Stitches in Real World Time

Blossom Leigh Boutique ~ Animals on Parade launch!

2008-05-20T23:17:00.002-05:00

HURRAY!!! This is my first official Launch with Blossom Leigh Boutique and I am so excited about it.
This is the set I made for the first week of the launch (this was actually *last* week ~ I'm a bit behind. Nothing new there LOL)

It was created specifically with TWEEN Girl style in mind.

This is my second set for the launch. It began tonight, and will run for the next 7 days. You can find it here
Little Miss Mouse Designs on EBay

This set can be Custom sized to fit your child. See the auction for details!

These were such fun sets to create! And we have fallen in LOVE with them both. I just know that you will too!
Get your set TODAY!

HAPPY MOM'S DAY!! ~ To you all!!

2008-05-11T22:23:00.004-05:00

I have decided that just about any woman can give birth to a child, but it takes someone special to love a child enough to be a MoM. And, I don't believe that you actually have to give birth to a child in order to love that child enough to be called "Mom".
In my life, I have known a number of women that I have refered to as "Mom" ~ my best friend's mother (who let me live with their family of 5 during my Senior year of High School), another friend's mother (whom I have known since I was 9 yrs old), my first husband's mother (for the first few weeks at least LOL), etc. Each one has touched my life in some special way. And so, today, I would like to honor them all.

(My own "MoM" is not so bad herself LOL)

Why Me? Seriously, why freakin' me?

2008-05-09T15:33:00.003-05:00

Oddly enough, I do stupid shit all the time. Not that anyone is surprised. Least of all me.

The NOTECARDS are finished!!

2008-05-08T14:06:00.002-05:00

And NEVER again will I make another. LOL
I LOATHE scrapbooking, and had not realized that making handcrafted notecards would be so very much like it. Well, it is, and I hate it just as much. But my 5 sets for the swap are finished, and my supplies are put away, and I am DONE.
F~O~R~E~V~E~R

LOL

Maybe I will post some pics later!

Oh, the UPDATES!

2008-05-06T23:47:00.003-05:00

Seriously, I know that I am not a "Blogging Wonder". And for that I am deeply sorry. I rarely update/post to this thing, and I promise that I will do better in the future! Pinky swear.
Anyway, I thought that I would let everyone know that I am one of the BRAND SPANKIN', SHINY NEW members of Blossom Leigh Boutique, a design group on eBay. My first launch with the WONDERFUL ladies will occur on May 12. You can search "BLB" on eBay to find all our FABULOUS creations!

That's all for now. Again, I will make much more of an attempt at posting in the future!

This is interesting

2008-04-19T23:42:00.003-05:00

I found this little bit of interesting infomation sharing on a blog that I frequent, and found it to be very cute. So I stole it. (Thanks given to the Hotfessional and hopes that she doesn't poke me with her pointy heels for stealing it. Although she did steal it first! LOL)

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

Not as easy as you might think.
Remember: one word answers

1.Where is your mobile phone? Desk
2.Your significant other? Gone
3.Your hair? Ponytail
4.Your mother? Teacher
5.Your father? Lazy
6.Your favorite thing? Cupcakes
7.Your dream last night? None
8.Your favorite drink? Tea
9.Your dream/goal? Perfection
10.The room you’re in? Living
11.Your ex? Dead
12.Your fear? Pregnancy
13.Where do you want to be in 6 years? Alive
14.Where were you last night? Home
15.What you’re not? UnIntelligent
16.Muffins? Blueberry
17.One of your wish list items? Coverstitch
18.Where you grew up? Buffalo
19.The last thing you did? Sew
20.What are you wearing? Clothes
21.Your TV? Movie
22.Your pets? None
23.Your computer? On
24.Your life? Stressful
25.Your mood? Odd
26.Missing someone? Cait
27.Your car? Impala
28.Something you’re not wearing? Bra
29.Favorite Store? Fabric
30.Your summer? Hectic
31.Like someone? Nope
32.Your favorite color? Pink
33.When is the last time you laughed? 5
34.Last time you cried? Yest.

Feel free to swipe this yourself (although you really should fill in your own answers LOL)

A friend of a friend

2008-04-12T21:22:00.005-05:00

I received a message tonight from a friend of mine, about a friend of hers (see how this goes on LOL "a friend of a friend and so on and so forth"
Anyway, the message was full of saddening information about Renee's battle with cancer. I will spare you the technical/personal details, but this is the idea of it all.
~~ Renee is a 39 year old mother and wife. Renee has lung cancer which has already spread thru her entire body and into her brain. (I don't know the specific scientific name of the cancer however.) Her own mother passed of lung cancer. And it was Renee who selflessly cared for her during her last 6 months of life. She is an extremely talented artist and enjoys creating and painting as a creative outlet and hobby. Renee and her painting/designing partner Becky, make up *cricket cottage*. A talented duo that is a part of the design group TheAve on eBay. Renee is so smart, and has a wonderful dry sense of humor.
Becky states "Renee is a sister to me. I love her and I am praying for a quick recovery." ~~

Please search eBay using the Key word "teamrenee" (no quotation marks please) beginning April 22nd to lend your support to this wonderful mother and her family during this difficult time.
Keep Renee and her family in your thoughts and prayers, and together we CAN make a difference.

A wealth of information can be found on the internet...

2008-04-10T00:57:00.004-05:00

that's for damn sure. Some of it good, some of it bad, most of it USELESS to the general population.
However, there are some things that deserve to have attention drawn to them. Things that most people do not think about as they wander around in their own lives. This is one of those things...

I was perusing YouTube earlier this evening, looking for a Martina McBride video. And stumbled across the video for a song called "Concrete Angel". Now, I have heard this song in the past, and watched the video several times (bawling each and everytime) as well. But what I clicked on was NOT the video for "Concrete Angel". It was, in fact, a video that someone had made to draw attention to the HORRORS of Child Abuse in America. Some of the images were extremely graphic (nauseatingly so) and upon further "research" I found that there were more of these videos available for viewing ~ all advertising different "Stop the Abuse" websites/organizations.
I was so disgusted with the idea that anyone would do anything remotely close to the images I viewed. I understand that there are lots of cases of abuse that go completely unreported as well. And, I have to tell you, if the cases that are not reported are anything close to the ones that ARE reported ~ then someone is not doing what is their responsibility as a human being. No one with any kind of moral compass at all could possibly see that in/on a child and NOT do something about it.
Hug your children tight, and let them know that you love them. Let them know that they can come to you, and tell you anything. That they can trust you with their hopes, their dreams, and their safety. There are so many children out there that do not know that they have a safe place to fall when life gets rough. And that is something that every child should have.

Tornados and such...

2008-04-04T02:03:00.005-05:00

On Monday, a tornado swept through my hometown (I still live there as a matter of fact) It hit about 2 blocks away from my house. Oddly enough, it came with little advanced warning (it had been storming all day, but we were not currently under any kind of watch or warning) The sirens never even went off.

The looting started shortly thereafter.

That is the part that sickens me the most. The fact that human nature automatically goes directly into a "How can I benefit myself?" mindset. It capitalizes on the misery of others w/out regard to the fact that, enclosed in the relics of what were once houses, these are peoples LIVES, their memories, their valuables, everything they have held dear to their hearts.
Children have taken first steps in these houses, said first words in these houses, travelled to their first days of school from these houses. They have went on their first dates from these houses, kissed their first kiss from these houses, earned their first paychecks while living in these houses. Fell in love, married, and brought home families to these houses. These houses, and additionally the belongings they encase, are more than just houses.
They are HOMES. They are all that represents LOVE and DECENCY in this world. SAFETY and WARMTH radiate from their very beings. And NO ONE should ever violate that.
Prayers to you all, that you should never feel that your HOME is no longer the sanctuary it should be.

A spider in my orange. (And other fairly twisted tales)

2008-02-26T22:06:00.003-06:00

I found a spider in my orange today. Not a large one. Just a tiny, little thing, who's life was cut short by my fingers when I squished it (Hey, it was in MY damn orange, I will squish it if I want to.) Although it does beg the question, how the hell did it get in there in the first place? I prefer not to think about that, and just enjoy the fruit (And again. Yes I did, in fact, eat the orange after disposing of said intruder.)
The thing is, that tiny spider makes me think about what I eat every day. Am I putting the "best" into my body?
Honestly, we are a fruit/veggie/multi/whole grain kinda household (well, except for The Man, who is a meat and potato kind of guy. But, when he is at home, he is a fruit/veggie/multi/whole grain kind of guy LOL) My children eat their vegetables FIRST, before anything else on their plates ~ entirely by choice. They like beans in many forms. And they will devour just about any kind of veggie/fruit. We don't eat a lot of meat. No pork whatsoever, very little beef, chicken, and turkey. And only a little bit of fish (no shellfish.) We do eat cheese, eggs, and drink milk (recently we cut out butter.)
Sounds like a pretty decent diet, right?
I think so.
My issue is that we live in the MidWest. Fresh produce is not readily available year round here (I just paid almost $3.00 per pound for some serously SAD looking tomatoes ~ I understand that this is less than most of you would be paying, but we also live in a lower per capita income area. So for us, that is, like WHOA ~ way HIGH!) The fresh stuff that we shell out the cash for in the Off Growing Season is often not very good quality or oddly colored (ie. Strawberries that have half white tops and berry red bottoms ?????) And even if you drive to another market (for us, another market is 25 min away) there is no guarantee that the produce will be any better (in fact, it might really be much worse.)
Now, we will still buy the fresh stuff. We always have, we always will. But is it really the "best" we can offer ourselves?
Compared to the alternatives, I think that it is. Some is better than none in my opinion (although the hormones, genetic alterations, etc. used in the growing of mass distributed produce offer another position of contention.) And for us, it is not an option to grow ourselves, visit local Farmer's Markets (great in the Summer, non-existant in Winter), or purchase everything organic (which is another Soapbox topic for me altogether.)
Right now, we do the best with what we have. And I am guessing that will just have to be enough. LOL

Me. With a Blackberry? I think NOT!

2008-02-19T00:39:00.004-06:00

So, after dropping my cell phone on the tile floor for the 100,000th time, I decided to take my Supremely Sick bootie to the Freakin' Cell Phone Store and pick out a brand spankin' new phone today. I had completed my research on the various options, made my list of what I *definently could NOT live without*, and drove 45 min. (one way) to the Freakin' Cell Phone Store to pick out a new piece of junk, knowing full well that I would have to pay full retail price for whatever I purchased 'cuz our contract is *FAR* from up. (I did ask about adding an additional line to possibly get a discount on the purchase price, and was informed that if I did that I would have to add an additional rate plan to compensate for the phone itself.)
I was greeted upon arrival by a fairly nice salesperson (bonus point #1) and I informed her of what I was there to accomplish (phone with a camera, phone with an extensive scheduling system, phone with text, picture, video messaging, phone with fully functioning QWERTY keyboard, etc.) I was very clear. She asked my why I wanted all this stuff specifically? To which I answered "Because if I am going to shell out the money for a phone, I am going to make certain that it does all the things that I need it to do." (Is it really any of her business *WHY* I want to shell out hundreds of dollars for a phone that has more bells and whistles that most people would know what to do with? I think not.)
She presented me with several options that contained all the available features necessary (there were 3 total 'cuz I really didn't like the "look" of the Palm Treo.) She hauled them all out of their boxes so that I could actually handle the phones to help with my decision (all in all, she was not helpful at all. And when I asked her what the difference was between the Blackberry World edition and the Pearl, she told me "Nothing, the Pearl is just smaller and it doesn't have the keyboard.")
So, in the end, I chose the Blackberry World phone. This decision was prompted by the fact that I had spent 2 hours in the store attempting to figure out what features each of the individual phones offered mostly on my own ~ 'cuz, I am just guessing here, it was apparently too difficult for her to answer my questions (seriously, I asked her which one *she* would choose based on the technology available in each one and her reply was "They are all pretty much the same. It is just the difference in the way that they look.") After I had made my choice, I thought to ask about the "return rate" of the different phones ~ and she informed me that one of the particular brands of phone that she had offered me *actually* had a pretty high return rate due to problems with the technology (and I thought to myself ~ Why would you attempt to sell it to me then?)
Financial "stuff" was discussed, how the new phone would change my rate plan was discussed (and the answer was "None, you just won't be able to access the internet on the Blackberry 'cuz the set up is different." Fine, I have internet at home, I don't *need* it on my phone ~ although it would have been nice) All things possible were discussed (especially how much of my old phone stuff that I could not use with this phone. That was fine as well.)
So, I take my Shiny *NEW* Blackberry, and begin calling everyone I know. Fast forward to the car, where I attempted to charge the phone using the car charger that I had to purchase as well (in addition to a tiny little memory card that she *swore* I would need, a weird looking earpiece that I *had to have* as well, and some other items that I am sure were just *absolutely necessary* to the existance of this phone) and the CHARGER DOES NOT WORK. Since I hadn't left the parking lot yet, I took the damn thing back inside and told them it didn't work. The guy I spoke to said that it was because she SOLD ME THE WRONG charger! After I had specifically ASKED her if it was the right one! (It turned out that it *was* the right one, it was just *defective*. Charger replaced, off on my merry way.)
Driving home (back the 45 min.) the woman calls me on my phone and informs me that there will be an additional monthly charge in order for me to have that particular phone, her exact words were "Blackberry requires you to pay a fee for the right to carry their product." To which I thought to myself "I already paid for the damn phone, and asked you all about this crap while I was there, and you are just *NOW* telling me this." So I said "Fine. Do what you have to do." Then it hit me, I HAD TO HAVE A *PLAN* TO OWN THIS PHONE!! (This means that I could have, should have, (but didn't) receive a discount on the purchase price of this phone. BEEEYYYYYAAAATTTTCCCCHHH!!!)
I made it all the way home before I realized that (can you hear the drumroll here) THE DAMN THING DIDN'T HAVE A FREAKIN' CAMARA!!! Seriously, did I not *specifically request* that the phone come with a camara?!?!?! I truely believe that I did, in fact, state just that. I thought that maybe I had just missed the little lens thing on the back, but most assuredly I did not ~ 'cuz it doesn't exist. (The camara thing was just the tip of the iceburg with that phone. There were other issues, but that was the straw that broke the camel's back.)
She had told me that I had 30 days to exchange it if I found that I didn't like it (yeah, like that wasn't intentional LOL) and so I did! At a different store, with a different salesperson, in a different town. And I am *very* happy with what I exchanged it for (and I was *refunded* a decent amount as well.)
Note to self -- When you overhear the SalesPerson *plainly* state to a co-worker that "I don't know. This is only the second Blackberry I've ever sold." You should probably pick up your purse, and half sleeping child, and *run* as fast as you can in the opposite direction.
SO, at the end of a very long day, I was the not so proud owner of a Blackberry for about 5 hours or so. I have probably confused the hell out of the billing dept of my cell service provider. I now have a phone that meets all my needs. And MOST IMPORTANTLY *of course* it is PRETTY! LOL

My children are Spider Monkeys!

2008-02-17T22:13:00.003-06:00

I swear that they are. The little carrier "monkeys" collect every single available germ known to man, and then disperse them amonst their loving friends and family at random. I am convinced that they do not do it on purpose, it is just their calling in life to infect the whole of the free world with illness. They can't help it, it is in their nature. LOL
I am sick, AGAIN!!! And, as usual, the children in my life have gifted me with a viral load that is hanging on for the foreseeable future. They, on the other hand, are feeling just *SUPER*, and driving me crazy while I attempt to sleep the day away on the couch. (All the while popping in videos to "entertain" them and plodding into the kitchen to make sandwiches when the cries of "We're STARVING" are just too much for my ears to take ~ NAUGHTY MOMMY, I know.)
I am going to bed, I have errands to run tomorrow (on a Holiday no less.) And I have to go to the fabric store (GASP!!!! During the Stash Game!!?!?!??) I am going to stay strong and NOT purchase the *lovely* fabric that I am ever so obsessed with. It will be difficult in my current state of sleep deprivation, but I am confident that I will emerge VICTORIOUS!! Besides, I can't afford the NEGATIVE points from purchasing. LOL

Busy Busy Busy!!!

2008-02-05T22:10:00.001-06:00

So I have been busy busy with this Stash Game, and I am currently up to 101 points. YIPPEE!!! And there is *still* 3 and a half weeks left to go!
Anyway, here are some pics of what I have made thus far...

Japanese Hedgehogs

Picnic Toile

Summertime Blues

Sweet Strawberries

Chocolate and Roses

Tween Style

So cute!

Blah, blah, blah...

2008-02-02T00:21:00.001-06:00

That is how my week has went. The bright shining star of the week has been the beginning of the aforementioned Stash Game!!! YIPPEE!!! Bring on the sewing!! And I promise that I will post photos of the items as I get them finished for ALL to see.

Anyway, off to bed all. Have a great rest of the weekend!

A tiny little RANT for the beginning of this week.

2008-01-27T22:30:00.001-06:00

Ah, yes, it is Sunday night, again. I have just finished watching the 3rd in The Complete Jane Austen series (Mansfield Park) and it has become my Favorite of all the three thus far (see here for info on the series on PBS.) However, I have no doubt that as the movies continue to present themselves, it will surely be replaced with another of Ms. Austen's amazing writings. If you are not watching them for yourselves, then you are truely missing out.
And, on to the rant part of the post...
We (Ini and I) went to the Olive Garden this afternoon for lunch. It is one of her *FAVORITE* places to eat, and I figured it was time that we had a little "Girls Lunch" out as it has been a while since we have gone to lunch together. We had approx. a 30 min wait (not bad for a Sunday afternoon) so we made a side trip to Barnes and Noble to check out their Bargain Classics section (I had to pick up some new reading materials - Emily Bronte's Wurthering Heights (YEAAAAHHH!!) and a copy of Mansfield Park to add to my growing collection of Ms. Austen's works. Our "beeper" went off fairly quickly, so we raced back to the restaurant and handed the damn thing to the "hostess" (who chose to ask us at this time if a booth would be alright, 'cuz if we wanted a table we would have to wait longer. Right, like I am going to force my hungry 3 yr old to wait for a table. ((insert eyeroll here)) I say, a booth is fine. Then she turns and asks me if we will be needing a children's menu (can we say a collective "DUH!!!") I just looked at her, like, "Do YOU think that we need a children's menu?" She seated us in a horribly located booth, and informed us that our server would be by soon to take our drink orders. UGH!
Our server was BEYOND negligent. It took her 15 min before she showed up to ask us what we would like to drink, at which time, we took advantage of her being there and ordered. Add an additional 15 min before we received any salad or breadsticks. Before she had taken our drink order she had dropped of another table's check and they were still sitting there, waiting for her to take their money and bring them boxes. At which point, I thought to myself, "This is not going to go well." (The other table eventually flagged down another waitress to settle their check for them.) After she brought the bread and salad, she disappeared somewhere for the next 30 min or so before making an appearance to inform us that our meals *should* be about done (really? 30 min to make some chicken and spagetti? I could have went back there and cooked it myself faster than that.) The food came, and it was decent (presentable, hot, fresh, edible) Our waitress, however, did not come back to find that out.
On to dessert. I always order the same thing, Torti Di Chocolate and it is DELICIOUS. Ini always orders the Chocolate Gelato. And, generally, they give a child sized portion in a little bowl with the caramel sauce and chocolate shavings on it, just like the grown up version. However, this woman brought her a Chocolate Gelato *SUNDAE* with Chocolate syrup and whipped cream on it (in the shape of a smilie face no less ((again with the eyeroll)) ~ she was *NOT* happy. However, she developed a love for maraschino cherries because of it, so the day was not a total failure. LOL
We paid, we went to the fabric store (at which I bought *ONLY* thread HURRAY!!!!) And then went to pick up Cait.
When we picked her up (30 min late, mind you) she had NO COAT on (it was a warm day, but it won't stay that way) and her shoes were from her Dad's and not the ones that were sent with her (UGH!) Normally, I would not have been so angry (who am I kidding, I would have been just as livid,) BUT I make an effort to send her with items that come home with her from there house when she goes back to their house. It would stand to reason that they could make a bit of an effort to make certain that the things that she arrives with, come home at the end of the weekend! And, on top of everything else, they attempt to lay the blame for their lateness on my shoulders. In fact, I believe their *exact* words were "We wish that you would call us when you are coming to S---------- on Sundays." Why? So that they could get out of providing her transportation to the designated pick up site? WHATEVER!
Anyway, as exciting as today was, it is not a day I would wish to repeat.
On a bonus note, Ini was *REALLY* good the entire time we were in the restaurant (despite having woke up at 6 - FREAKIN' - 30 IN THE MORNING!!!!)

I can BREATHE again!

2008-01-19T18:56:00.000-06:00

I am soooo very thankful right now at this moment, and I would just like to share with you all.
My brother, who is a service man, is currently stationed somewhere in the Sandbox that is Iraq. Due to some regulation/rule/order we, his family (not even his wife), are not allowed to be informed of his whereabouts or what he is doing. We send our mail to a general postal address, and they find him. He calls my Sister In Law from a secure line once a week, and my parents about once a month or so. He has left his entire life behind to serve his country, and I am very proud of him (not something I could have said, say, 7 years ago.)
Yesterday afternoon we (both my mother and I independantly) received a phone calls from my Sister In Law. We were given the only information that she had -- my brother's Unit had been fired upon, and had sustained heavy casualties/damage. That was all. So, we have all been sitting on pins and needles, unable to sleep, trying to imagine a life that does not include him in more than just memory, jumping every time the phone rang, running at breakneck speeds just to have all our hopes dashed every single time it is not her with new informations. And, generally, not breathing.
Well, we can now breathe again. She just called my mother and told her that, while she cannot give any additional information (as the other families have not all been informed), she can tell us that it was not my brother. That is all she has.
And with those 5 little words, our whole world breathed a sigh of relief.

Additionally, my heart goes out to all those that have lost their loved ones to situations just like this. Their sacrifice is greatly appreciated, and they are remembered.

Heart wrenchingly sad, unbelieveably timeless.

2008-01-13T21:41:00.000-06:00

I just LOVE the Classics. Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, etc. Women that wrote about true "Ladies", and endless love.
It is my opinion that every woman truely wants to feel that at least once in their lives. That breath stealing, heart pulling, searingly beautiful kind of love that only truely comes along once in a lifetime (I have been married twice, and yet have only felt this kind of love once - and not with either of my husbands.) A love that is desperately painful to let go of, and feels like the tremulous pain will never subside when that love is no longer a part of us.
I think that these women authors must have known something about that kind of love. Which is astounding for the time in which they existed. I am in awe of their accomplishments, and I am respectful of the way that they have inserted themselves into our contemporary lives with their timelessly beautiful words.

The Quest Begins

2008-01-09T22:19:00.000-06:00

The quest to the land of Sewing More Than I Buy, that is.
In this lovely land, that is no huge pile of UFO's (UnFinished Objects), no HUGE pile of cut fabric, no HUGEMONGOUS stash staring at me taunting me with all the things that I must get done yet know clue exactly where to begin. In this land there is only a small amount of fabric waiting to be something beautiful. The sewing room is *ALWAYS* clean, and the machines are oiled and lint free, ready for use.
In the land of Sewing More Than I Buy, my stash steadily decreases to a point that is more manageable (and doesn't look like the inside of a fabric store threw up in my dining room.) The Man does not walk past the doorway afraid to enter the room for fear of being buried underneath the pile of it all.
Sadly, as of this moment, on the 9th day of January - the train for my trip to the land of Sewing More Than I Buy is currently moving backward.

So the phrase "Death Warmed Over" just might apply to me at this moment.

2008-01-06T22:11:00.000-06:00

Sick. That is def one word that could be used to describe me right now. I have spent the ENTIRE day on the couch wondering when the sun is going to stop shining so that this glaringly painful headache might subside.
All of this started 4 days ago when Ini decided that she would spend the entire night crying and sleeping in approximately 30 min intervals. So enter me the next day with 2 hrs of total sleep, and one seriously bad mood. Then yest. we went to O---------------klahoma (where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain) for a funeral (my Great Uncle on my dad's side) and I started to feel slightly like Crap on a Stick myself. Until I woke up this morning feeling like a damn truck had run over my head repeatedly.
Sucky ~BONUS~ point #1 - Ini woke me up at 7:30 this morning by SMACKING me repeatedly and stating "Mommy, I am cold. Mommy, I am hungry. Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom." Over and over again until I hauled my sick, can't breathe to save my own life, "Oh, I slept in yest. travel clothes" - ass out of bed to attend to her every whim.
Sucky ~BONUS~ point #2 - I still have the blasted headache from this morning. Fan-freakin'-tastic for me.

I am going to bed and not coming out for at least 8 hours. Maybe then I will resemble something close to human.

Welcome 2008....maybe?!?!?!

2008-01-01T21:22:00.000-06:00

Damn! Is it 2008 already? Where has the freakin' time went? Oh well, I am guessing that my "To Do in 2008" list will contain a vast majority of items that my "To Do in 2007" list did. Time sucks!
So, every year I like to sit down and think about the things that I have added to my vast pool of knowledge on which I can draw from during appropriate situations (this is also known as "useless shit I have managed to collect in my brain for that One-in-a-Million chance that I will appear on Jeopardy at some point.)
#1 -- Grocery stores can sell almost anything to a child simply by placing it in the checkout aisle (ex. This is a list of some of the items that my children have requested to purchase in the past year -- BBQ lighters (?), Doggie/Kittie mint flavored treats (??), dental floss, weird chapsticks, etc.)
#2 -- Fat Free cheese will NEVER melt, no matter how long you leave it in the oven. (And this is NOT something you want to experiment with if you have no idea how to turn off your smoke detectors.)
#3 -- Worms lay "eggs" (and I have actually watched one hatch. -We love our worms-)
#4 -- Children ALWAYS appreciate the parent that does NOT wash their hair in the bathtub the most (this requires no explanation.)
The list could go on and on...literally.
At this point, I am just wondering how much more useless knowledge could possibly be available in the universe for me to learn? I am guessing that 2008 will provide me with plenty more opportunities to store away useless shit, and I am guessing that it will all be just as informative as the last batch was.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The Man hath Cometh.

2007-12-28T21:39:00.000-06:00

Well, blog readers (and you know who you are!) The Man has arrived. And with gifts no less. Not gifts from the dreaded InLaws, no, these gifts are ones that he used his own personal Christmas gift cash flow to purchase (The IL apparently forked over a couple of bucks so that he could have a Christmas gift, and he opted to spend it on us ~ his familia.)
For that, he is FABULOUS (I know this term contradicts my normal word usage for him, however, I can change my mind for at least 5 damn minutes every once in a while.)
We apparently do not rank among those who are worthy of a direct gift purchase by the IL. No, not even the children. Once again, they are a**holes. Need I say more.
NEWay, I will probably not be posting for the next few days due to the fact that we will be having our holiday now that The Man has graced us with his face. SO, if I don't "see" you before the Grand Ringing in of the New Year, stay safe. Have a great one.
And I will see you on the flip side!!!

As the World Turns.... (aka. Christmas Vaca-y for us!)

2007-12-27T23:29:00.000-06:00

Hmmmm....When I picked Cait up from school last Thursday for the start of her Christmas Vacation, I honestly never thought that it would go by this fast. It has been a week now, and it feels like just days have gone by. (It probably helps that she spent about 5 days or so at her dad's house when she was first out of school.) The girls and I have spent our days playing board games, and our evenings reading from the Complete Chronicles of Narnia collection (well, Cait and I have been reading it. Ini is really only good for a chapter or two and then she is out for the night. LOL)
The odd thing is that I am discovering my children all over again. Their personalities, their temperments, their ability to torture one another with their mere thoughts. I have never in my life known siblings to get along so poorly (possibly, my brother and I, but possibly not. LOL) I thought that MAYBE 4 yrs, and the fact that they are both girls, would make some kind of a difference. But I guess that sibling discontent runs rampant for all.
It is nice that I have been able to sew some though. I have managed to accomplish 2 tankie/shorts outfits, a coat shell, a tunic top, a peasant top, 2 pr of flannel pants, and an additional tank for my Cait in just the past 4 and a half days. So, maybe, this whole Christmas Vacation thing isn't so bad after all.
I still can't wait for January 3rd though.

Well, the Holiday has come and gone...for most of us.

2007-12-26T00:45:00.000-06:00

But not for us.
We (meaning, I) made the executive decision to wait until The Man gets home to officially begin our Christmas celebration. And the girls feel the same way (which is a good thing, 'cuz I gotta tell you, they don't really have much of a choice. LOL)
We are going to decorate the tree tomorrow (during the time when most of you are taking yours down) and then we will wait.
I, for one, would just like to have a holiday that occurs on the day it is supposed to. This makes Christmas #3 that The Man has missed, and last year we had to wait until the end of January to have dinner and gift exchanging. If we have to wait that long this year, I am just going to do it all without him and say "Oh, too bad, so sad, sucka!" (Not really, but that is what I will be thinking while he is whining about how he wasn't here for Christmas.)
Oh, yes, by-the-by, his mother -- she is just fine. No stroke, no heart problem, and (surprise, surprise) still a beeyyaatch. So basically, he has spent the past week in misery for a grand total of NOTHING. Yippee!!

Ahhhh....My NEW Absolute Holiday LOVE!!

2007-12-23T22:04:00.001-06:00

I am officially addicted.

Dark Chocolate and DELICIOUSLY scented candles. Honestly, it doesn't get much better than that.
The candles arrived last week in a Christmas box sent by a WONDERFUL friend that lives halfway across the country in BEAUTIFUL Washington state. They are manufactured by the GANZ corporation under the label of Time and Again And they smell just fantastic.
The chocolates are manufactured by the company that makes the Ferrero Rocher brand of candies. Appropriately named "Rondnoir", they are oh so YUMMY! They are apparently NEW for the holiday season, and hopefully they will be sticking around for a while.
Just thought I would share the LOVE.

Never heard of them before a couple of weeks ago...Sugarland.

2007-12-22T23:45:00.000-06:00

I am not normally a big fan of country music. However, I am completely IN LOVE with this song. It is sooooooo damn sad, and makes me bawl everytime I listen to it. But I also think that it is empowering in it's own way. It is interesting how a song can make one FEEL.
Anyway, this is the video Sugarland - Stay....

Some seriously sucky video quality, but you get the idea. Enjoy!

Lovely, just Freakin' Lovely!!

2007-12-21T23:32:00.000-06:00

Ahhhhhhhh yes, it is Friday night in America. And I am stuck in my tiny corner at my tiny desk lamenting the fact that it is THIS close to Christmas, and I will have a grand total of half my family present for the holiday.
My husband's mother was admitted to the hospital 2 days ago, after presenting (what was thought at the time to be) the symptoms of a stroke.
-- I refer to her as my husband's mother because there is literally no love lost between this woman and I. I would NEVER wish any ill will upon her, and really feel horribly that this is occuring (especially at this time.) But I really think that if she weren't such a manipulative beeeeyaaatch all the time, we might have a better relationship. --
NEWay -- her CAT Scan/MRI/Whatever-test-they-ran have come back clear - so no major stroke as of yet. But the dr does feel that she is having mini-strokes, and that these will lead to a large one eventually. (Mind you, eventually could mean 10 yrs from now.) It is most certainly either that, or her blood sugar (she is diabetic), or her heart (at this point I would have been questioning exactly what it was that the doctor DID, in fact, know.)
So The Man is currently perched at her side, patting her hand, and consoling her. While we sit here about 1000 mi away.
As a general rule, I am not a bitter/hateful/generally rotten person, but they have the mother/son relationship of many varieties of animals that eat their young (not that she would actively eat her young, but that she has the same cunning, manipulative nature that animals that do predatorily consume their own species exhibit.) And, one would figure that he would rather be here (with the family that hasn't enabled his "neediness" and fed into his co-dependency and essentially held him down his whole life) for the holiday, than listening to her drone on and on with the "oh, please don't feel sorry for me. I will be just fine. Could you be troubled to hand me that paper over there though, as I feel the necessity to scrawl down my last will and testiment while I still have the strength to hold the pen in my hand" speech.
I understand that she is his mother, but (I feel) that there comes a point in everyone's life where the toxicity of a relationship outweighs the blood that flows between 2 people.
Then again, maybe I am just a great big BEEEEEYYYYAAAATCH!!!

It's time for Monday's Looks We Love!!!

2007-12-17T13:08:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness, with the holidays creeping up on me I have barely had the time to breathe - let alone search out wonderful little items to bring my JOY! LOL

I did, however, happen upon these LOVELY little creatures...
Hedgehog Christmas Ornaments by Corkyscookies on Etsy. These are FABULOUS!! And extremely SOFT and cuddly.

And, how ADORABLE is this?!?!?! Perfect for Valentine's Day or any other day for that matter. I have long been a fan of Jaybird*designs, and if you check out her About ME page, you will definently see why. Her designs are just AMAZING.

Well, there is some food for thought (or should I say Fashion for Thought LOL)
Hope that all is well, and HAPPY SHOPPING!

*NOTE* I would like to say that, we all love to look at items for sale everywhere, I am in no way endorsing these sellers or the items that they are selling. I know nothing of their business practices or the quality of their items. I am simply stating my opinion on the cuteness of the items they have listed. If you happen to fall in love with something on your own, and it doesn't work out (for whatever reason), I cannot (and will not) be held responsible.
This is my little disclaimer so that my a.i.c. Happy Monday!!!

P.S. - If you have a designer/listing/store that you would like to see on the Monday Looks we LOVE!!!, please send it to me. If we like what we see, and it is "drool worthy", we may choose it to be featured (and by we, I mean, me and the girls.)

Brava!!!

2007-12-16T20:54:00.000-06:00

I am *ALMOST* finished with my "Handmade Holiday" items for my girls.
I decided a couple of months ago that I wanted to give them an entirely handmade Christmas (completely crafted by moi!) So, I made a list. I checked it twice. And I decided exactly what I was going to create for each child (although there are a lot of duplicate items - they fight over the stuff if I don't.) I also determined what I was going to make for my friends' children (because it kind of defeats the purpose of a "Handmade Holiday" if you purchase items for other children, and just not for your own.)
I have been sewing until 2 AM nearly every night, and running on just a few hours of sleep to get them done. But they are almost finished.
And I am happy!!! :)

Will wonders never cease!!!! ---- GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

2007-12-06T22:10:00.000-06:00

Okay, I am probably the only person on the planet that did not know that a certain local discount store would be having Webkinz interactive toys on special tomorrow for $12.00. But I do now!!

I went to my local discount store tonight, and they had them out on the shelf. I had been reading on some of the boards/groups that discount stores like WM, KMart, etc. had been trying to stock them for sale, so I just figured that mine had got it done. Well, I let the girls pick out one each as a treat for being good in the store. And when we got up to the counter to pay for them, they would not ring up at the register. Customer service called the main office in Bentonville AR, and was informed that it must have been a mistake on the part of an over-zealous stocking person and that they were not intended to be out today/tonight so they could not be sold today/tonight.

So the Customer Service person comes over to the register and FORCES MY CHILDREN TO GIVE BACK THE DAMN WEBKINZ while my youngest girl child (she is 3) is bawling because she had been so good in the store and the counter person is taking her Kinz-kinz away, with the explaination that it was all just a MISTAKE and she (the counter person) has to do it. They (the counter person and the checker) just kept telling her over and over again that she had to give it back (as she is crying and clutching the toy to her chest.) It was HORRIBLE!!!!

I have never been more livid in all my life. I still am. I understand that they aren't supposed to be on sale until tomorrow, and that it was a mistake to put them on the shelves today, but the least they could have done was offer to hold them for the girls until morning. Or something.

Looks we LOVE!!!

2007-12-03T00:27:00.000-06:00

So, in my original post, I alluded to having "plans for this blog" LOL One of those plans includes what I like to refer to as "Looks we LOVE!!!" Each and every Monday I plan to seek out and post a few specific listings/pieces that we feel are drool worthy here in at our house. Hopefully, you will feel the same :)

The first comes from eBay seller flowers*for*lili (who creates ABSOLUTELY AMAZING clothing for children -- you should check out her About ME page for examples of her previous works of art.)

The second featured item comes from Etsy, and boy is it ADORABLE! Or should I say - Boy are THEY adorable. You decide! LOL onesweetbaby is bringing to you the most wonderful pair of baby booties that feature a SWEET, little Japanese Import - a Wizard of OZ print. And, if you LOVE those as much as we do, you should check out the other super CUTE stuff available in her listings (Can you say "HELLO SWEET HEDGIE HAT!!!"

Well, those are just 2 of the ADORABLE items that we have fallen in LOVE with at our house. Hopefully, you will find something in your searching that you fall in love with as well.

*NOTE* -- I would just like to say that, while we all love to look at items for sale everywhere, I am in no way endorsing these sellers or the items that they are selling. I know nothing of their business practices or the quality of their items. I am simply stating my opinion on the cuteness of the items they have listed. If you happen to fall in love with something on your own, and it doesn't work out (for whatever reason), I cannot (and will not) be held responsible.
This is my little disclaimer so that my a.i.c. Happy Monday!!!

PS - If you have a designer/listing/store that you would like to see on the Monday Looks we LOVE!!!, please send it to me. If we like what we see, and it is drool worthy, we may choose it to be featured (and by we, I mean, me and the girls)

Sad day in the ol' Dirt Box.

2007-12-02T14:03:00.000-06:00

Our worms are dying. And we are sad.
That sounds odd, doesn't it? Maybe a little backstory will shed some light on all of it.

About a month or so ago, we attended an event (Recycling Night) at Cait's school that offered a "Take Home Recycling Center" (aka. a Worm Farm.) We were to bring a plastic tub/box the size of a shoebox to fashion into the worm holder, and the school would provide the rest (worms included.) Now, before you start to exclaim "Ewwwww ~ Worms, how disgusting!!!!" I should probably note that the ones that my mother has in her worm farm are really clean, do not smell, and quite cute little things. (Ours, sadly, are not the same worms.) So we went to "Worm Night", as the girls refer to it, with the intention of getting our own personal "Take Home Recycling Center".

Fast forward to about a week later, the worms are still fine but they are not eating any of the food that has been put in for them (as a side note, worms consume - something like - 4 times their body weight in a week or something like that.) In fact, the food that we had put into the container for them when we set up the farm had molded. So we began the process of cleaning out the worm box, throwing away all the newspaper, leaves, moldy stuff, etc. (but not the worms :) ) And basically starting all over again. And thus began our quest to keep the worms alive - which I affectionately refer as "Save the Worms - 2007."

My mother came over several days later with some scraps for the worms - coffee grounds, cucumbers, and the like - that her worms had really loved and eaten right up (her worms had liked them so well, in fact, that they had been reproducing by the thousands inside of the coffee grounds.) So we added the scraps and some peat moss to the box, and put them back in the closet (worms HATE light.)

Moving ahead to last weekend (not this past weekend, but last weekend), the worms had eaten through the cucumber, and not much else. Of course, I couldn't exactly tell the difference between the coffee grounds and the dirt, but they had not eaten the carrots or the cabbage that was put into there so I would imagine that the coffee grounds were still in there as well. And there is absolutely no sign whatsoever of any kind of reproduction either (Worms are asexual creatures, does that strike anyone else as odd? Probably just me.) And it was moldy once again. So I cleaned out the box again, and started all over again.

This morning/afternoon I opened up their box and found 1 dead worm and a whole lot of messy, moldy orange and it's peels. They have not eaten any of the food that we had put into there, there is still a problem with molding, and now they are starting to die off. So, again, I cleaned out the moldy stuff, replaced the other stuff, and put in some pieces of apple.

Hopefully, they will live. I know how sad the girls would be if their worms met their untimely end inside of a box in our closet. My mother has already given up hope for them, I think. LOL She offered us some of hers.

"Welcome to your local discount store...

2007-11-30T10:26:00.000-06:00

Please do not purchase anything you intend to return. EVER! Thank you, and have a Merry Christmas. :)"
How in the world to begin this....maybe just by saying GOOD GRIEF!!!!
It started last night, when the girls and I decided to go to our local, loveable, discount store to by Ini some medicine (she is sick.) Well, every single time I go in there I wander into the fabric section. Usually this is due to the fact that the bathrooms are located at the back of the store, as is the fabric section, and the girls ALWAYS have to Go the second we hit the doors. (Pretty common with children, I have found.) Anywho....last night I found a cut of the prettiest purple flannel in the remnant bin, and since Cait's fav colour is currently purple, I purchased it against my better judgement. I don't normally purchase fabric from said discount store, but I figured 2 yrd of flannel for a decent price in a colour she would LOVE would made FAB and comfy PJ pants, so what could it hurt. Right?
WRONG!!!!!!!!
I brought said flannel home, washed it, dried it, removed it from the dryer and sat down to trim the ends only to find that running straight down the middle of my lovely purple flannel was a rather noticeable line in the prettiest shade of LIGHT BLUE!
I just sat there staring at this line, thinking to myself "Now what am I supposed to do with this?" Then it hit me "Take it back, and never buy fabric there again. Simple."
This discount store has been well known in the past for taking back returns on items that are defective, too small, stop working shortly after purchase, etc. (Well, there was the one time my mother returned an alarm clock that she had which stopped working after 5 yrs or so. That was just RIDICULOUS and they never should have taken it back. But whatever!) So I pack up Ini this morning, and haul her back to the store. Immediately, I was met by a woman at the door. (Apparently, due to the current holiday season they are manning the door with people to tag items for return and then you proceed directly to the service desk with your tagged item.) I explained to her that I needed to return the fabric, and she said to me "Well, where is the tag?" I thought, "Tag. Tag? Oh yeah, that thing I threw away last night." So I told her I didn't have it, so she said "Well, we will need to go measure it." Then I informed her that I had washed it so it had shrunk from it's original length, 'cuz -obviously- it is flannel and that is what it does. She informed me that it would still have to be measured, because they would only refund me the money for the fabric that was actually there and not the amount for the yardage that I had actually paid for. WHATEVER!
We trek all the way back to the fabric dept, only to be met by another "associate" that states that they no longer take returns on cut yardage of fabric. Basically, their policy is that if you have it cut, take it home, and find something wrong with it, you are stuck with it. I then explained to her that is was already cut and in the remnant bin when I bought it. And she proceeded to tell me that it would have been marked on the wrapping as to the defect if it was in the remnant bin, and that is probably why it was in there in the first place. I simply asked her why the packaging had no such marking when I purchased it if all the flaws are supposed to be noted before it is put in there for sale? She just shrugged and said she didn't know.
At this point I am thinking to myself "Oh, this is not going well. I am going to be stuck with 2 yrds of fabric that I can't use. This sucks!!" Then she looks at me and says that since it is defective, they will take it back but that she doesn't have any other flannel that is the same colour. I will either have to pick something else (that I would not get enough fabric to make the PJ pants with) or take the money in return.
So, I took the money. I figure I can drive to an actual FABRIC store, and get better flannel with potentially less hassle.
I am guessing that the moral of this story is...Do not buy fabric from a store where the return policy is actually "If you would like to return something, please bring it to the store. If we deem that you do not deserve the refund/exchange, even if the item is clearly defective and can not be used for the reason with which you bought said item, then we will look at you with a smile on our face and simply say Thank you and Have a nice day. But hey, at least you will get screwed with a smile!"

Bahhhhhhhh! ~ AKA ~ Children, sigh!

2007-11-27T17:41:00.000-06:00

Okay, so this morning I decided that it was time to tackle the mess that I call my children's room. Ini does not let me sew during the day anyway, so what better time to clean there room than when she is up and awake. Little did I know at the time, that it would literally take me all day to complete said room cleaning. Once I got in there and got started, I could not stop. And it was a HUGE mess, so that made it take that much longer. Anyway, I ended up with 2 3ft tall piles of clothes to auction off in the Spring, a box of shoes to donate to Charity, and 2 13 gal. kitchen trashbags full of "stuff" to throw out (broken toys, McD's toys, etc.) I was exhausted, sweaty, tired, and their room is now CLEAN!
So simply imagine my surprise when I come down the hallway into the Living room only to find out that Ini decided to "redecorate" it with every single toy she owns. Whaaaaa!!!! Here we go again :(

Am I the only one without a Blog?

2007-11-25T11:01:00.000-06:00

I am seriously beginning to think that I just might be.
I have never really considered myself to be interesting enough to warrant having a blog. I mean, who in the world would want to read the ramblings of stay at home mom? (I wouldn't answer that if I were you! LOL)
Anyway, this will be a short and sweet entry, but there will be more to come shortly. I have plans for this blog! LOL

See you on the flip side!