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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Feeling Tired.

I'm feeling kind of tired (and I should...sheesh...its 10pm!) and think that I am going to take a break from blogging this weekend.

Perhaps I need an attitude adjustment.  :)  Because everything that I keep thinking to write is just downer news.  And nobody likes that....a blog post written by Debbie Downer.

If I perk up, I may be back.  Otherwise, I'll see (wink, wink) y'all next week.  :)

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

One Year Ago.



One year ago I took these pictures of the kids.  I think that they will always be some of my favorites.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Workspace. Studio. Craftroom. Whatever. Done.


Ok.  So I think I am done messing with this room for awhile.  For a long while.  Chris painted it for me last week...the gray was already there, with an orange on top, but the orange clashed (horribly) with my new chair...soooooo, being the FANtastic! husband that he is, he repainted for me.   So, here it is in all its glory.


This is where the magic happens.  I have always wanted to say that about my craft room.  You know, like how the rappers and sports guys used to say on tours of their bedrooms for MTV Cribs?  Is that show even still on?  I have no idea.  But really, this is where the magic happens.  :)
Probably the best thing I ever did in this room was buy the hardware storage containers from Lowe's.  Best.  Ever.  They work perfectly.  

Above my work table (from ikea, in case you were wondering) I hung a few embroidery hoops with some fabric that I liked in them (cost maybe $12 for all 3 of them) and the silhouette cutouts of the girls from our trip to Disney a few years ago.  Because they make me happy.


Station for all of my mailing/packaging.  I usually order everything in bulk.  I keep my ribbon pre-cut in mason jars on top.  I kind of have a ribbon addiction.  I love ribbon.

This is the other side of the room...behind my work area.  I use the bench that we used to have at our kitchen table to keep all of my rubbermaid drawers on.  I like it and think it looks somewhat better than just having a bunch of drawers lying around.  (The cream chairs and the bench are all from ikea.  I made the striped pillows.  The round table is just a plain old decorator's table.  The skirt clashed with the green, so I just took it off and I think I like it better without the skirt.)


A wall of inspiration.  I love my collection of old black and white (and some 60's color) pictures from both my mom and my dad's family.  Love them.  I do keep catching myself turning around in my chair to just look at the wall.  They used to all be in our upstairs hallway and I am really glad that I moved them down here.

Just in case you needed to see a gigantic size picture of how everything works together...


Monday, June 27, 2011

Americana and my new favorite.


Cute, cute, cute and PERFECT for the 4th of July!  I've only got a few pairs left...and if you snag a pair today, I can pop it in the mail to you tomorrow and it'll be to you by the weekend!  Here's the listing!


While not exactly an Americana look, it is my new favorite!  The green chalcedony accented by a black gold nugget is perfection.  It reminds me of mint chocolate.  You can find this one...here!

And, just for a little more information...
Have you read this sweet girl's blog?  Casey Wiegand is having an Ike & Co Giveaway this week.  You should check it out!  And...there's even a discount code that you can use when you order your Americana Earrings!  :)

Sunday, June 26, 2011

My Baby Turns 3.

I can hardly believe it. 

My little Leo Quinn turned 3 today.

Three years ago I weighed 200lbs.  And when they pulled him from me, I then weighed 191 lbs and 3 oz.  Just sayin.

Here's a look at what we did today....


1.  We arrived at the Yellow River Game Ranch and Quinn immediately started feeding the animals.  This was pretty awesome for me because I had this horrible fear on the way there that the animals might terrify him.  And that would have sucked.
2.  His listening ears have turned on now that he is 3.  He held hands and followed directions all day long.  God bless him.  Otherwise it would have been a bad birthday.
3.  feeding crackers to cute little baby goats
4.  Sometimes Q felt the need to take a bite out of the cracker before feeding it to the animal.  Which I suppose is better than the other way around.
5.  I think this might be my favorite picture of the day...sweet little hand.
6.  And this is when I thought my child might be eaten by the goats.  Really.  I kind of freaked out a little bit.
7.  And then you can see that I was ready to yank him from the jaws of the vicious goats, if it should come to that.
8.  This donkey was a beggar.  Seriously.  When you turned your back to him he would bang on the fence with his hoof.  It was pretty awesome.
9.  I asked for a "Three Year Old Smile."  This is what I got.
10.  All three of them.  Q was distracted by a squirrel.  It happens.
11.  Feeding a bunny.  We really liked the bunnies.
12.  Saying good-bye on our way out.

After our morning at "The Ranch" we headed over to Chili's for lunch.  Chandler finally got her end of year ribs.  Quinn got a huge brownie sundae and a chocolate shake (after his actual lunch).  And then we went to Target so that he could pick out a Birthday prize with his money from Great Gram.


1.  The Birthday Boy.
2.  Waiting for our food...the girls played on Chris's phone and Quinn played Angry Birds on mine.
3.  Chan and her rib face and hands.
4.  Quinn wanted one of these balls as his Birthday prize.  Like we don't have 8000 balls at home already.  We talked him into a little basketball goal instead.  :)

ps - Thanks for such a great Heartsy weekend!  All of my vouchers sold out and I now have a lot to do to refill the shop...stay tuned!

Friday, June 24, 2011

Heartsy.

WooHoo!  I thought that it would be about the end of July before I would score a Heartsy feature, but I lucked out and there was a last minute opening!

I have a pretty awesome deal running on Heartsy this weekend!!!

It officially opens tomorrow, but if you're a Heartsy V.I.P. you can purchase it today (and get a little extra perk, too!).


Go check it out!!!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Love.


I framed this picture of my grandparents tonight.  I'm in love with it.  Like, I can't stop looking at it, in love with it.  Its one of the pictures that my Gram let me borrow when I stayed with her in January.  I came home, scanned it, and have had it sitting on my computer until today...when I finally ordered it and then went and picked up a new frame for it.  The quality of the picture that I printed isn't all that great, but I'll save the reprint project for another day.
I'm going to say it again...I love this picture.  I love how cute my Gram is, sitting on Papa's lap, and he's holding her hands.  I love her hair in a cute "at the lake" ponytail and I love his cap.  I love his baggy pants and white t-shirt on his too thin frame and her short shorts.  

My Gram will be the first to tell you that they did not have the perfect relationship all the time, but she will also tell you that even when times were rough (and believe you me, there were rough times) they always realized (sometimes just in the nick of time) that they were better together than they were separately.  

I hope that Chris and I always feel that way about each other.  And I hope that one day our grandchildren find pictures of us in our youth and think that we were so cute and perfect and in love.

Big sigh.  I love this picture.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

What I Wore Wednesday, Week 15

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy!


shirt - old navy 
brown cargo shorts - academy sports
brown roman sandals - rack room shoes
little orange flower earrings - crystal b


yellow and white shirt - banana republic outlet
chambray shorts - target
birkenstock sandals
cameo earrings - crystal b 


white t-shirt - gap
red and white skirt - bass outlet
red patent leather platform cork wedges - nine west (a couple of summers ago)
chantilly lace earrings - my shop!

Have you noticed that I wear a lot of Crystal B things?  I do.  I love that lady!  She is soooooo wonderfully kind.  And you know what, sometimes I just want to buy things...and support the handmade community.  And what better way to do that than to support your friends??!!  :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Busted!

When the girls have their laptops on, it shows up on ours.  Which is how I knew when Chan was on the computer at 11pm the week before last.  We can also check our instant streaming log on netflix and see what they're watching.  Its kind of fun.  I like being a spy.

Today, the girls spent timing swimming with Chris's mom and then she took them to the movies and they all came back here to eat with us.  It was a pretty big day.  And they had that glazed over look.  We have a pretty big day planned for tomorrow too, so we sent them to bed at 8pm.

At 8:30, Chris saw that Casey was on her computer.

Busted.

He was giddy on his way up the stairs to catch her in the act.

Only when he opened their bedroom door...

Casey was playing math games on the computer.
Chandler was reading her bible.

That kind of ruined it for him.

Honestly...

1.  My shop makes me a bundle of nerves.  I think anyone will tell you that when they post something new to their etsy shop they expect that it is going to "fly off the shelves",so to speak, and then its kind of a let down when it doesn't happen that way (which it rarely does).  Clearly, I need to work on that.

2.  I run analytics on my shop, but sometimes, I just have no idea what it is telling me.  Like sometimes it'll show that I have, let's say, 75 referrals from a website, but when I go back to check that particular site, there is nothing about my shop there.  What's up with that?  Anybody know?

3.  I think one of my favorite parts about my shop is packaging items up to send them out.  I love picking ribbons and wrapping them up - like a gift from me to the customer.  I want everyone to feel special when they get something of mine in the mail...even if they bought it themselves.  Really, especially if they bought it themselves.  Its also why I address everything myself...it makes me feel more connected.

4.  I also really LOVE going to the post office.  The mail is kind of a happy place for me.  I think because I moved away from my Chicago family when I was young, everything was always mailed to me - birthday cards, letters from cousins...  Its a rule in my house that I am the one that gets the mail everyday, just on the off chance that there might be something in there other than bills and junk.  I would love to be a mail carrier.  And so, I love going to the post office.  I heart the postal ladies in my town.  I know that it would probably be easier to just do everything from home, but it is so much more personal to do it myself...and I have built such nice friendships with the ladies that work the window.

5.  When someone follows my blog and then unfollows my blog, it kills me.  I'm sensitive like that.  Which is ridiculous because I know that some people just click the follow button to get an extra entry in a giveaway and then unfollow when the giveaway is over.  But I always think, if I had just been a little funnier...OR did I say something offense? ...OR why don't they like me anymore?

6.  And don't get me started on the days when I don't make a sale.  Complex inducing.  Which is funny, because I used to only make maybe 5 sales a month.

7.  I am afraid of getting a negative comment on my blog.  I think that goes back to my sensitive issues.  But its true.  Sometimes I'll read other blogs where people begin duking it out in the comments and it makes me sweat.  And I can't read any more.

8.  I would love for people to guest post for me, but am also terrified to ask people.  Except my husband.  I ask him all the time...he just tells me no.  And the girls.  I'm not terrified to ask them, I'm terrified of what they would write.  They would happily guest post for me.

9.  I'm starting a new job in the fall.  Well, pending board approval, I'll be starting a new job in the fall.  It kinda terrifies me.  I think that I am not so good with change.  Which is also funny because I am changing the colors in 90% of the rooms in my house.  And so far its not going well.  I'm 2 for 2 in that I don't like the colors.

10.  If you've been so kind as to read to the end of this post and would like something out of my shop...use this code at check out BLOG25 for 25% off your entire purchase.  {good thru june 26}

And ps - If you have any answers to any questions that I asked, leave a comment.  Or email me.  :)

Monday, June 20, 2011

Father's Day Chalkboard

Have you seen Meg's chalkboard?  OMG.  In love. 


So, a few weeks ago I talked Chris into painting a wall in our kitchen with chalkboard paint.  I didn't have to twist his arm to do it.  This wall has been a hot debate for us...its the only decent wall in the kitchen, but between the location of the door out to the garage and the normal doorway opening into the foyer, it would be difficult to make proper use of the wall...like with a bench or hanging hooks for coats, etc.

So, he painted the wall and then it sat there.  I had no idea what to write on it.  And I wanted it to be perfect (imagine that).  

Chris beat me to it.  For three days, in the middle of the wall, was "Soy Sauce"...Chris's addition to the grocery list.  It wasn't exactly what I had in mind for the wall.

This was a little more like it...


A Father's Day Chalkboard!  Chris and I looked through some Father's Day quotes and picked a couple that we liked.  {The pile of paint and primer is funny, isn't it?  Sure looks like Chris is going to be busy.}
And that big white square is the light switch.  Just in case you were wondering.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Layering Necklaces!



The thing that I love about these necklaces is that they are perfect to wear alone or to layer!  (Layering is all the rage right now, did you know that???  :))  All of them are up in the shop and listed separately so that you can do your own mixing and matching. 

Happy Father's Day

Fatherhood kind of sneaked up on Chris the way a hand grenade sneaks up on you during trench warfare.  Dropped from the sky with no place to go.

When we started the dating the girls were almost 3 and a half years old.  They called him "Chris Pengwee" and wanted to know if he was going to be their dad.

And one night, he said yes, he was going to be their dad.  And within 30 seconds he went from being "Chris Pengwee" to "Daddy" and he has looked back since.

Well, he may have looked back from time to time, but he at least waited until I was out of the room to do so.

On our wedding day, he gave the girls lockets and told them about how special they were because he chose them.  He wanted them to be his daughters.


 The girls remember our wedding...the day WE (meaning the 4 of us) got married.

Everyday, I am thankful for him.  I am thankful for the father that he is to those little girls (who are growing up to be big girls...ugh).

And I am thankful that we decided to add another one to the mix....a son to round things out.

I am thankful to have him as a husband.

I love you, Chris, and I hope you have a very, very happy Father's Day.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Busy! Living Room and Front Room (almost) done!

Yesterday was oh.so.much.fun.  Except for the part when I thought I wasn't going to come home with a vintage typewriter and had a few minutes of pouty face...but Eagle Eye Christopher found another one for me...and it was cheaper!!  Which was really even better!

We headed up to a big antique...um, mall?  mart?  market?  Anyway, its this place just past 400, called Lakewood at 400.  If you even went to the Lakewood Fairgrounds Antique Mart (in Atlanta) before it closed, this one is run by the same people - Ed and Barbara Spivia (some of the nicest people ever).  A ton of dealers, a million things to look at and funnel cakes.  What more could you want in a child free afternoon???  :)

It is only open one weekend a month and some of the booths are permanent and are there every month, and some of them rent space a month at a time.  So it really is a nice mix.  And let me tell you, if you like Shabby Chic, French Romantic decor...this is absolutely the place for you!


from left to right...booths, booths and more booths...Soul Sisters of Georgia booth (such cute things!) (I totally love this bracelet of theirs), lunch! Italian sausage with peppers and onions, corndog, fries and funnel cake!, my super happy to be there husband, and breakfast this morning - a date at the Waffle House.

If I was a good wife, I should have taken pictures of the surf and turf dinner that Chris grilled (in the storm) for us for dinner - salmon, steak, and a plate of sliced avocado, tomatoes and cucumbers.  A perfect no kids meal! 

We bought a TV stand and a cute little table for in between the chairs in the living room.  We're just about done in there.  I want a few more things for the other side of the room's walls (like a poster from ORK) and some curtains.  Except curtains are REALLY expensive.  So, I have to save some pennies for those.

But this is where we are...


tv wall - photographs of Athens by Molly, R.E.M show poster (by Heads of State), Blue Sky by James Dean, and a few prints (UGA Campus, Georgia Theatre with R.E.M. marquee) by Jamie Calkin

Let me tell you what I am done with though...

The built ins.  Done.


New work in progress..the wall of plates behind the couch.  I've had these state plates for about 4 years now, but when we moved, Chris put them in the cabinet above the fridge and I kinda forgot about them.  When we cleaned out before the yard sale, there they were!  I meant to hang them not in a pattern (which is hard for me to not line things up), but I think they just look cockeyed and I'm gonna have to go back and fix them.  My new look out is going to be to find more to add to the wall.  I already have my eye on an Amish Country plate at one of the antique stores in Braselton.


I bought the empty frame yesterday for $5.  I knew that I wanted to hang up Molly's cast-off polaroid transfers that she gave me a billion years ago and thought this would be perfect.  But again, trying to break out of lining things up and I think I'm going to have to redo it.  Don't tell Chris though.  I have a tendancy of making a shooting range out of our walls with the number of times I move nails.  Ugh.  I also bought that typewriter and brownie camera yesterday.  Woohoo!

Friday, June 17, 2011

I woke up this morning with a penis in my ear.

No joke.  Quinn's penis was in my ear and his legs were across the back of my neck and head.  I know this because he began kicking me unmercifully as my wake up call.  And he was naked.  Which means if his legs were across my head and neck, then his penis was in my ear.

To which I muttered sleepily to Chris, "Why?  Why is he naked???"  (Note, I don't even bother to ask why he was in our bed - that's a given these days - or why he was sleeping perpendicular across my head - doesn't really phase me anymore.)   Apparently he had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and tinkled a bit in his underwear, so he just climbed back in bed with us naked.

He better not get used to this sleeping naked bit.  Just sayin.

But, penis in my ear or not, this is going to be a GREAT day!

Chris and I fist bumped and blew it up as our "Good Morning" to each other.  And even though I slept past 8am, I did not feel as though I was already behind the 8 ball.  Which is usually the first thing that I say when I sleep past 8am anymore.

"Oh, that's just great.  *insert big sigh*  I'm already behind the 8 ball."

And then Chris rolls his eyes and knows that I am going to be a biotch for most of the morning.

But not today.  Oh, no, sir, not today.

Today, all my children are leaving for Camp Doe Doe (that's what they call my mother-in-law...Doe Doe).  All three of them are having a fun filled weekend at her house (with Pop Pop, too)...painting and gardening and playing water games and eating hobo dinners and making smores in the fire pit and sleeping in tents in the basement.

Can I get a WOOHOOOOOO!???!!!!!

Wave your hands in the air, shake your derriere!

Today, Chris and I are going to the big antique mart at Lakewood at 400.

Whoop, there it is!

All day, with NO CHILDREN!!!

I'm just a tad bit excited!

Thank you, Sharon and Ross, for making all my dreams come true!!!  :)

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Golden Age

I love this song.  And I just thought that you should know that.  It makes me want to dance a tap number to it.  Only I don't know how to tap... so that might be a problem. 

A work in progress.

I feel like my house is just one big continuous work in progress.  Do you feel that way, too, or is it just me?

Summer for us is kinda the big time when I make a massive list of things I want to do in the house.  The list is mainly things for Chris...I plan on shopping, reading, making jewelry and blogging.  It seems like every summer I want to paint.  And painting is a job for Chris.

I also want to clean out every nook and cranny in my house. 

But that will come later.  Right now, we're working on the downstairs.  We had been deciding between a fence (we have a HUGE backyard and it would cost a chunk of change to fence it in) and new living room furniture (we were still using a hand me down set from my parents that they bought in 1996...the summer I graduated from high school).

So, here's what we've done...
1. repainted the brown walls in the living room.  A fresh start!
2.  steam cleaned the carpet
3.  Chris picked up the new furniture (sofa, love seat, ottoman for living room)

And here's some pictures of where we're at....


The brown walls ended up a lighter shade than we really wanted.  The girls have declared that its the same color as the frosting on cinnamon poptarts.  We probably should have bought 2 ottomans.  The TV is currently on the coffee table from the front room (we're still looking for one of those) and we moved the telephone table in from the foyer as the end table. 

In this room, we need to...
1.  get a tv stand
2.  hang things on the wall
3.  curtains?
4.  table for in between the chairs

Here's the other side of the downstairs - 2 rooms that are connected and meant to be a front sitting room and the dining room. We use them more as a library and a craft room.


1.  I need to find more knick knacky things now that I made space for them in the built ins.  I am desperate for old school things, a typewriter and a phrenology head.  Just so you know.
2.  I have to hang some things on the walls.
3.  Sadly, the orange has to be painted.  Right now I am leaning towards a lime-ish color.  Or maybe a lighter gray (good suggestion, Mol!)
4.  curtains?


Craft room...oh jeez, oh Pete!  Basically, everything just needs to be cleaned!  And organized!

I'll be posting more pictures SOON because we have to have things ready for the Father's Day celebration at our house on Sunday!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

What I Wore Wednesday, Week 14

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for week 14!


one
green v-neck t - old navy
striped skirt - old navy (a few years ago)
birkenstock sandals

two
crocheted neckline top - old navy (new!)
white bermudas - j.crew
brown roman sandals - rack room shoes
small black dog - Ike (or Bike, or Bikey, or Ikey Poo)

I promise that I got dressed more than twice this past week.  Part of the problem was that I had that workshop and didn't take pictures before I left in the morning.  The other part of the problem was that I just kept forgetting to take pictures.  Sometimes it happens that way, doesn't it?  :)


Bubblegum Earrings - my shop (part of the earrings featured by The Pioneer Woman)

collage bracelet - Tied Up Memories

I must admit, I am a sucker for bracelets.  Partly because I'm not such a fan of making them.  So I stumble upon them out and then can't resist buying them.  

PS - Don't forget to head on over to Heartsy and vote for me!!!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Go Vote! Please. :) And thank you.

Want to see me offer a great deal on Heartsy?

Then I need you to (please, please) go vote for me.

Here!

ps.  I swoon over this site.  Just thought you should know.  :)

Monday, June 13, 2011

I ran today.

And surprisingly enough, there wasn't anyone chasing me. 

And when I say "ran",  I'm kinda using that word loosely.  Like, whenever I came to a downward hill, that's when I ran.  Mainly because it was more work to try and keep myself from not running.  So on the downhills, I ran, flailing my arms about and praying that I didn't fall, because at times, my feet were a little out of control.  That made me feel like a little kid, which was a happy feeling.  The heavy breathing, though, did a good job of reminding me that I am not.  Heavy breathing = not so happy a feeling.

It was on one of those downhills that I ran into a swarm of gnats (swarm?) and I swallowed 3/4 of the gnat population of Jefferson, Ga.  Jeffersonianites, out there, you are quite welcome.  I saw them and I couldn't stop myself.  It happened in slow motion.  And then I realized that my mouth was hanging open.  I spent the next 1/4 mile spitting and picking my teeth.  I waved and smiled to the other "runners" out this morning in the neighborhood.

While I was running, I wrote and rewrote this post in my head about a billion times.  I became a little obsessive about it and decided that the best way to make this "morning run" work for me would be to carry my voice recorder with me so that I could get all my thoughts down.  But then I would have to listen to the heavy breathing again.  Um, no thanks.

I do know this...I definitely have to get together a perfect mix...this is what I encountered this morning...
1.  Ray Lamontagne...I wanted to sit on the curb and sway.  Not very motivating.
2.  Michael Jackson's Beat it...It was all.I.could.do to not just stop and dance.  And not just a little dancing, but like full on old skool MJ moves.  And perhaps some boxer training moves.  I've never boxed, but I do like their moves.

Mostly I just think I hate running.  I'm hoping to have a change of heart by tomorrow morning.  Our neighborhood is 1.7 miles and to begin with, I was convinced that I was going to run it twice, because once would be for sissies.  Let me just tell you, by the end of my first lap, I wanted to lay down in the morning dew of my front lawn. 

My ankles hurt (not in a shin splitty way...its the bend, in the front).  My butt hurts (I don't think that needs any further description). 

On the plus side, when I got home, I drank 3 large glasses of water.  I  don't know when the last time was that I drank that much water. 

The other plus side is that I am hopeful that when Q tries to escape the house again in a few weeks, I might actually be able to outrun him. 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

The story of an escapee and a dance recital.

The escapee did not attend the dance recital.  Just thought I should tell you that upfront.

Our latest Quinn issue these days is that the boy is skillful with a lock and thinks that it is oh-so-fun to run out of the house unaccompanied.  Scratch that.  He is often accompanied...by Ike.

Sometimes Q has clothes on when he runs out of the house and sometimes, well, sometimes its not "running", its "streaking."  Yep.  We're those neighbors.

Yesterday, Q escaped about 18 times.  You see, we had the yard sale and Drew (or, Mr. Grew, as Q calls him) and Loralai came down.  The four kids ran in circles in our emptied out living room for hours.  And then they would go play upstairs and then Q would leave the crowd and escape out the front or back door and run out to see us on the driveway.  But, alas, we were all back and forth, in and out, and it wasn't such a big deal.

What those 17 times during the day did was teach him proficiency so that when the 18th time came around, he could let himself and Ike out the front door of the  house in under 2 seconds flat.

Which happened.  While I was on the phone with my mother, the girls were in a zone in front of the TV and Chris was out watching a soccer game.  I threw down the phone and went tearing after the two boys while screaming their names and that they had better get back inside that house or else.

Once they hit the driveway, they decided it would be best to split up.  Ike took off across the street and into the neighbor's backyard.  Q took off for the playset.  The more I hollered, the more they both ran.  Jerks.

I thought for sure that the girls would notice that their brother was on the playset in the backyard and come out to join him.  Or maybe that it was suddenly quiet in the house...that they were left all alone...that the dog and their brother and their mother were all missing.  Or that the front door was wide open and my phone was left on the front mat.  Or that they would hear my shrill voice echoing through the neighborhood.  But they didn't.  Imagine that.

So, I'm in the neighbor's backyard across the street trying to sweet talk Ike into coming home for a cookie when Q decides he might like to join us.  By running across the street.  So I start yelling at him to stay where he is...but what fun is that???  So he began zig zagging across the asphalt.  Ike squatted to mark his spot and I grabbed the back of his harness.  Q ran up the hill to us.  As soon as Ike finished peeing, I snatched him up, grabbed a hold of Q's arm and began marching back to our house.

The sky was quickly darkening, thunder rolled around us and the storm approached.

Quinn screamed all the way back to our house, "Let go me!!!  You hurtin me!!!  Let go me!!!!"

Big sigh.

The girls never noticed that we were gone.  And when I called for someone to help close the front door (being that I had the dog in one arm and the boy in the other) all Chandler had to say was, "Oh, Mama!  Look at the giant dragonfly you let in the house."

Like I had opened up the door and invited the dragonfly inside for a little party.

Sheesh.

And then I had to spank children and send them to bed.  I shouldn't actually say children.  It was just one child.  But I sent the other two to bed too for good measure.

When Chris got home we discussed our plan for the increase of locks on our doors.  I am super excited about that.

****

Today was Casey's recital.  And she was awesome.  Phenomenal.  The girl can move her hips like no other nine year old I have ever seen.

The show was fantastic (as all of the North Georgia Dance and Music Factory recitals I've been to have been).

And, like last year, I did not take a single picture all day.

I just don't think that I am going to win Mother of the Year at the rate I am going.

Quinn stayed with Loralai, Miss Christy Beth and Mr. Grew for the afternoon.  Such lifesavers they are.  I really don't know what we would have done without them.  Because clearly that boy would not have been a suitable audience member.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

They've grown up. And now I feel old.

We survived the yard sale this morning.  Chris put the signs out around quarter to 8 this morning...by 8:30 he wanted to start telling people that everything was free if they would just take it with them.  He's not a very good salesman.

After the yard sale I took a nap.  It had to be done.

And then the girls and I went to a college graduation party for my sweet friend, Erin.  I've talked about her before...she's my bead show partner....and I taught her when she was in 8th grade.  Back in the day.  Back in this day specifically...


That would be 8th grade Erin and that would be me...as a 2nd year teacher.  When I was just a teenager.  Just kidding.  I wasn't a teenager.  I was 24 in that picture.  Sheesh.  That feels like a million years ago. (And yes, I know that you are digging my socks.)


And here we are now.  All grown up.  I mean, she's all grown up.  And I just feel old. 

In all seriousness though, I am so proud of her and her accomplishments (she graduated from UGA with a degree in fashion merchandising)  and I am so glad that I have stayed in touch with her and her family.  I am proud to have been her teacher.  I'm bordering on sappiness, so I should just stop there.

Here we are again, this time with Erin's fabulous mom, Omie, in the mix.  I love this lady.  I wish that every parent I had to deal with was an Omie.  And I hope that I am at least half the mother that she is.  Her kids are out of this world fantastic, and a great deal of that comes from her (and her husband's) parenting.  I really need for her to write a book for me.


I can speak about her kids, plural, because I taught 2 out of the 3.  You see all these boys in this picture below?  Yep.  I taught all of them, too.  They have (apparently) all grown up.  And now I just feel old.

{Nick, Kelly, me, Brandon, Miguel, Josh}

Brandon is Erin's little brother.  While I taught Erin in 8th grade, I taught Brandon when he was in 6th.  He graduated from high school this year.  Big sigh.  I just don't know where the time goes.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Oh my.

I feel as though I may be in over my head (just a tad bit) with this yard sale thing in the morning.  Only it has to happen.  HAS. TO.  And really, let's be honest, I should be in the garage, pricing things, right now instead of in here (the air conditioned kitchen) writing a blog post. 

Chris has taken Casey to her finale rehearsal for recital and I am home (working!)...stuck with the other two children - one who doesn't listen to me and one who just doesn't listen period.  I'll let you think about which one is which.  So far, I feel as though I may be on the edge of a mental break down.  I may need to make a pot of coffee to get through the night.

Chris successfully moved a ton of furniture for the yard sale out to the garage today while I was at my workshop.  Pretty much everything except for the sofa.  I was supposed to help him with that when I got home.  I'm not sure if you have seen my arms or not, but I am not really the most muscular person.  Like moving a couch is kind of out of my realm of possible activities. 

I could not pick my end up off the ground. 

There, I said it.

I am a weakling.

So, Chris felt that he could not wait for reinforcements and managed to make this happen....


All by himself he did that.  Pretty impressive right?
I'm not really sure what it says about his spacial imaging skills.  Just sayin.

He was really sweatin by the time he had done this.  Really. 

I was supposed to be helping.  (I'm not really sure how.)  But instead, I grabbed my phone off the counter and began taking pictures.  At which point, he yelled from the other side of the couch, "Are you gonna blog about this???"

Darn tootin, I am.

In the end, I convinced Chris that it just wasn't going to work.  

He backed the couch back into the kitchen, picked up one end, called over our 9 year old daughter, Chandler, told her to hold the end, then picked up the other end and the two of them moved the couch out to the garage.

Show-offs.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

My brain is very tired.

Have I mentioned that I'm in a professional development workshop this week?  My brain is very tired.

And I just thought you might want to know that.

In other news, my dad and stepmom are currently in Italy.  My mom and stepdad are leaving next week to go on a cruise to Grand Cayman.  I think I may be a little jealous.  Just sayin.

Tomorrow - I will be in class and Chris will be taking Casey to her dress rehearsal for her dance recital.
Saturday - Yard sale!  If you live in my neck of the woods, you should definitely stop by!  Kids stuff, furniture out the wazoo, books, movies, and lots, lots more! 
Sunday - Casey's dance recital.  Nuff said.

Next week, I think that it will feel like summer has officially started.  Hooray!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

What I Wore Wednesday, Week 13

Linking up with Lindsey for another week!

{from left to right}

1
floral top  - old navy (new!)
bermuda shorts - old navy 
perfect tank - banana republic outlet
brown roman sandals - rack room shoes

2
navy striped shirt - old navy
sailor khaki skirt - loft outlet
brown roman sandals - rack room shoes

3
white v neck - old navy 
tan striped skirt - gap (old)
birkenstock sandals (super old)

4
tan rose t-shirt - loft (new!)
black and tan skirt - loft (new!)
black roman sandals - rack room shoes
{Side note - true story - on the way to church on Sunday, from the back seat, Q said to me, "Mama, yo pants are lika cow."  And imagine that, it is kind of cow print-ish.}


I love the necklines on both of these new shirts!


blessed necklace - the rusted chain

Monday, June 6, 2011

Why, hello there!

So this week is kind of a long one for me.

I'm in a workshop all week about blended learning in the classroom (yippee!) (actually, I jest.  It is very interesting.) and am therefore in the mood to kind of just zone out in the evenings.  I also just finished a book and before I start reading something new, I'd like to try this fun game right now.  (I'm also planning on it helping me procrastinate in getting ready for a yard sale this weekend.  Just sayin.)

I feel like I suddenly have A LOT of people that read my blog.  More than just my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, mom and 3 friends.

So, leave me a comment.  Who are you?  Anything you want me to write more about?  Do you have a blog?

I must be having a kumbaya moment tonight.  I just want us all to be friends.  And if you usually just stalk (no worries, I stalk lots of blogs) without leaving a comment...well, here's your chance!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Scrapbooking

I moved around some things on the built-ins in the front room today...including my old scrapbooks.  And so I snapped some pictures to share with you a few of the scrapbook pages that I made.  I used to be kind of crazy about it.  Like went to scrapbook nights and the such (and oh how I miss those girls - we had lots of fun together - eating and crafting and shopping).  And then I had Q and scrapbooking became a time consuming/expensive hobby.  And I found that I don't really like making boy pages after so many years of perfecting my girl pages.  But I shouldn't tell people that because it makes it sound like I didn't like scrapbooking my son.  Which is completely not true.  I just like girl paper better than the boy paper and I really love making paper flowers.  Which looks kind of sissy on boy pages.  Not that I am all into boy things vs. girl things.  Because I'm not.  God knows, I applied lipstick and lip gloss on my boy last night because he wanted it on. 

But I digress.  Here are some of my pages.  But I didn't take them out of the protectors, so there is a lovely glare/shadow on them.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Today was not my favorite day.

Today was not my favorite day for many reasons.

1.  I took the girls to the immediate care this morning.  They know us there by name and injury.  Awesome.  Chandler needed her stitches out (there was more screaming involved) and Casey has a rash.  It was maybe 20 red bumps yesterday, confined to her torso, when she got out of the shower and showed me, so we gave her some benadryl, hoping that might help, but alas, it did not.  There was a thousand of them this morning and they were spreading to her limbs.

2. An hour and a half later, we walked out of there three sutures less and 2 prescriptions more than when we came in.

3.  I spent almost $40 at Dairy Queen today.  Sheesh.  What is THAT all about???  Ugh.

4.  I took Q to the grocery store with me.  While waiting on Casey's prescriptions, he proceeded to climb out of the cart.  I tried (unsuccessfully) to talk him into remaining in the seat.  We were surrounded by other people waiting.  I tried the scary eyes and the low tone whispers in his ear to no avail.  And then he took off running across the store and out the front door.  I snatched him up just before he got to the parking lot.  I left my purse and the cart at the pharmacy counter.  Big sigh.  When we returned to our things, the other customers avoided eye contact and our pleasant conversation did not continue.  He screamed when I put him back in the cart, "But I wanna run everywhere, Mama!  Everywhere!  I wanna rrrrrrrruuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn!!!!!"  Fanfreakintastic.

5.  I received this email this afternoon...No joke....

can I have some jewelry something cheetah print and under 10$.
love your eager daughter Chandler,



And now for something completely unrelated...And while this day may not have been one of my favorites, this song most certainly is.

Friday, June 3, 2011

What happened to yesterday?

I honestly don't have a reason for not posting yesterday.  I don't know what happened.  I really don't.  I mean, I know what happened in my life...I just don't know why I didn't stop and think to post.  Foolishness, I tell you.

But, the past 48 hours have been somewhat outstanding.

1.  Drew and CB and Loralai randomly stopped by.  Mainly because they were out for a walk and my heathen children were playing with some new sprinkler contraption that Chris brought home.  My new chairs got a stamp of approval from CB.  You should also check out Loralai's latest photo shoot - I made a necklace for her to match one that her mama has of mine.  Soooooo cute, that girl!

2.  It was the first Wednesday of the month, so Molly and Juli and I met up for dinner.  No lie, I haven't spoken to them since the first Wednesday of May, so seeing them was really wonderful.  We ate at On the Border.  Have you had their fried avocados?  Its no secret that I looooooovvvvveeeee avocados, and these, oh-so-yummy!  While at dinner, Jules said, "I'm going to get my haircut tomorrow with your girl."  And I made a pouty face and replied, "I desperately need a hair cut."  And then Jules informed me that LoLo the hair ninja had both a 12 and 1 open...she took the 12, I should take the 1 and then we can have lunch.

3.  So that's just what I did.  I got a haircut yesterday - haven't had one since December - and then Juli and I went to Transmet for lunch.  I love my hair ninja.  I will post a picture soon.  It is certainly not a very dramatic cut, but I super love how it is just perfect.  I also love downtown Athens in the summertime. 

4.  Chris and I laid down with Quinn for over an hour last night before he fell asleep.  While this is fine for summer, I dread what this is going to be like during the school year.

5.  Chris and I watched Black Swan last night.  Um, hello???  Creepy weird.  And scary.  I think I spent a quarter of the movie with my eyes pinched closed and my hands over my ears.  But then again, I am a wuss, so you might not want to take my opinion too seriously.

5.  There are some new things up in the shop this week!  And more on the way!  Yay!



And, if you want to win a $25 gift certificate to the shop....Go enter here!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Recent Conversations

Chris made scrambled eggs and biscuits for breakfast.  I requested pancakes (he's not a short order cook!).  And then the girls scoffed about their biscuits.

Chris:  You're mother has a reason to not prefer pancakes.  She's a Yankee.  You're not.  You are Southerners.  You should like biscuits more than pancakes.
Chandler:  Yeah, what is a Yankee anyway?
Casey:  *rolls eyes* A baseball player.  *tsk.*

*************************************

I watched the girls take their first dives of the summer into my mother's pool on Monday.  As Chan came up out of the water it was clear that she needed some *ahem* assistance.

Me:  Chan, you need help tying your bathing suit top back on?
Chan:  And this one (pointing at Casey) just played a practical prank on me!
Me:  Practical prank?
Chan:  Yes.  She was in charge of tying my bikini top on and she only tied one knot.  Not two.  So I cannonballed in the pool and then BOOM! my top came off!
Me:  Boom!  Your top came off?  Just like that, huh?
Chan:  Yes.  And when I was under water all I could think about was, "Boy, this is sure gonna look crazy when I get out of the pool."

What I Wore Wednesday, Week 12

Here's to another week with The Pleated Poppy!


ONE
black peasant top - loft outlet
khaki bermudas - old navy
flip flops - j.crew

TWO 
print blouse - kohl's (new!)
black capris - banana republic outlet
roman sandals - rack room shoes

THREE
bronze dot shirt - gap (new!)
chocolate bermudas - old navy 
gold and brown sandals - kohl's (new!)

And now for the really good stuff....


new purse (bought with my mother's day paypal gift card!) - bloom bag from the pleated poppy

The flip flops?  Yep, funny story...  I stole them from my mom a couple of summers ago.  I'm hoping she's forgotten about them.  And won't read my Wednesday post this week.  :)

Earrings! - My shop!

Button Bracelet - Poor Robin




bubblegum earrings - my shop! 
(and I also have them in chantilly lace, honeycomb and limelight...these are the ones that were featured on The Pioneer Woman!)


Earrings - La Caprichosa (bought with my mother's day paypal gift card)


leather and stick hair thingy...I've had it since high school.  I have a collection of them.
I just bought these sandals from Kohl's (they also had a charcoal and nude color) and I really, really like them...BUT, I bought them half a size bigger and I still felt like my big toe was hanging off the edge.  It annoyed me all day on Monday.  Just so you know.