talking to Kiddo about a thunderstorm that happened Friday night into Saturday morning (one which I myself barely heard) he said, "I must have been so sleepy that my ears were turned off!" **** HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SISTER Just a great big happy birthday to my little sister in Florida who is 27 today! She seems older than that, to me - but she's not, which makes me feel old! I love you, HB. I'm always here, if you need me. And please don't shoot me because I forgot to send you your birthday card that I've had on my refrigerator forever! Happy Monday, Folks! Oh - and if you haven't had a chance, I've posted a few new things on My Etsy Shop! TTFN JMS

I guess I'm not done yet...

Yes - there is more!

1) My wonderful, spontaneous Hubby sent me FLOWERS!!! For absolutely NO REASON at all except to "brighten my day!"

The card didn't say who they were from, but there were several "clues" that led me to believe it was Hubby; not the least of which was the fact that there are 4 (count 'em...4) yellow roses in the arrangement! I adore yellow roses!

He was messing with me, because when I called to thank him for the flowers, he played dumb - which actually only served to irritate me. I couldn't imagine anyone else I know sending me flowers - especially secretly and for no special reason! But as soon as Hubby denied any knowledge of them, my brain started trying to come up with someone, anyone, who might have sent them.

I actually got most of the info I needed from Hubby, but I still called the florist and sweet-talked my friend over there into giving Hubby up. My florist friend wondered if Hubby would be mad, but I said, "No, and if for some reason he is, I'll give him what for!"

LOL!

2) Kiddo really enjoyed his birthday yesterday. He got a Razor scooter, elbow, knee & wrist pads (he's already got a helmet), a baseball cap, a pair of Power Rangers sunglasses, and several neat things from my mother. He was so excited about the elbow, knee & wrist pads that his scooter - for whatever reason - seemed to take a back seat. He struggled with the pads, trying to put them on himself and figure out which pad went on what arm, knee... He's still learning to read and he got very frustrated because, though he knew that the "L" meant left, and he knows which is his Right hand, he was having trouble combining all that information and making it work. There were some tears involved, and very nearly a complete breakdown, where I finally threatened to take it all away from him and make him go to bed. I guess, really, the problem was the fact that he'd had birthday cake, so he was on a sugar high and then, shortly thereafter, a major crash. But all-in-all, he had a good day and is very very happy to finally be 5 years old!

TTFN

JMS

PS: What is it "supposed to mean" when your palm itches?

PPS: See those three wallpaper books in the first pic of Kiddo? I'm going to have to take some pictures of my favorite ones and post them because some of them are just so awesome and I'm so inspired!

Friday's Flights of Fancy

Not wanting to take anything away from the focus on Kiddo yesterday, I decided to post several things I would have posted otherwise. **** Yesterday, I ran into two gentlemen at my office that I haven't seen for a while. They're the VP/General Manager & Operations Manager, respectively, of one of the vendors we use on-site. One of them saw me coming down the hall, stopped short and said, "Hey! My goodness! You're about 1/2 the person you were the last time I saw you! You look great!" Of course, this made me feel quite good. It's nice to have my weight loss validated by someone who doesn't see me every day. **** Kiddo, Little Bit and I spent some time on Wednesday night "crafting." It was an all-out disaster mess, but I didn't care. I covered our dining table with an old and already-stained table cloth of unknown material, gave them some paper, paint brushes, my watercolor paints and said, "Here. Have at it, kids!" They sure did. They each painted 2 "pictures" and had a fabulous time making the table cloth hate me. Oh well, I can live with table cloth revenge; couldn't hurt much. **** And speaking of "crafting" I feel I must mention, with due excitement, that I made my first sale on Etsy yesterday! My cousin in NY bought 7 (yes...7...s-e-v-e-n) of my cards. I'm so happy about this, and so grateful to my cousin. I guess it seems silly to be so excited about making a sale, but it sure does feel good. I just hope that when she gets the cards, she likes them even more in person than she did from a bad picture online. In other words, I hope the cards live up to the hype. (Not sure that made sense, but there it is...) **** Oh - and something else craft-related. (Sorry, I'm deeply involved now, so you'll probably hear some variation of the word "craft" a lot.) I was able to secure 3 discontinued wallpaper books! This means I'll have some really neat patterns to add to my cards! Very excited about this, too! **** I got suckered (no...tortured) into helping with VBS again this year. My friend DS isn't going to hear the end of this. Of course, I really do enjoy this kind of thing, but honestly - I'm just tired. Once I get into it, though, I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun, and seeing something like that come together is always gratifying. Plus...it's for the kids. Sigh. TTFN JMS

Happy 5th Birthday, Kiddo!!!

Today is Kiddo's 5th Birthday. I'm finding myself very nostalgic. I spent several minutes going through some old pictures of him when he was just a little guy, so I thought I'd share them. I think these were all taken before he was a year old. Dig the spiky hair and chubby baby face! Happy Birthday, my buddy. My friend. My love. My light. My son. I love you.

Love,

Mom

Ah...True JMS Randomness

I think I shocked JF yesterday when I said, "Hey Tool Guy...do you have a socket wrench with an extender?" The look on his face was priceless! First it was shock and surprise, then it was understanding because he seemed to "get it" that I knew what I needed to do and what tool would exactly accomplish it. He stuttered out, "Um...yes. It's...uh...not here. It's at home. I can bring it in tomorrow. Will that work?" Of course. I had to fix a trophy (oh, the things I do) so it wasn't a matter of urgency. I love it when I can shock people - even for something as silly as knowing something about tools. **** I've been filing like a maniac the last 2 days. I've finally gotten sick of my filing system, which in the professional world would not at all be referred to as "filing" - just more of sticking stuff in folders that gave some idea to the seeker what might, generally, be contained inside. I wanted it to be more specific and so have implemented a neat 2-hole punch/bracket folder system sorted by vendor, then year, then month, then... Ah...who cares. Such fun. **** Kiddo has become fascinated with my button collection. So much so that his grandmother (bless her generous and accommodating heart) gave him her entire (well, almost) jar of buttons! He was so excited last night to show me all the cool buttons he now has. So after I got home, and after I'd had a few minutes to change out of my work clothes into something a little more lounge-around-the-house appropriate, Kiddo and I sat on the floor in his bedroom and he showed me all his buttons. He also told me, in no uncertain terms, that I could only have one or two, and then only if he had one or two more of the same thing. Why do I tell you this? There was one button I really wanted, and he only had one of them. I tried to beg, borrow, and steal (...I'm an awful mommy...) but he was having none of it. I also offered him a whole dollar for it. To which he replied, "Ok. But I think I'll take the dollar and keep the button, too, because I only have one." No amount of explanation from me could make him understand that I was trying to buy the button from him and therefore that would make it mine. My son, the button collector, wheeler & dealer, smart kid. We all should possess such logic, eh? We also spent some time going through my buttons, which I now have organized and separated by color, and even after giving him a very large handful of my buttons, he still was clinging to the one that I wanted like his life depended on it. **** Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. That is the name of my "crafting" game right now. I'm finding things around the house that would otherwise be considered trash or useless junk and turning it into something else. "Whaddaya mean, JMS?" Simply this: I took an old and gently abused cool green gift bag with multi color polka-dots on it (oh, and some great red and white stripes inside; it's oh-so-versatile - it's reversible!) and used some patterns and stencils to cut it into shapes for card making. I took an old white linen valance that's been hanging around (I mean, not literally hanging because it wasn't gracing any window looking beautiful and useful, just taking up space in my linen closet), took all the stitching out of it, washed it a couple of times, starched the s*** out of it, ironed it and will, probably tonight, cut it up into shapes or strips. I will then tea stain them (or not) and use them, too, for card making. I tore up some pieces of some really great wrapping paper that Kiddo used to "wrap presents" for me while he was up at his grandmother's house. It was pink and green and blue and had stripes and circles and was just oh-so-fun. I will also use these for making cards. I've got a lot of ideas so be on the lookout for some of these things on my Etsy shop! Until then... TTFN JMS

Kiddo & Little Bit's Adventures at Grandma's House

Kiddo & Little Bit sitting on the kid-sized bench Hubby bought, which will live at MIL's house. Kiddo & Little Bit "driving" a storage box with a cut out pie tin as a wheel.

Little Bit swinging for all she's worth at the little park across from MIL's house.

Kiddo peeking over the window sill of the play train at the park.

TTFN JMS

Family Reunion!

After 10 days of being without them, my family has come back to me! I was so completely excited yesterday as I drove home from work that I could barely contain myself! Thoughts of being able to wrap my Hubby in a giant hug, of hearing the excited squeals of my children as I walked in the door, of hearing them tell me all about their time at their grandmother's house... These thoughts sustained me; got me through the day. By the end of my day, though, I was chomping at the bit to get home and get my hands on, and arms around, my family. The love I felt upon seeing Hubby, Kiddo & Little Bit was so overwhelming it was hard for me not to cry. This was the longest I've ever been without my family, and while I did have a nice time all by myself (or with Pearl, or with the television, or with the dog, or with my crafts), I am so grateful that they are home now and all is chaos again. For as often as I wish for quiet time, I'm very happy not to have it all the time. Ah - now to just get through this day so I can be with them again. TTFN JMS

Sand Artist - Awesome Video

My Sister-in-Law sent this to me and I loved it so much I had to share.

Happy Monday!

TTFN
JMS

I'm on Etsy!

Ok - I broke down and joined! I mean, come on! After I found all my craft stuff, how was I supposed to resist playing with everything and creating something? Granted, it's not really all that great, and I'm probably deluding myself into thinking anyone will buy any of these cards, but... If you'd like to see, go to: My Etsy Shop or see the links on the right side of my blog with the greeting cards. Happy Friday! TTFN JMS

Pride, Prejudice, Primping, Pampering & Playing

There's something about watching a movie adaptation of a Jane Austen novel with a girlfriend that is so incredibly soothing.

...and having your nails painted.

...and eating chocolate covered strawberries until you feel ill.

Oh - and playing with all the craft stuff you found in the storage building! I made the first greeting card I've made in about 5 years! I didn't have the right glue so I made due with what I had and, though the card turned out OK, I'm unhappy about the obvious glue dots around the edge of the green mulberry paper. But hey, I guess for a first try in 5 years, it's not too terrible. Still, I am an admitted perfectionist, and when I have a vision in my head of the way something should be and it doesn't turn out that way, I'll also admit to disappointment.

But, I did find my embossing tool! This is a very special thing because I just love the way embossed stamps look! Now I just have to find a decent clear embossing pad because the one I have leaves much to be desired. Any ideas?

The inside of this card is a simple stamp that says, "Life's most beautiful things are not seen with the eyes, but felt with the heart."

TTFN JMS

So.... Tired.... Today....

I want to put my head down on my desk, close my eyes, and let the drool puddle beneath my slackened jaw as I catch 40 winks in a desperate attempt to clear my sleep-heavy head. My alarm went off this morning, right when it was supposed to - I suppose - but I don't really remember it. I just remember waking up at 7:00, looking at the digital display and exclaiming aloud (to the dog, and to the Ghost Cat), "Oh s***!" Launching myself out of bed, I proceeded to get ready. (I did not forget to take the dog out and I've always known she was slow...but does she have to be that slow? Does every blessed blade of grass need to be thoroughly sniffed and examined before she decides to pee? Cripes!) I was saying silent, but fervent, prayers of thanks that I shower and get my clothes ready the night before, so all I had to do was actually get dressed, grab a Coke from the fridge (the last one, remind me I need to go to the store tonight) and remember to lock the door behind me when I leave. My shift starts (officially) at 7:30 AM - and I clocked in at 7:31 AM! I'm either very very good, or simply very very lucky. Doesn't change the fact that all I can think of is a nice, warm bed (or even the floor under my desk - no one will see me there, right?) and sleep, sleep, sleep. I'm sure the coffee I'm sipping is at least 24 hours old but I simply don't care today. Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't have spent 2 hours working in the storage building in our back yard last night. I wonder if the exposure to all the dust, dirt and disintegrating bug parts made me have trouble sleeping? No...I suppose not - but I did get to bed no later than 10PM, and I saw 11:30 PM, 2:00 AM, 4:00 AM, 5:00 AM (this is when my alarm went off - and I actually did get out of bed for a moment, yet somehow I found myself back there seconds later) and then 7:00 AM. No traumas, except the cough that plagued me all frikkin' night. I think I broke a rib. Sigh. Maybe tonight will be better. TTFN JMS PS: Thanks for allowing me to vent! I'm still tired, but I feel better about it! ☺

Oh, Man! I'm Much Relieved!

Do you remember THIS POST and later, THIS POST? In case you decide not to read them, the first was from October (something) 2008 when I wore two different shoes to work; one black and one brown. The second was from somewhere around Christmas 2008 when I, again, wore two different shoes; both black, but totally different styles. I titled them, appropriately, I Got Dressed in the Dark! Well, I'm here to report that I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE who has done this! A couple of days ago, I saw this post at They Took My Stapler where a guy wore two different shoes to his office, and when a sweet and loving co-worker pointed it out to him, he said, indignantly, "They're supposed to be like that!" (Or some such...I'm paraphrasing.) Then just today - just minutes ago - two of our folks came running over to my desk calling my name and telling me to, "Come quick! You've gotta see this!" Of course I jumped right up and ran with them back to their supervisor's desk where it was immediately pointed out to me that he was wearing one black shoe and one brown shoe! I smiled hugely and said, "[Supervisor], don't take this the wrong way, but may I hug you? I mean, it's just so nice to know that I'm not alone in this world!" He responded, "Um...sure?" I gotta tell you, I cannot believe how much better I feel now. I mean, it's like all my chagrin and embarrassment has flown out the window; a particular weight seems to have been lifted off my shoulders! Granted, that weight wasn't really all that heavy, but still... I'm much relieved! TTFN JMS

Wow! I'm all over the place today!

Well, my earlier post was all about the wearin' o' the green. I thought that it wasn't really the best idea to try to incorporate my usual random thoughts with such loveliness; my brain would ruin the moment, ya know? So here I am posting again. Hubby asked me last night while we chatted over the phone about our respective days, "Did you do any work today?" Well, I did, but granted...it was minimal. I really wasn't crazy busy like I usually am, though I did get quite a bit accomplished work-wise. Working aside, I also got a few other things accomplished, too. I spent my lunch break sitting in a nail salon having my nails done and I spent about an hour after work sitting in a hair salon having my hair done! Wow! Pamper JMS Day! Ok - so the nail salon left much to be desired, but something funny did happen. The tiny woman with short spiky hair that was roughly throwing my hands around grabbed my right pinkie finger and exclaimed (you'll have to imagine the accent), "Oooh...you haf crookit pinkie!" "Yes, I have two crooked pinkies!" I said, holding up both fingers for her to examine. She holds up her left hand and says, "I haf no pinkie!" Sure enough, she's missing the pinkie on her left hand. I wonder if I should have taken that as a warning not to have my nails done there? Well, she certainly was efficient, but even I, inexperienced as I am in the art of having acrylic tips put on, knew that she wasn't quite...um...doing it right. (For want of a better way to say it.) The acrylic looked kinda thin to me. Just an hour or so after having them done, two of my nails had chips on the sides, right down by the quick! And I hadn't even done anything to them that would have caused them to chip! I'm going to go back today on my lunch break and make her fix them - at no charge! See if I'm not! (Ha!) Then after work, I went to a local hair salon to have all the split ends removed from my tresses. They were baaaddd and I was sick of my hair breaking off at the slightest touch. My stylist's name was (not joking...and not changing names to protect the innocent) Velvet Sue. (Ok...I'll leave her last name out.) She was 40-something with a mass of blonde hair that came to the middle of her back and funky eyeglasses with a beaded eyeglass chain (you know the things that hold your glasses around your neck?). She was adequate. I mean, don't get me wrong, she was VERY nice, and I enjoyed talking to her immensely, but she took forever to wash, trim, blow dry and "style" (I use that term loosely) my hair. She kept asking me if she was being too rough on my head; was my head/scalp sensitive. I spent many minutes trying to convince her that no, I was not "tender-headed" (as she put it). Until she got to the flat iron, I had no problem with her hurting me at all. The flat iron, though, was another story all-together. I think it was coated in hot rubber because it pulled the hair from my head like an Epilady pulls hair from your legs! OUCHY! But since I'd invested so much time and energy reassuring her that she could not hurt me, I now couldn't say anything! I mean, I guess I could have said something, but I didn't. Suffice it to say that I will probably not see her again. Nice lady, not too bad with the shampoo part (I love me a good scalp massage) but otherwise, not my favorite. I have yet to find a stylist that I really like. I've always liked them personally, but hair-wise, I've never been thrilled. I am very picky and hard to please when it comes to my hair because A) If I have to do anything other than wash, condition, blow dry and (maybe) flat iron it, I won't do it - I hate hair products and B) I don't ever like the way my hair looks, newly cut or old and frayed. Someone should just konk me over the head, knock me out, go crazy with a pair of scissors making sure to leave a few chunks and bald spots here and there, and then, when I wake up, I'll probably LOVE it. Crazy. You bet. On another note, Pearl and I had day 2 of GFF'09 last night. This consisted of going to Firehouse Subs for dinner (after leaving the salon), watching The Duchess (good movie, btw), making a trip to Wally World for invitation card stock half-way through The Duchess so Pearl would be able to settle down and not worry, and then sleep came crashing down on us around 11PM. Not all that exciting, but I think we had a good time! Oh - and something else that was funny! (Gosh, I'm long-winded today!) I left work yesterday and drove to the mechanic (not Our Favorite Mechanic, though - this one specializes in Volvos) to leave the 240 Volvo Wagon (affectionately, "The Beast") there for diagnostic analysis. I had requested that someone be available to drive me home, which was met with an immediate, "No problem!" I arrived, went inside, handed over the keys, got a few bits of info from the mechanic, and was immediately handed over to a 17 YEAR OLD BOY! Oh, man...old I did feel. It was explained to me that this BOY was the brother of the mechanic and that he'd been called in to give me a lift home. Yay. BOY led me outside to a MERCEDES M CLASS SUV. Me: "Whose car is this?" BOY: "My parents, but I'm the only one who ever drives it." Again...yay. 17 year old boy, driving a 35 year old woman home from his brother's auto shop. Oh fun. I'm so glad he knows where I live. I think I'll keep the doors locked (wait, I do that already) and all the curtains/blinds drawn. TTFN JMS

FOUND: Vintage St. Patrick's Day Postcards

Modeling this post after Light & Writing, I thought I'd share some of these wonderful and whimsical vintage St. Patrick's Day postcards I found at Majorly Cool Things.

I just LOVE these! Wouldn't you just swoon if one of these showed up in your mail box?

I sure would!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

TTFN
JMS

Missing My Family & Girl's Fun Fest '09

Ah...another weekend has come and gone. I'm telling you, the older I get the faster the days go. It's mind-boggling! Saturday I spent the morning getting Kiddo, Little Bit & Hubby ready for an extended trip to GM's house. If you'll recall, GM fell recently and broke her hip. Hubby's two sisters have been back and forth helping as much as they can and Hubby wanted to help, too. It's Spring Break for Kiddo and Little Bit this week and so Hubby whisked them away to their grandmother's house. I'm not sure how much "help" they'll be, what with 2 little kids running around, 2 dogs, 6 cats and a woman attempting to recover from yet another hip replacement surgery. But off they went on Saturday morning, leaving me all by my lonesome with the dog (who has, in the last 2 days, become a 65lb lap dog!) and mounds of laundry to do. I miss them already. I missed them five minutes after they left. I miss them all the time. It's a very good thing I keep myself busy or I'd be climbing the walls. Anyway - Pearl came over Sunday evening. We had pizza, watched a couple of movies (Wanted and The Time Machine - both of which were very much enjoyed by us). We sipped champagne, chatted about various things from frustrating friends to existentialism and society. It was a total adult conversation, carried on by two mostly-knowledgeable women, without interruption by non-adults wanting attention for attention's sake. I guess what I'm saying is that even though I do miss my family terribly, it was, in fact, nice to have some "girl time." It seems I needed that more than I realized because I'm feeling calm, rested, and refreshed this morning. (And it has nothing to do with the 5-Hour Energy stuff in my purse, because I haven't taken it yet!) TTFN JMS Ooohh...and I also made chocolate covered strawberries (which Pearl says are as good as the ones you get at Godiva...YAY) and chocolate chip cookies. We're going to be fat and lazy by the time GFF'09 is over!

Beneficial Massage & Bodywork (a.k.a. Shamless Plug for Hubby!)

Ok - I know he's probably going to call me in 15 minutes and say, "Take that down!" (in the nicest way possible, of course) but I'm going to do this anyway. I guess from time-to-time I feel pulled to put the word out about folks I know who have certain talents or businesses I feel strongly about - strong positive, not strong negative. Ya know? Hubby, as you may or may not know, is a Licensed Massage Therapist! Yes, my husband is a massage therapist folks! I'm such a lucky person! If you live in our area and are looking for a very professional therapist and inviting environment for a massage, you've come to the right place! When you get a chance, check out Beneficial Massage and Bodywork! Happy relaxing! TTFN JMS

Schell & Shell - Sharing Two Exalted Beauty Posts

Exalted Beauty is fast becoming one of my favorite blogs, not only because the woman/artist Amy Fraser is so sweet, but because she really is a fabulous artist. She, more than anything else lately, has awakened in me a long-dormant desire for creativity. Long-dormant because, well...I had kids. I haven't really done anything truly creative in a very long time; that is until Pearl had me help her with those invitations! Oh...and until I found one of my boxes of crafty stuff in the storage building in our back yard this past weekend. Anyway - I thought I'd share Exalted Beauty with you again today. She's posted two things today, one of which are several fantastically beautiful floral paintings "that are now part of Dr. Thomas G. Schell's exquisite and extensive art collection" and the other post is about yours truly! I'm honestly so flattered I don't know what to do with myself! She must think I'm some kind of special to post about little ol' me! Of course, the feeling is mutual! Go check her out, if you haven't already! Thanks, Amy! TTFN JMS

Morning People vs. Night People?

You'll never guess what I'm listening to this morning...and I'm not sure I'm going to say. Let it be a mystery. Suffice it to say that yes, I do actually like this music (no, it's not rap...ugh) and it seemed appropriate this morning as I made an effort to lift my mood and wake up some. Coffee in hand... Georgie B thinks I may not be a morning person, and in some ways he's absolutely right. But in other ways, he's not. (No offense intended, Georgie!) What I mean is that I definitely enjoy my sleep. There's nothing more wonderful to me (most of the time) than being warm and cozy and comfy in one's own bed with sleep making your head and body feel leaden. At the same time, though, I'm not really a night person, either. I can stay awake, if I have to, but after the kids go to bed and after I get everything I need to get done, well...done for the night, I go to bed, too. Grateful. Of course, sometimes it is very hard for me to fall asleep. Other times it is very hard for me to stay asleep. Some nights I'm up and down, tossing and turning. Other nights I sleep so hard that the world could come to an end and I'd never know it. Last night, Hubby went out with the guys to see Watchmen. I flipped channels on the TV for a little bit, eventually settling on Grease (of all things...but I do love that movie!). It was about 1/4 of the way through already, but having seen it many many times, I didn't really miss anything. I settled in to watch and when it was over at 10PM, I went to bed. I remember nothing at all until my alarm (yes I remembered to set it!) went off this morning. So what are you if you're not a morning person, and you're not a night owl? I wonder... TTFN JMS

Clint Eastwood & Yoda? OR What is to become of me?

One of my favorite movies was on AMC last night: In the Line of Fire with Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich. I really really love this movie. It's so good and Malkovich is so creepy! (I guess he's just creepy anyway, right?) Of course, Clint is always Clint - and though he plays his typical surly character, he's got a sense of humor, too. And there's a strange love story wound up in the whole thing, but that's not the reason I like it. It's just a good movie. Anyway - I wanted to watch this movie. I mean I really wanted to watch this movie. I got about 1/2 way through and found myself being nudged awake by Hubby who said, "Um, don't you think you should go to bed?" "But I really want to watch this movie!" I whine at him. "But you're sleeping!" he responds. Yeah, so what? I think to myself... However, like the dutiful wife that I am (?), I haul my tired butt off the couch and stumble to bed. Head hits the pillow and I remember no more until this morning, when Hubby again nudges me awake and says, "Um, don't you think you should get up?" "But I really want to sleep!" I whine at him. "But you have to go to work!" he responds. Yeah, so what? I think to myself... However, like the dutiful employee that I am (?), I haul my warm, comfy, sleepy body out of bed and stumble around the house attempting to get dressed without waking the entire family. Little Bit opened her door and said, "Mommy, rock me, please?" I rocked her for a few minutes, nearly falling asleep again myself, even while sitting in an uncomfortable wooden rocker freezing my tush off. There's something about a warm sleepy baby with her head on your chest that is like a hot water bottle next to you in bed while you're feeling lousy. (I don't really think that made much sense, do you?) Somehow, I managed to not only get Little Bit back to sleep, but I was able to get dressed, out the door, and all the way to work before my shift started! Hubby emailed me this morning to make sure I got here OK and on time. I told him that yes, I did get here on time thanks to him. The following email exchange took place: Hubby: "Strong with the force am I." Me: "Thanks, Yoda!" Hubby: "Tributes are not necessary…it is balance that Jedi seeks. Only then…a master you will be." Me: "Sigh. Balance is something I DEFINITELY do not have. I guess I'll never be a master, will I?" TTFN JMS PS: Oh, and the reason I didn't get up at the crack of dawn this morning is because my tired butt forgot to set the alarm last night when I fell into bed! Go figure, eh?