They tend to surprise me...

Just when I'm at my wit's end, after an evening filled with rushing around to get dinner made and kids fed, to get to a basketball game on time, to track down the two youngest boys so we could leave the basketball game, then going back to track down the lost soccer ball, finding the soccer ball, driving home with tired kids and an even more tired mom, kids who don't want to do homework, or take a shower, or go to bed. 

So I threw my hands in the air and left them to it and pretty soon I hear some animated voices coming from upstairs.  I listened a little bit closer, and it was my 16-year old reading a bed-time story to the younger two boys.

So sweet and unexpected.

Unwritten...

I don't know what it is, but I almost always like the accoustic version of a song much better than the original version.  It's true for this Natasha Bedingfield song with the amazing guitar accompaniment.

"Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten"

So true, and something I want my kids to remember.  No matter what everyone wants for them or from them, they print the words onto the pages of their lives, good, bad, or inbetween..  They have a fresh page every day!

You should see the other guy...

Yesterday I got an e-mail from the little league website with tips and drills to do during the off-season. I couldn't find the tip "play catch with your 16-year old brother and catch the ball with your eye" anywhere in that information. So yesterday morning was spent at the doctor's office to make sure the eye underneath didn't take a beating, too.

 Here are the cards from the last post.  I couldn't get the pictures to load!  So, I made two cards, embellished the envelopes, and made an 8-1/2 x 11 inch layout...all from 1 piece of white cardstock, three pieces of patterned paper, some letter stickers and a couple of buttons, and the lace and trim on the layout.  Not bad, if I do say so myself!  I love flowers, and can't keep them off of my pages, which is a problem when three out of four children are of the male persuasion.

Here's another look at the Treasure Map cake.

A cake decorator I am not, but it's always fun to try!  Disclaimer:  do not try to find the treasure by using this map.  It will just confuse you.

Now I'm off to pack umpteen lunches, make breakfast, send the kids off to school, and head to work myself.  And get rid of this cold I've seem to come down with.  Hope you stay healthy and warm!

I've been up to here with it...

that would be stuff. We've celebrated 2 birthdays, visited family, worked on projects for school and home, and basically have been busy with the want to's and the have to's.  

Here's an action shot of Monkey blowing out his candles.  He had a little party with some friends, and boy did they have fun. He wanted a pirate party, so I made a treasure map cake, with ideas from some cakes I found online.  I made two 9x13 cakes, but lined the pans with foil to make it easier to get them out of the pan in one piece.  Then I inverted them on the board side by side and frosted them with half chocolate and half tinted blue frosting,  The sand is crushed graham crackers which didn't taste that great with the cake, but looked great.  The flag has a skull and crossbones on the other side, and the x is made with red sugar because I forgot to buy some red icing.  Oh, well.  We just roll with it around here!

I've also been doing some crafting.  I'm working on putting things away where I want them.  Luckily there is a hallway to our bedroom that has plenty of room for a couple of bookshelves I bought used and a small dresser that are housing all of my scrapbooking and sewing supplies.  Since I'm trying to organize them I've been wanting to play a little.

I did a little bit of the opposite of what I usually do...I made some cards, then put together a page from the scraps.  Just a little different from putting together the page and making cards from the scraps!  The big red rectangle is the mat for the picture of Natty in the sombrero.

I've gotten a little bit of inspiration from the Winter issue of the Somerset Life magazine.  I don't usually buy it since it's not in the budget, but I found it at Costco, and it was 1/3 off the cover price.  I had to buy it since I had actual heart palpitations when I thumbed through it.  Seriously.

The next few pictures are my Christmas present to my Mom.  I altered a plain house cutout from Say it with Letters and made it into a mini album by drilling a couple of holes in it for book rings.  I had fun putting it together and used a favorite quote for the front.  The pages are random sized tags and paper scraps with a bit of this and that for the trims, and of course some paint under all of that.

Even though it feels and looks like spring here, everyone in the Midwest is under a blanket of snow and ice, including my family.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers! 

I'm comfy right here on my couch, sitting next to Monkey, who is snoring softly.  He's thoroughly worn out.  Up too early this morning, and now he's sporting a huge shiner after being clocked in the eye by a baseball thrown by his brother the birthday boy.  (Pictures to follow when I can get him to let me take one.) 

I can't believe my first born baby is 16 today!  I brought him home a Whopper for lunch, since I call him my Whopper Baby.  And that's for two reasons:  I loved to indulge in a Whopper (Jr.) when I was pregnant with him, and he was also a whopper of a baby. 

Well, I'm off to bed.  I'm hoping to get a good night's rest despite thinking about everything that is on the news tonight.  Egypt, the weather, and everything else.  Oh, my.

I'm Baa-aack...

Well, maybe kinda back.  I've been neglecting the blog for quite a while now, since I've been trying to focus on some things that need to get done around this joint.

So, just a couple of things...

If you have come to visit because you received a Christmas card in the mail from our family, I sincerely apologize if you had to pay 20 cents for the privilege to do so.  Shame on me.  I ordered the cards and didn't know they would require extra postage!  If I am blessed by being able to see you in the near future, feel free to request a refund in that amount.  If you chose not to pay, here is the picture of the kids that made the cut.  Enjoy!

2.  In the hopes that I can shed some of the poundage that I've gained since leaving the farm, Natalia and I have started an exercise program at home.  We are both going to use it for a Personal Progress goal, too.  And I have also given  up baking.  I know, I'm addicted.  And Andy begs for someone to make cookies every night.  But it has done him good...he's dropped almost ten pounds already!  Me?  I'm down 1.  Yeah, a whopping 1 pound.  Yay me!

3.  There is another teenager in the house.  That and a little bit more drama.  One thing about kids, they get older every day.  Unfortunately, I get older every day along with them.

4.  We're planning another budget birthday bash, this time a Pirate Party.  I'll share some of the ideas and links later.  Monkey chose a pirate theme, and luckily Dollar Tree had a whole set of pirate party gear. 

5.  Bri's hitting Sweet Sixteen.  At least I'm hoping he gets a little sweeter!  I'm not prepared for the ramifications of 16.  Dating, Driving, Deviance.  You know what I mean.   From Christmas on, it's celebration central here since three of the kids have birthdays within 34 days.  Whew.  Then we're done for a while, until September.

6.  We had baseball and softball tryouts.  So fun to watch the kids have a ball with it!  Joe has really missed not playing baseball, and he is chomping at the bit to get back on the diamond.  We have a great park here in town with baseball diamonds, so we'll be spending some family time down there practicing.

Hope all is well in your world!

I'll blog back at you soon.  Pinky swear.