Quatrefoil

I've been teaching Kyla new and interesting shapes this week.

This is a quatrefoil. Yep, that's a new one to you too, right? Me, too.

So, anyway, as we're going over the shapes, I say the shape's name, then she picks it out, then I ask her to repeat back to me what the name of the shape is.

Quatrefoil is pronounced: (CAT ri foil)
Kyla's pronounciation of Quatrefoil: (CAT tri fingle)

Cute.

We're Whataburger Kinda People

Randy's company picnic was held at Seaworld in San Antonio last weekend.

Because Randy is a manager, he had to be at the picnic on both days - Saturday and Sunday, which was really nice for us!

The company also generously paid for all of the managers to spend the night in a hotel in San Antonio. Scratch that... no, it was a resort. A real resort. Luxury white robes in the closet kind of a resort.

So, we arrive and Randy gets us checked in and all that stuff. He said the place was so fancy, he hardly even knew where to check in. How crazy is that?

We get to our room and we have a fabulous view of the courtyard and hill-side golf course. The rooms are beautifully decorated, complete with marble floors and granite countertops in the bathroom. Elisan even commented on how fancy it was.

I pulled out the room-service menu as I was browsing the brochures and I happened upon the breakfast menu.

Sliced Banana - $2.00
Strawberries - $5.00
2 Waffles - $7.50
You get the gist...

There was some kind of fancy bottled water in our room - $5.00 per bottle. The wet bar didn't even have prices on the items in there, but I'm guessing there was at least $500.00 worth of snacks in there - (well, $500.00 for THEM... $50.00 for HEB)

The next morning, as we were getting ready to leave, Randy asked me if I wanted to eat breakfast at one of the six restaurants at the resort. I laughed and said, "What? Pay 40 bucks for breakfast? No thanks."

So, we checked out and looked for breakfast restaurant. Lo and behold, down at the bottom of the hill, was a Whataburger. Randy asked me if that looked okay to me and I said, sure.

He then said, "Let's face it, hun. We're Whataburger kinda people."

Sigh...so true. So true.

Best Blog Friend!

Look what my dear friend Charlotte of Hjemme hos Charlie sent all the way over from Denmark! A "Best Blog Friend" award!

My friend Charlotte and I met via internet through a mutual acquaintance living in France! How weird is that? Anyway, Charlotte and her family welcomed us with WIDE OPEN arms when we first arrived in Denmark and considered us a part of her family while we were there.

I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. So, thank you Charlotte for sending me this sweet award via cyberspace!

This is an award that deserves to be passed along!
I'd love to honor my BFF Cyndi!

End of an Era

Gone are the simplistic days of s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g out key words in our adult conversations. Some conversations consist of many spelled out words.

Here's an example: "Where do you want to e-a-t this evening? How about J-a-s-o-n-'s? Or C-h-u-y-'s? Or, we could s-t-a-y h-e-r-e? You know, the elder child will want C-h-u-y-'s, but' I'd rather J-a-s-o-n-'s."

But, today may mark the beginning of the end of our cryptic language.

I was on the phone with Randy and I spelled out a key word to our conversation. I mentioned the neighbor's c-a-t and how much the girls' like it and that too bad I was allergic to c-a-t-s, or else I'd like to get one for them.

Not 2 seconds after I hung up with Randy, Elisan says, "What about cats, mom?"

Me, "Oh, nothing, sweetpea."

Her, "Are we getting a cat?"

Me, "No. Remember? Cat's make mommy's eyes itchy."

Her, "But I heard you say you said you wanted to get one."

So... there it is. My life, no longer sheltered by the usage of spelled out words. Oh, it will be a hard habit to break. I'm sure I'll continue to use s-p-e-l-l-e-d out words for now.

Perhaps we can begin using Pig Latin?

Nah. I'd have to use my oggin'nay for that!

What's Cooking?

Y'all know I love to cook! But, I don't love to cook anything for lunch. I like quick and easy and filling.

Since I've been watching what I eat these days, I've grown tired of the usual turkey on whole wheat w/mustard sandwich. So, I've been on the hunt for some better lunch fare.

I tried the frozen meals, but honestly, I could eat two of them at one sitting. There is just not enough food in those meals! Especially after a mid-morning workout.

Then I found this at the grocery store! I realize Progresso Soup has been around for a long time, but what I didn't realize is that they have a new variety out that is (as my friend Cyndi would put it...) FIGURE FRIENDLY! I tried the Southwestern Style Vegetable and it was excellent! (I mean, if I am blogging about soup in a can, you know it must be good, right?!)

The website for Progresso Soup lists the many varieties available in their "light" line. The Southwestern Style Vegetable entire can had 120 calories, 0 fat grams, 24 grams of carbs and 8 grams of dietary fiber. For those counting Weight Watcher points - that's 0 (zero, zip, nada!) points!

It sure beats the plain 'ol sandwich. I can't wait to try the other varieties!

Stuff heard 'round the house!

The other day at dinner, I asked Elisan who she played with at school. She said that she played with the boys again.

So, I asked her, "Why aren't you playing with the girls?"

She said, "I do, a little. Today, I played with the boys, then I went to hang with the girls, but, then I went back and played some more with the boys."

I look up and see Randy snickering and after regaining composure, he says, "Hey, Elisan... what does 'hang with the girls' mean?"

(Because, seriously I don't remember "Slang" as being one of her classes in first grade.)

She rolled her eyes and said, "You know... on the monkey bars?"

My Favorite Photo

This is my favorite photo of the girls and me.

Here's a scrapbook page to preserve the memory!

My two best girls (and their mommy) goofing off one afternoon back in 2005.

From the Inside Out

When I began this blog over two years ago, I wanted it to be a memoir of sorts, for my girls. I wanted it to be a reflection of my thoughts and feelings, and also of my sacrifices, defeats and of course, successes. In a sense this blog is dedicated to them. Thus, the reason why I'm sharing this in this forum.

I've spent the last several months pondering the course of my life. I've realized during this time of reflection, that I've "missed" a lot of my girls' life because I was wrapped up in my own.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with 'having a life'. Far from it. I just realized that I was too busy doing my own thing, that I practically missed a whole year of their precious little lives.

Over the last year, I did a lot of volunteering at my church. I loved every second of it and craved responsibility! I enjoyed the camaraderie and friends. I felt I needed to be involved not only for my church, but for me.

I suppose it came at a time when I felt a bit of freedom that I had not experienced in a long time. Elisan had just started Kindergarten and all of my days were occupied with one less child.

(Side note: For anyone who has two or more kids know that when you are down to one kid - whether it be just running errands or hanging out at home... life is much more simplified in a HUGE way.)

I felt I could get involved in other activities because of it and felt I could take on more stuff. So, that's what I did. I got really involved in my church and loved every second of it.

In addition to that, my fledgling little photo invitation business began to take off. When I wasn't working on church stuff, I was working on invitation orders. I was having a blast! Who doesn't like making money doing something you absolutely love? Yet, meanwhile, KM was vying for my attention, craving it, for that matter.

I was doing enough to get by... meaning... laundry, light housework and meals. Sure, we were doing just fine by "today's" standards... I mean, heck... I had dinner on the table at 6:30 p.m. each night, the kids were bathed, the beds were made, the laundry was put away! To some, that is a success, right?

I kept comparing myself to a 'working' mom. I was making money, so I just told myself (and the kids) that work was important and that I couldn't be interrupted with the little things.

By spring, things went from busy to full-scale work. My volunteering at the church bumped up to a directorship status - reporting directly to the children's pastor. Then invitation orders came flooding in. I felt successful and a bit arrogant. But truthfully, I was barely hanging on.

Then a strange thing happened. Randy came home telling me about a possible opportunity that he may offered a temporary job in China. Whoa! Talk about a reality check. What about me? What about all that I had been working for? What about my stuff?

I was so overwhelmed with the thought of moving to China I could no longer function. I knew I needed to cut some things from my life... the time-consuming stuff... and get back down to basics. So, I stepped away from all responsibilities at church. It was a painstaking decision, but I knew in my heart that it was necessary for my sanity.

Summer arrived and the girls' and I had a fabulous time. We did a lot of traveling back and forth to visit friends and family. We went swimming each day and just had a great time. I even joined the YMCA and lost about 12 pounds by exercising and doing something healthy for a change. I kept up my invitation business, but it was quickly slowing down because bridal shower season was coming to a close.

Yet, even with that, I was still not 'happy'. Oh, sure, I was happy, but not HAPPY... like the fulfilling kind of happiness that a person has knowing they are doing right by everyone. Why? Because I was still holding on to that selfish part of me that made life all about me.

I remember sitting at my friend Cyndi's house and complaining about this, that and the other. My kids, my husband, my house... everything. I clearly was not happy. Yet, in that conversation I don't remember saying anything about how I could change. How I could make a difference.

Several weeks passed and I humbly approached Randy and had a heart to heart with him. I told him about my unhappiness. I shared with him my guilts of not spending time with my kids. I wept to him describing how I was not living my life the way I wanted to be living it, or even how I should be living it.

From that moment on, something finally clicked in me. I realized that I didn't want to miss another single minute of their little lives. I didn't want to be regretful of not spending enough time with my daughters. I didn't want to be remorseful of the way I've neglected my husband. I realized that my job... my life... is about, and will always be about... my family.

So, I resolved to my husband and to myself that this year will be about my girls. I will not over-commit to anything this year. I will not over extend myself this year. What I want to do is sear these moments in my mind forever, because ya know what? I will always be able to volunteer at the school, or serve at my church or run a small at home business... but I will NEVER be able to get these years back when my girls, are little girls. Little girls that need their mommy. Little girls who look to their mom as their number one role model.

I want to look into their eyes and know that their every need - whether emotional, physical or mental - is met 100% and that mommy was there for them, not just in the same room with them. I want them to remember me, for me... their mom who loved them very much.

Randy supports me 100%. After all, I am a stay at home mom for a reason. That's not to say, that volunteering or serving is not honorable, because it is. It deserves one of the highest honors. But right now, I'm serving my God and I'm serving my husband and my daughters - From the inside out.

Photos by Kristi Richards Photography

Sisterly Love

I've been meaning to write about this story, but have been forgetting, amidst all of the 'gettin ready for school' stuff we've been doing.

A few weeks ago at the YMCA, I was picking up the girls after my workout and after looking for them for about 1 minute, I began to worry. Usually, KM spots me first and makes a mad dash to me, but not this time. Neither one of the girls were to be found.

--Heart-pounding--

I round the corner and I hear giggling from the girls' bathroom. I peek under the stall and see Elisan's shoes and KM's shoes dangling.

--Heart-rate slowing down now--

I walk up to the stall and tell Elisan to open the door. There is KM on the potty, pooping. If you know me at all, you know I am an anal kind of gal when it comes to matters of the potty and pooping. See, the gist of it is, that I am still wiping KM's botty after she poops. I can't stand the idea of her wiping herself. Nope. Not yet, anyway. I'm a little weird like that.

So, anyway, back to the story... KM is pooping and Elisan is standing there with her. I ask Elisan, "Elle, whatcha doing?"

She says, "Kyla's pooping!" in that "like duh!" voice.

I say, "She can poop by herself, ya know."

She says, "But, she can't wipe her self."

I say, "So, what? Were you going to wipe her booty for her?"

She says, "Yes... but, I didn't want to!"

That, my friends, is sisterly love.

So, next time you are questioning the love you have for your sister, (or brother for that matter...) stop and ask yourself... Would you wipe their booty for them?

First Grade

Tomorrow, Elisan begins first grade. Wow! First grade. I don't feel old enough to have a first grader.

Tonight, we meet the teacher, pick up our school supplies and uniform shirt at Orientation. I'm looking forward to meeting her teacher. Elisan is looking forward to seeing her friends.

I'm ready for school to begin, because seriously, there is only so much swimming I can endure in three months time. Plus, Elisan is going a little stir-crazy!

This year, she'll be in school until 3:30 p.m. That's an hour and a half longer than last year. That's a long day for a newly turned 6 year old. I hope my baby girl doesn't poop out at 2:00.

And, then there's Kyla... she's going to miss Elisan so much! But, I've signed KM up for a six week course of Kinderdance at our local recreation center, so she'll have something that is just for her. Since we've decided to not enroll KM in preschool this year, I've purchased some preschool materials to help give her a kick start in the right direction. And finally, there's the YMCA... we'll be going there first thing in the morning after drop off, so she'll get some playtime with other kids.

Tomorrow, I face the dreaded commute. But, I know what to expect this year and as long as we're out the door by 7:25 a.m., I'll have plenty of time! (Yikes! That's early!)

So, let the school year begin. We're geared up and ready to go!

One last hurrah...

Since our traveling is limited during the school year... what with family living five hours away and Fall soccer games starting up in two weeks... I decided to take the girls on one last trip to visit friends and family.

Our first stop, was Houston to visit my closest friend, Mrs. C. We spent two nights there and had a great time. The kids played beautifully and Mrs. C and I actually had time to visit and catch-up. While there, we ventured out to the Houston Children's Museum and nearly floated away in the flood waters from Tropical Storm Erin.

On Friday, we continued our travels to my hometown. The girls spent the night with Randy's folks and my parent's and I went out to eat. It was the first meal in a long time where I was able to sit and enjoy my food. I had forgotten what that was like!

Saturday, my mom and I did some shopping on Tax-Free weekend and found a few bargains. And, then I visited my friend Angie and her new baby Reed. He is really precious and sweet! We also had dinner together... ANOTHER meal sans kids! It was nice.

Sunday, my brother and his family came over and we celebrated both Elisan's and my nephew, Brady's birthdays with ice cream cake (super easy to make!) and presents.

Monday, we headed home. It's always nice to visit, but it's nicer to come back home. Randy was waiting for us and the girls were so glad to see him.

Today... it's back to the daily grind. This is Elisan's last week before school begins, so I'm sure we'll be swimming as often as possible. We'll also be heading to the gym so I can work off the pounds I'm sure I put back on while we were away.

The countdown begins!

Happy Birthday Elisan!

Oh how time flies!

Dinner blessing as told by Kyla Mae

Kyla Mae insists on giving the dinner blessing every night. Sometimes its the same, sometimes she spices things up. Here's tonight's rendition:

"Dear Jesus. Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Elisan and Kyla Mae. Thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for the bad things we do. And... Jesus is coming to my birthday party. Amen."

If I've told you once...

If I've told you once, I've told you a million times... Please put your shoes away!

Digi Scrap Fun!

I've been having fun putting together some digi scrapbook pages for the girls. I know, I know... most of you are still paper scrappin', but I'm loving the digi scrap! It's super easy, there is no waste and I can use the materials over and over again!

I just set my page set-up to 8x10, then up-load the final masterpiece to my local photo processing center. To have an 8x10 printed up is only $2.50! Can't beat that!

Here's Elisan's six year old scrap page. Her birthday is THIS week!

Kyla Mae needed a page all to herself and I love this picture of my sweet baby girl!

The sister page is probably my favorite, since it shows the girls throughout the years!
(Doesn't KM look old beyond her years in the black and white photo?

I can "see" her as a teenager in this photo!)

I downloaded the (FREE!) digi scrap files from Two Peas in a Bucket and from Shabby Princess.

Cafe Noir

While we were in Denmark, Randy fell in love with Merrild's Cafe Noir. Cafe Noir was the first brand of coffee we bought - by chance actually, while we were living in Denmark. Since then, Randy has always compared coffee to that of Cafe Noir and has even had me on the look-out for any kind of coffee that was similar to it.

About two years ago, one of our friends from Denmark visited Texas and before he left on his trip, he asked Randy if there was anything he wanted from Denmark. Randy asked for Cafe Noir coffee and the question back to Randy was "What style?"

Well, since Randy doesn't do the food shopping around here and hasn't a clue as to what would be the appropriate style of coffee to request, when given his options of "whole Beans, ground, instant" he chose instant.

So, when Jørgen shows up with two jars of instant coffee, I was thinking to myself, "What?!" It was only later that I found out that Randy told him "instant."

Well, as you can imagine, the instant coffee is... well,... it's instant and no offense to instant coffee drinkers out there, but... I like freshly ground coffee and there is no comparison.

Fast forward to this past weekend... we were in IKEA (as was the entire population of Central Texas) and I spotted a flat of ground coffee manufactured for IKEA. So, we bought a bag of it, hoping it resembled the flavor of Cafe Noir. And, ya know what? It did, in a Swedish kind of way. In fact, it was distributed from Helsingborg, Sweden, which is the only city we visited while we were living in Denmark.

So, Randy now has a way to get his beloved Scandinavian coffee.

(By the way... what did I ask for when our friend Jørgen came to Texas? Danish tabloids, Haribo Click Mix and Pickwick Christmas Tea.)

A Joke by Elisan

Q. What do you call a fish with two knees?

A. A two-knee fish.

(For those who are slow... a tuna fish)

Ten!

Yippee! After 8 weeks of working out, I'm proud to say that I've lost 10 pounds.

It has not come easy... in fact, I've been working my butt off (literally!) and eating differently, but it has all been worth it.

I don't expect the next 10 pounds (or even 5 pounds) to come off as quickly, but at least I know I can do it.

Yay for me!

August Desktop

Digi Kit by Shabby Princess

Elisan, "Kyla..."
Kyla remains silent.

Elisan, "Ky-la!"
Kyla remains silent.

Elisan, "Mom! Kyla won't answer me."
Me, "What do you mean?"

Elisan, "Well, I'm trying to tell her what to do and she won't listen to me!"
Me, "Hmmm."

The No Spin Zone

As you know, I joined the YMCA about 8 weeks ago. And let me say, that I love it. I love working out and I love being able to drop my kids off for a 1.5-2 hours each day while they play with other kids. It is truly a WIN-WIN!

I've lost weight, I feel great and wearing a bathing suit is no longer a daunting experience. Mama's got her bounce back!

So, when I saw a class that the Y offers for people who want to learn how to do Spinning (or Cycling) Classes, called "Begin to Spin", I signed up for it! I mean, I can 'begin' to spin, right?

The first few classes we barely even got on the bike. There were about 12 people taking the class and we mostly talked about form, posture, bike set up, etc. Truthfully, I was getting a little bored.

Then, we slowly began learning skills, like interval training, climbing hills, endurance and sprinting. I noticed that the class attendance started to drop and that my bum was really sore.

Last night, we had our 2nd to last class in our training course and put all of the training skills together. Oh, and there were only five people in the class - does that tell you something?

Let me tell you that "Yes!", I survived the class, but my bum did not. I can barely walk today. I even have one of those fancy double padded gel bike seats and STILL! My rear could not take it.

Everyone tells me that once you get the butt callouses, spin class is fun. Butt callouses? Fun? Maybe another time.

So, I think I've entered the "No Spin Zone".

I'll attend the last class, because that is the kind of person I am... I stick with my commitments. But, will I attend the regular (non-beginner) spin class? Yeah, I don't know.

I'll check with my bum and get back to you.

Some Semblance of Normalcy

Kyla has a sparkling personality!

Why do I say this? Because while Elisan was away visiting her grandparents, she shined! She was funny, bouncy, silly, talkative, happy and sweet. I've always known that Kyla was all of those things... and more! But, oftentimes, she is overshadowed by her big sister.

It was a strange and remarkable transformation on Sunday as I picked Elisan up from her week long stay. Kyla, of course, was ecstatic to see Elisan and they hugged and kissed and danced around, excited to see each other. But, as soon as the "newness" wore off, Kyla turned into a crying lump of an emotional mess... clingy, weepy, sad, etc. because they immediately began to fight and Elisan even told her, that she didn't love her anymore.

After having sat Elisan down and told her that what she said was hurtful and wrong, nothing changed. They still fought.

So! What'd I do? I cut our trip short by two days, packed up our stuff and headed home.

Five hours later, we were home and everything was back to normal. No crying, no whining, no fussing, no fighting.

I realized that the culmination of Elisan having a week of no structure OR routine turned her into a little bully. And, Kyla having had a week of structure and routine AND 100% of my undivided attention turned her into an emotional mess.

So, we're back to my little semblance of normalcy. All is right in our world again.

I'm tellin' you... I'm always having light bulb moments!

One is the loneliest number

Single child bliss began yesterday around 8:30 a.m., when the grandparents and Elisan left for her week-long trip back home.

That morning, Kyla and I went to the gym and she played with the kids there. She said she had a lot of fun... but, she didn't eat her snack. Must've been because Elisan wasn't there to tell her it was time to eat.

We came home, ate lunch, then headed out to the pool. We were there maybe 30 minutes. Why? Because Elisan wasn't there to play with and mommy wasn't a good enough playmate.

The afternoon slowly passed with a couple of art projects, a snack that was not eaten, and then she finally settled on watching Elisan's favorite movie. Meanwhile, she didn't quite "get it" that Elisan wasn't coming home and kept asking when Elisan was coming home.

Dinner rolled around, and she didn't eat dinner. Randy said it was like a dog who doesn't eat when it's master isn't home.

This morning, when she woke up, her first question was "Where's Elisan?" and when I told her, she said, "Why?" She did eat a little breakfast this morning and seems to be a little more like herself.

I didn't realize how much of an impact Elisan has on Kyla's little life. I think this week will be long and drawn out for her. One is the loneliest number.

WELCOME BABY!

With GREAT EXCITEMENT, I am thrilled to announce the arrival of

Reed LaRue Williams!

Pop on over to Angie and Allen's Blog to wish them congratulations!

As if I needed another thing to annoy me...

If you've been a reader of my blog for any length of time, you know I detest poor cell phone etiquette and people who yak on their phones constantly while driving.

If you need a refresher course on how badly it irritates me, you can read about it here and here.

My newest cell phone pet peeve... as if, there could be another one... is people who talk on their cell phone AT THE GYM - WHILE WORKING OUT.

Let me repeat... WHILE THEY ARE WORKING OUT for crying out loud.

Can you please remove that appendage... um, cell phone, from your body for one hour while you work out?

And the people who are on their phones seem to be oblivious to the people around them who are trying to have an enjoyable workout.

Leave the phone in your locker, in your car... somewhere! But, please don't bring it into the gym. Have a little respect for those around you.

There. I feel better now.

Summer Trip

No... my family is not getting ready for a summer trip. That would mean that Randy would have to actually take vacation days AND spend money at the same time. (Sorry, hun... but, it's true and you know it!)

However, Elisan will be leaving bright and early Monday morning, with Randy's folks to spend a week with them. This is 5 year old heaven.

All week, she's been counting down the days and asking me when we can start packing up the suitcase. She's ready!

And, I'm ready! Yes, that's right. I said I'm ready.

I'm ready for some "down time" with my baby girl. Kyla has been ultra clingy the last several weeks and Randy and I seem to think that it's because KM has had to share me with her sister over the last 7 weeks since school has been out.

Don't get me wrong... KM has loved having Elisan here to play with, but make no mistake... Elisan is very dominant and demanding and I'm sure KM is getting just a wee bit tired of it. (I know I am.)

So, a much needed break is in store for everyone! And, then... let the de-programming begin.

To My Big Girl:
I'm gonna miss you!
I hope you have so much fun.
Run your grandparent's ragged, okay?

Love you!
Mommy

(P.S. Summer is more than half-way over... when Elisan returns from her week long trip, she'll only have 5 more weeks until school begins.)

Kyla Cuteness!

Don't let that innocent face fool you! She's a stinker!

The Girls!

Elisan was cooking up something good!


Kyla ready to go for a swim!

Rough Weekend

I don't know, but something went awry over the weekend and we never quite recovered from it...

You know that old sayin', "something must've been in the water" or something like that, because everyone was getting on everyone's nerves on Saturday and Sunday.

Randy was constantly telling me to 'settle down' or 'you're too stressed out', etc. and the girls were fighting non-stop. If they weren't yelling at each other, I was yelling at them. Literally.

Just ask Randy how much fun I am to be around when I start yelling.

And, to top it off, nothing was ever good enough for my precious (or should I say precocious) nearly six year old. The crafts were not good enough, the game was not long enough, the movie was not right, the shopping did not involve buying her something new, the restaurant wasn't right... you get the gist.

And, finally... the rain. But, finally... I think we're going to see a turnaround this week in the deluge of rain we've had the last few weeks. Yippee!

There's nothing more enjoyable than two kids who are literally wiped out from a day's worth of swimming. It's mom-bliss.

So! Tomorrow? We swim. And then poop out on the couch! They'll be too tired to fight and I'll be too tired to care.

Then, we'll do it again on Wednesday!

Bows, bows and more bows!

My favorite "how-to" websites posted a new entry on how to make those cute little pin-wheel bows. For some reason, I was never able to figure out how to make these little hair bows with the tails opposite of each other.

My attempts at these bow always ended up looking flat and the tails were at the bottom - not diagonal of each other.... until... FINALLY, a gal named Steph submitted step-by-step instructions on how to make these super cute bows!

(You can also find the step-by-step instructions that I submitted last year on this same website!)

I made medium bows for Elisan and small ones for KM. The medium bows only required 1/2 yard (or 18 inches) of the 1.5 inch grosgrain ribbon - about $.75/each at my favorite craft store Hobby Lobby. The smaller bows are made of 1/2 inch ribbon pieces that I already had on hand.

So cute! I can't wait to make some more!

Honky!

I'm a honker. Or, a honky... whatever suits you the most.

But, let me say, that I reserve my horn blowing for the most desperate of measures. Like... when someone is about to pull out in front of me, or merge into my lane of traffic or side-swipe me.

I never honk just to be mean. But, I am not afraid to honk my horn. That is, until today.

Today, I was at the gas station, putting some air into my nearly flat tire. As I was pulling out my my spot, another car began to zoom into my lane from the gas tank lane. She clearly did not see me as she zipped ahead of me - as she was not looking in my direction. So? What'd I do. I honked my horn. I wanted her to know, that "Hey! I just had to slam on my brakes because you weren't paying attention!"

So, what happened next? SHE slammed on her brakes, right in front me and swung her door open and hopped out waving her arms and walking right up to the vehicle.

I immediately locked the doors and put my hand up to the glass and drove away. Leaving her standing there.

Of course, as I drove away, I was completely and utterly shocked. I mean, what we her intention of storming up to my vehicle like that? To fight me? Verbally assault me? Who does that, anyway?

And, also, did she think that I was just going to sit there and "let her" accost me? Um... woman, you are out of your vehicle, I'm in mine. No brainer, there.

So, as I drove away, I thought, "Wow, this would be a great blog entry!" So, there it is, folks... I'm a honky! Are you a honky?

Share your "honking-gone-bad" stories here!

How to Make a Blog Banner

This is a great tutorial on how to make a blog banner!
Bought to you by Everyday Digital Scrapbooking.

Go forth and create!

P.S. - I just recently purchased Adobe Elements. However, I created all of my banners in Scrapbook Factory 3.0.

First Date!

Randy and Elisan had their very first date on Saturday night! Randy took Elisan out to eat at her favorite restaurant, Macaroni Grill.

Elisan was so excited all week about her very special Daddy Date! They both had a great time!

July Desktop

Feel free to download and install as your desktop!

Green Eyed Monster

The green eyed monster has emerged. No! I'm not referring to me - although, I am green-eyed and can be a monster to live with... especially when I'm PMS'ing.

No, this green-eyed monster is jealousy.

There has always been some form of competition between Elisan and Kyla. I figured it was sibling rivalry in it's infancy. It would begin as a little kiss here, a hug there, that when the other one would see that they were missing out on some mommy luv'in, they'd rush over and get in on the action. That's normal, right?

But, lately it's like Elisan has a stop watch and practically times the amount of time I'm spending with Kyla Mae and compares it with the amount of time I am spending with her.

(The nerve of me, to spend one extra minute tucking Kyla Mae into bed at night!)

And, the worse part of it all... she calls me out on it. There's nothing better than being called out by your 5 year old, let me tell you.

When Elisan whines that I've spent more time with Kyla Mae, I have to remind her that she was almost two years old before Kyla Mae was born and that she did not have to share me for two whole years! Yep, you guessed it... that didn't work.

So, since I'm being monitored now on the number of kisses, hugs and time spent with each child, I better be more diligent about my time management.

Weekend of Friends

I had a nice weekend.

I traveled to Houston and was able to squeeze in visits with two of my close friends.

First off, I visited Angie, a friend from college. We worked at the same law firm in college and attended the same university. I was the Maid of Honor in her wedding and she was the Matron of Honor in my wedding.

This past weekend was her baby shower for their first child. I wouldn't have missed it for the world and I'm so glad I was able to go. It was great seeing her and I can't wait to meet the newest addition to their family.

After the shower, I visited my closest friend, Mrs C. who moved away last year. I remember meeting Cyndi for the first time in the neighborhood as she was taking her 6 week old baby for a stroll. (That "baby" is now five!) We became fast friends and haven't stopped talking and laughing since.

Elisan also had a lot of fun with Mrs C.'s kids. So much so, that she didn't want to go home. In fact, I had to promise her another trip back to visit Mrs C. so she would "forgive" me from taking her home.

I would have liked to have spent more time with them both, but I am grateful for the time we had.

Musings of a 5 year old

It's no secret that Elisan is a worrier. She gets that from me, I am sad to admit.

Most of our conversations revolve around her worrying about something and questioning the possible outcomes, etc.

Here's a prime example...

Today, we are heading to Ms. C's house for a weekend trip. She has worried herself (and me!) about this trip all week.

Earlier in the week, she asked me what was she going to do if Ms. C didn't have the kind of cereal that she liked to eat for breakfast. I told her that I'm sure Ms. C would have plenty of selections to choose from and that she needn't worry about it.

But, of course, it didn't stop there...

"Well, Mommy, I like waffles. Maybe Ms. C can make me waffles for breakfast."

Me, "We'll see. I'm sure she'll have stuff that you like."

Elisan, "Or, maybe you can call her and see if she can buy some 'K' cereal for me."

Me, "Elisan, how about we not worry about it anymore."

(Insert lightbulb moment here...) Elisan, "Or, maybe... I can just eat what Joey likes to eat! That would be a great idea, right Mommy?"

Me (exasperated!), "Yes! That's a great idea!"

UNSUBSCRIBE

How did I get to this place? How is it that my in-box is overflowing with merchant emails touting "free shipping" here and "offer ends today" there?

I have just spent the last 20 minutes un-subscribing myself from merchant email lists. Everything from A-Z (or at least "BizRate" to "Zagats")

Freedom! Feels good!

I challenge you to de-clutter and unsubscribe today!

One big heaping of A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E, please...

Galatians 6:7
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

I tell you what, my God is a smart God. I mean, he knows what he is talking about.

So, the question at hand is: Why am I shocked that MY daughter is exhibiting signs of major attitude?

If only I had the time (effort and energy) to catalog all of the occurrences of B.A. in this household, you too, would be shocked. But, let's not forget that tried and true biblical truth:

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW

Yes, that's right. I too, exhibited B.A. in my parent's house growing up.

I think my mom would agree, that my B.A. years didn't begin until... oh, around 16... don't ya think, Mom? So, imagine my surprise when my FIVE year old begins to toss around "HMMPHS!" when she doesn't get her way - or, better yet... when she does get her way.

Or, the times when she will she will make everyone in the house miserable because - again, she doesn't get her way. The fact that she knows how to do that, amazes me. I don't think I learned the silent treatment until waaay into my adolescent years.

Oh, and this is a good one... when she is sitting in time-out and the timer will go off and I announce to her that she may get up from time out, she will just sit there, glaring at me and continue to stay in the time-out spot. And what do I do? I reset the timer for another 5 minutes because I'm not going to let my five year old even "think" she has the upper hand. Yep, that works on her every time.

I'm not going to lie here, folks... I still have attitude issues. Just ask my husband, or mom, or friends. But, perhaps now is the time to get control of my emotions and stop the B.A. If not for my own sake, but for the sake of the sanity of our household, because KM isn't far behind Elisan in the attitude department. And two girls...?

(LIGHTBULB MOMENT HERE: So wait... Randy wasn't joking when he said he was going to buy a patch of land and pitch a tent to escape to? )

What's Cooking!

Last week, I was doing a search on Food Network for a yummy, fresh tomato pasta sauce. And, guess what? I found THE recipe for the best fresh tomato pasta sauce! Look no further!

Plus, the beauty of this recipe is that you don't cook the sauce. It's light and easy for Summer.



Angle Hair With Fresh Tomato Sauce
Recipes adapted from Gourmet Magazine

2 cups seeded, and coarsely chopped Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, minced
1 cup firmly packed fresh parsley leaves, minced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound angel hair
Fresh parsley to garnish
**Optional: 1 tblsp small capers

Make tomato sauce:
In a bowl combine well all the sauce ingredients and let the sauce stand at room temperature, covered, for at least 1 hour. Toss with hot cooked pasta.

** I added the capers to my rendition and it was yummy!
**I also sauteed some shrimp and served along with the pasta. A definite must!

One Huge Milestone!

Elisan lost her very FIRST tooth tonight at church!
Here's my snaggle-tooth beauty!

Dinnertime

Dinnertime at my house has become my least favorite times of my day.

For those who know me, know that I love to cook. It is one of my favorite things to do. I love new recipes, I love grocery shopping and I love using new ingredients that I've never used before. And, of course, I love to eat!

So, one would assume that dinnertime at my house would be a DINING EXPERIENCE, not a DINING DISASTER.

Here's how dinner goes down at my house.

1. Elisan immediately scoffs at whatever it is that I place before her. It could be macaroni and cheese, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles... she will still complain. (Okay, not really, but it is ALMOST that bad!)

2. As soon as the first bite is taken by Elisan, she begins the, "How many bites do I have to eat until I get _________" fill in the blank here, folks - Popsicle, ice cream cup, etc. I mean seriously... it's with every bite. "How many more bites, now?" AH!

3. Oh, yeah... and the dessert thing... I'm already aware of the fact that she expects desserts after dinner and how baaaaad that is, but hey! If it gets her to eat the good stuff, then a Popsicle ain't gonna hurt her.

4. Kyla is learning all of these wonderful traits from her big sis, so we have to hear the little mockingbird in the background echoing her sister's complaints.

5. Elisan and Kyla duel over who gets to talk and apparently whoever speaks the loudest gets to dominate the conversation. This while Randy and I have trying to have a conversation about the day, etc.

6. Elisan is constantly up and down from her seat. When we are not telling her to "eat the food on your plate" or "use your inside voice" or "it's Mommy's turn to talk now", then we are telling her to "sit down" or "get back to the table".

7. Kyla Mae does not usually spill her water, but two nights ago, she spilled her water TWICE. Why? Because she insists on keeping it in front of her plate, not behind it. It's a miracle she doesn't spill it every night.

I've always known how important it is to sit down at the dinner table and share a meal as a family. That was standard practice at mine and Randy's homes. And, I wish I could enjoy dinner time more. The fact is though, that by the time dinner rolls around, I'm exhausted from the day and spent at least an hour preparing dinner, so all I want to do is sit down and enjoy it -- but, I can't.

So the remedy? There is none. We stay on the status quo path, because it's like Randy says, "One day, they won't want to talk to us."

Pressing forward!

Back in April, I blogged about a major life choice that Randy and I are currently facing.

We are still in that place of indecision, but I am more open to discuss it now.

Randy will likely be asked to take a temporary job assignment in China. The job assignment would likely for two years. I am tempted to say "only two years", but I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the thought that we could be living in China for two years - give or take.

The job has not been offered, but realistically, he is the most qualified for it. It is only a matter of time before the business contracts are finalized and the deals are closed, and at that point, we assume that the offer will be made.

So here I am... waiting.

We've done the overseas job assignment before, but it was in Europe. And let's be honest... Europe is a far cry from China.

Because there are so many unknowns about China, I can't even imagine what life would be like there. My mind is swimming with all of these various scenarios - true or made up. It is mind boggling.

I could blah, blah, blah about it all day long, but whining about the unknown is fruitless.

So, I wait. And pray. And believe that God will guide our decision about this major life choice.

It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A

I've joined the local YMCA! Why?

Well, for a two fold reason!

I need to get in shape. I haven't worked out in YEARS and I need to do something that is for me and my overall health.

Second... well, this is for purely selfish reasons... but the kids need something to do and mom just ain't cutting it around here!

Elisan's school schedule was so crammed packed with activities all day long, that she had no time to be bored at school. Here? She is bored by 9:00 a.m.

So, at the YMCA there is an amazing area for the kids to play in. Plus, there is even open gym time, where they get to play basketball, etc.

It's a win-win! And what better motivator to get to the gym, than have your kids beg you to go - so they can play?

Works for me!

The one that didn't get away!

Here's my father and me (and the dog, Teddy) with my BIG CATCH of the day!

Pretty impressive huh?

I wouldn't even hold up my BIG CATCH!
I know... I'm a chicken!

Time flies

Um, wow. May is almost over.

It is true that time flies when you are having fun... or, is it more appropriate to say that the older you get, the quicker time flies.

We've been super busy the last couple of weeks and I'm anxiously awaiting the long lazy days of Summer. Is anyone else? I just want to rest. Not have anywhere to go, no deadlines to meet, no traffic to sit in, no homework to help with... nothing, nada, zip. I'm ready for some down time!

I'll see you at the pool!

Finally!

Whoohooo... I finally have my new floors!

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Living Room Before

Living Room During

Living Room After

Mother's Day

The girls and I as we celebrated Mother's Day today!

Yes, that's a chicken dish, if you are wondering.

Last week, Elisan was goofing off and broke my green milk glass hen salt dip. I must admit, I LOVED that hen. It was Randy's grandmother's salt dip that we inherited. I don't know why I loved it so much, but, I did.

Well, Elisan told Randy that for Mother's Day, she wanted to buy me something "glass" to replace the broken hen dish. I told Randy about an antique mall in town that sells much of anything and that I've seen hen covered salt dip dishes before.

So, off they went to the antique mall yesterday. As it turned out, there were 3 to choose from. This is the one Elisan chose.

Let me just say, that while it may not have been my first choice as a decor' item, it was to Elisan and that's all that matters to me! Look at that proud smile on her face! One day, she'll inherit it from me.

Ironically, it matched the outfit I was wearing today!

Welcome my friend, Charlotte!

My dear friend from Denmark, Charlotte, has started a blog! Yippee!

Check out her blog at At home with Charlie!

Don't worry... there is English translation!

What a pain in the neck!

No, literally... what a pain in the neck!

I have had a crick in my neck for oh...over 10 days. And, I've been in an Ibuprofen high for at least 7 of those days.

Is it possible to have a crick for that long? Or am I just trying to convince myself it is only a crick? Oh, did I mention the tingling sensation sometimes felt down my shoulder blade once the drugs wear off?

Might be time to go to the doctor, but for what? Only for him to tell me to take drugs or get some exercise.

Randy thinks it is my memory foam pillow. I THINK NOT! I love that pillow and it can't be... no... it WILL NOT be the fault of my wonderful pillow!

So, the pressing question is... any home remedies for a pain in the neck?

The Far Part

It's official... I'm sick of the far part.

I'm sick of seeing woman constantly sweeping their hair over their foreheads to create the far part look. And, I'm sick of seeing hair in women's eyes, because of the far part.

People... your hair doesn't have to be in your eyes. BRUSH IT BACK, or OVER, or something... just get it out of your face.

Ahem.

Level of Responsibility

This post is going to come off like I'm a brat, but I wonder if there are other people out in this world who feel the same way I do.

The other day, KM and I went to lunch at our local Chick-fil-a. We had just sat down with our food and I was busy getting everything out and ready to eat. The next thing I know, is a mom comes running up to the play area glass door to rescue her 1ish old little boy, who apparently did not have enough strength to open the door. Yet... in the process, he managed to get his arm between the door and the jamb. He was not making a sound, so I didn't know what had happened until the mom came running up to rescue him. HOWEVER, the mom looked at me like I was a sorry worthless person because I was sitting right next to the play area, yet did not hop up from my seat to help him out before she got there.

Seriously, I didn't hear him and even the woman at the next table over, commented that he didn't even make a whimper.

Sitting there, in semi-guilt, I was reminded of an event that occurred last summer while at the swimming pool.

I was sitting on the steps of the pool with my friend, who also has two children, and we were watching the kids play in the shallow end. Elisan had just learned how to swim, so I was keeping a close watch over her, while keeping an eye on KM to make sure she wasn't drifting in the way of the older kids splashing around us.

Meanwhile, a family of about 12 were playing a very loud and boisterous game of Marco Polo and it was moving in our direction. One of the kids in the group was in our vicinity and began bouncing up and down and making a lot of noise too, but I didn't pay much attention because they were all so loud and well...boisterous.

The next thing I see, is one of the older kids yelling for their dad to help the boy. The dad jumped in and grabbed the boy and brought him to the side of the pool.

The dad then proceeded to yell at us for not helping his kid, since he was obviously struggling in the water and were closer than he was. He said, "Wasn't it obvious to you that he was needing help and couldn't swim?"

In a fit of anger, I said, "NO! It wasn't. I was too busy watching my OWN kids. How am I to know that YOUR kid can't swim. He's not wearing a floating device!" Ooooh! I was HOT!

So, my question is... what is the level of responsibility of a stranger? And when is it appropriate to step in or not step in? Do you, as a parent (or heck... a person!) expect a level of courtesy from strangers regarding safety issues?

I guess, to answer my own question - yes, I expect a fraction of a level of safety courtesy. I cannot be in all places at all time and it is nice to know that a stranger may see a hidden danger I may not see.

HOWEVER, I watch my kids when they are playing on the playground, swimming in a pool, riding their bikes, etc. I don't just let them run wild without supervision.

So, what do you think? Am I being oversensitive?

May Desktop

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