I'm A Blonde

So I know there was to be a new post everyday this last week and there wasn't. That is because I am blond and can't read the calendar... I can read a map but not a calendar... I know and you just thought I dyed my hair... Nope! It is all natural ditz.
So instead of going through and fixing it there will be new post next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday...
If I can manage it there might be one on Monday and Tuesday too... Depends on how much help I get this weekend... Austin took my hammer away and has yet to give it back... Something about hanging ugly things and there not being enough room in the kitchen for another welcome sign... I beg to differ but whatever. Maybe when he runs to town for 'parts' I can find my hammer and get my stuff hung. I know he will have to run to town for 'parts' sometime today just because that is the way it works!
So now I am off to enjoy my weekend... starting by going to the store and hitting a few garage sales and goodwill and maybe even an antique store by myself... I'll be talking to myself by the end of the day don't worry...

10 Years Ago Today

Ten years ago today Austin and I had our first fight... our first fight as a married couple... over ice cubes... It is the same arguement we have had once a year since then... If he would just concede that I am right we could stop having the same arguement and move on already...

And This Makes Three

Do you see what I see?

You know, other than the fact that I need to vacuum and that Mason hides stuff under the table... Like the measuring cup for the dog food...

And my wonderful loving husband said to me "Stop freaking out it's just a little one."

and then

in his next breathe

he said

"I hope this snake doesn't bite me where my fingers stick out. Are you sure you don't know where my new gloves are?"

Austin was going to just pick up the snake and take it out, but I could see that going to wrong on so many different levels so I brought him this pitcher. Thankfully it is just a pitcher I use to water my tomato plant. Otherwise you know it would have to be burned.

We had to put another pitcher on top of it to keep the stupid thing trapped. The cream pitcher is just another plant pitcher.

I love when Mason dresses himself. I don't so much love when my husband picks out his own clothes... I've tried to throw these yellow things away but they end up back in his dresser...

We have given up on the pocket. Austin will tuck it back in and Mason will pull it back out.

Not a little snake!!

The dogs were running around the snake in circles deciding who would get to bite it first. We haven't heard buddy bark too many times and he is generally mild mannered but he was barking and growling and having a great time. He sounds HUGE when he barks and growls. No wonder the mailman won't get out of his truck.

Mason had to get in on the action too!

Mostly he just dug in the rocks and made little piles.

Although that one time he did put a little shovel full right on the snake...

And here it is striking at the shovel.

And that is when Buddy found the opportunity to attack. He did this a couple more times and he would actually throw it up in the air. Bad thing was you never knew where it was going to land!!

That is one dead snake. We laid it by the shovel to see exactly how long it was. It was by no means 'little'.

This is how we disposed of it. We just threw it into the ditch across the road from us. Where Buddy later went and got it and made it a snack... gross!

Just Another Baby Shower

Just this past weekend I went to yet another baby shower... I don't know why all my friends think they should be having kids but they do so I just keep making baby shower gifts.


This one was for a little girl. I love little girls stuff!! So pink and purply and fun!!

The blanket is a square yard. Butterfly flannel with green flannel backing. I did try this blanket with pink backing and it bled and stained rather fast so the green was the next best choice.

Burp rags. I decided to add some embellishing to these. I think they turned out cute.


I even made some bibs.

Bibs are so very easy to make. I cheat a little even.

First I cut out my template. I then pin it to my backing and insert material. I don't cut out my insert material that way it doesn't all shift around on me and I have something to grip while sewing.


Here it is ready to be sewn.

And now it is ready to be trimmed.

I know. It is just amazing.

To get my outer edges to lay flat after it has been turned the right way I just make little slits around the whole thing.

Pin the opening closed.

Top stitch around the outer edges making sure to get the opening stitched shut.

Add some velcro for the neck closure.

That is how I make cute little bibs.

For those of you that don't know how to sew or just don't have the inclination but would love to be able to give handmade cute little bibs my friend, Jess, makes and sells bibs just like these on Etsy. Check her out and send some love. She is even having a giveaway of two girl bibs or two boy bibs over on her blog.

If you keep up with my PictureMyEveryday Jess is the mother of the big sister and little sister that have made appearances. She is also the friend that feeds my addiction of fabric shopping. I'm sure our husbands are sorry we ever found each other... all we do is spend their money...

Ha!

Here it is another Friday and I'm no closer to that light.

We are going to enjoy a relaxing weekend at home. We might go to the Boone County fair but I doubt it. I'm going to hoist Mason off on his dad for most of the weekend because that little 3 year old is kicking my butt and I need some room to breathe.

I have some plans to do some things around the house and just generally be lazy. Hope everyone enjoys their weekends!! I'll be back Monday with some pretty pictures of some recent projects. I know what you're thinking but really there will post up Monday thru Friday and I can guarantee it because they are scheduled already. I know I could have posted them all today but then why would you come back. I know but it is called anticipation. I have been one busy lady!! I have the sunburn to prove it!!

You'll also want to check in on my PictureMyEveryday on Monday because there will be some new photos up there as well. I told you I had been busy!!

T G I F

I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel...

It's Friday. I'm in a better mood. The word 'mom' when screeched at the top of the little boys lungs has turned into a bad word. That when used just to get my attention or ask for juue (juice) gets him put in time-out.

This does not make me mean.

It is teaching him respect...

Daniel goes home on Sunday. Is it Sunday yet?

We have a busy afternoon planned. We are going to the post office and then to the park. When we get home I am making hamburgers for supper which I know will be protested by the guys in the house. I figure if they want something different then they can cook it!!

Tomorrow the guys are going to a birthday party and I am going to a baby shower. I will meet them at the birthday party when the shower is over. I am not going to hurry though. I am not stupid!!

I was hoping my husband would get off of work early today but I realized that wasn't going to happen when he didn't even leave the house until around 7:30. He was oh so thoughtful and woke up both little boys before he left though. Tomorrow though we are all sleeping in. Well the boys will be sleeping while I have fun with the husband. I'll gladly give up a little sleep for some morning delight. I just really wish Daniel wasn't such a night owl so I could sleep in too. We however don't need him going home with those kind of stories. My siblings would eat that up.

And on to the sibling front...

Both of my brothers have broken bones... Darin broke his collarbone in a dirt bike accident 2 weeks ago. Donnie Guy got his cast off of his left wrist the week before Darin broke his collar bone. Just this last Tuesday he broke his right wrist when he fell down the stairs at work. Those two are making this a long summer! I'm just thankful that neither was hurt any worse than they were. Darin somehow slammed himself up against a wall to set his collar bone. I grimace in pain every time I think about it. Donnie Guy broke his first wrist doing a trick on a horse that went wrong. From what I gather he was standing on Whiskey's back and something spooked him and when Donnie went to slide back down on his back his spur got him in the left rear flank and from there Whiskey started jumping. I've tried telling Donnie Guy that he is 41 not 21 or even 31... Deaf ears I tell ya. Which ironically just another sign of getting older... At least he hurt himself at work this time so he can get paid during his unemployment or get put on light duty...

I'm almost done with my shower gift for tomorrow. Little girl stuff is so much fun!! I have photos but they will have to wait until Sunday or Monday as the mother reads this little blog... But trust me they are cute!

And now to feed the little boys and get to my errands...

Perspective

I LOVE this site.

I don't think "love" is even strong enough of a word!!

MondayTuesday

Today might be Tuesday but it sure has felt like a Monday....

Mason and Daniel slept until past 10. I know!! How Awesome!! Right?

I was able to sleep and finish my bedside book and shower all before those two bright eyed, naughty boys decided to roll out of bed.

Then instead of breakfast we decided to have an early lunch. Then they decided they both needed to spend some time in time-out. I'm totally okay with time-outs. Three to eight minutes of silence... you betcha I can handle time-outs.

The unfortunate part is that what I was working on couldn't handle the time-outs.

I am making some cute, cute, CUTE baby bibs for a baby shower I am going to on Saturday. A girl baby shower!! You can tell on my top stitch exactly where the time outs were. O'well after a couple of washings no one will be able to tell. At least that is what I am telling myself.

And now I have to figure out something for supper... Isn't that always the question when the day winds down. I don't feel like cooking... So I am going to try to talk Austin into going into town for supper... Otherwise we are having hamburgers again...

Note to Self

# 306

Memory cards don't like to be dropped... even from my short height... it is still too far...

#307

Tweezers work good for emergency memory card surgery... Well that and a lot of wiggling and giggling... and a little bit of cussing helps too...

#308

Make sure kids are out of earshot before performing emergency surgery on memory cards...

Not Quite Fireworks...

The weather put a damper on the possibility of seeing any fireworks but we did catch this rainbow...

Austin went to let the dogs outside and looked up and saw this little rainbow. We could actually see the beginning and the end. If the clouds hadn't cleared off so fast we would have been able to see the whole thing.

You'll have to forgive me because this is a photo my husband actually took. I thought I was uploading one that I took but when it showed up I realized it was his. I could change it but am too lazy. All I have to say for this laziness is that spontaneous menstruation sucks. I am finding it hard to stay awake today and the cramps and crabbiness are totally off the bitchy scale. I feel bad that my boys have to be in the same house as me today. That is why I am taking the rest of the day to do nothing until we head out for fireworks this evening. They will thank me later even if it means they have to make their own lunch...

I'm H O M E...

It's been a week... I'm home... I'm tired... I brought a nephew home with me for 9 days... the house is a wreck... the laundry is backed up and I don't think I'll get caught up by the time I have to start in on the bedding... two trips into the grocery store... one very crabby 3 year old... BBQ and fireworks with friends tonight... Husband is off on Monday... *great*... One website that needs caught up... But really is 60some days really that behind???... I mean really? It's only 60some pictures that need edited and uploaded and dated and organized.... okay... so maybe 60some is alot... hmmm.... anyways.... maybe next week I'll see daylight... For now I'm busy doing laundry, washing dishes, making a baby blanket for a shower next weekend, and getting ready to go out tonight for a little adult interaction...
More on my week "vacation" later...

'A Decade'

Happy Anniversary to me. Happy anniversary to me...

This year we are celebrating the same way we have for 6 out of the last 10 years. I will be spending the evening in the car... I know we should probably spend the night together but after 10 years it really is just another day. I'm so thankful that we don't 'do' birthdays or anniversaries!

I did see on facebook that my loving husband referred to this anniversary as the decade anniversary. That makes it sound like it has been long. I will be sure to rib him about it later and for many years to come...

I will see my love tomorrow when he gets to grandpa's. We didn't end up getting each other anything... yet. I have told him he can get the windshield for his motorcycle. I am getting a new sewing machine so we will come out even. I know we are real adventurous people.

That is okay because he knows I love him more today than I did yesterday and tomorrow I will love him more than I did today...

Yep that is all I have today...
I've been busy... Doing what I don't know.
This weekend is Farmer's Merchants Picnic and next week I will be at mom and dad's most likely. When I get home I am grounded until I get caught up!! I am planning on doing some catching up while down home. Amazingly I don't too much to do while everyone is at work. I know, go figure!

10 years

What in the world am I going to get my husband for our 10 year anniversary?

I can't believe it has been 10 years!!

Some of those years are just a blur... We have both changed so much and grown closer together that I don't even recognize those two teenagers that we were when we got married.

10 years from now will I recognize us as we are about to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Sometimes I would just like to know what the 10 years hold for us.

I'm thinking a good arguement is in store for us soon. We have been riding the calm wave for too long. Maybe I could give the fight of ice cubes for our anniversary. That one is always fun. Mainly because I am right and he is w r o n g. I think he needs reminded of that fact.

I'm thinking he may just deserve that windshield for his motorcycle for putting up with me. I will admit that I have not been the easiest person to live with the last couple of years. We are finally seeing the light on the horizon though and hopefully my hormonal problem is ebbing to a close. Wouldn't that just be wonderful!!

And so now I'm gonna go continue editing photos to update my picturemyeveryday and contemplate gift choices for him. I need to figure out way to maximize the return of said gift into what I want with little complaint from him. That is the tricky part!! Therefore I'm not going to remind him of our anniversary until the day before. Leave him little time to get me something so the guilt can be added to my equation.

Happy Wednesday!!

Front Porch Beauty

My friend Jess has joined the world of blogging!! She is one creative lady with a great sense of humor. She wouldn't be my friend if she didn't. I know hard to believe that I wouldn't be able to get along with women that have no sense of humor...
Anyways you should check her out!! She'll be posting crafty stuff, gardening stuff, photography stuff and my favorite is her cooking stuff.
Front Porch Beauty

...

I'm still here, just busy...

Maybe Monday I'll get some time to myself without having other things on my to-do list... I have no goals for next week. Well other than to just get out of bed.

Playing Catch Up

I've got a whole stack of baby blankets ready to go for the silent auction. I'll be posting pictures later this week. I've also got to update my picturemyeveryday 365 project. I've been so busy sewing trying to get everything done that I just haven't had time. I haven't had time to do much else lately and today I'm babysitting all afternoon and Thursday afternoon. Between sewing, babysitting and sitting on the edge of the tub I am feeling kinda frazzled.

We have decided to forego 3 year old preschool this fall. It is based off of income and the cheapest teir is 70 a month. I just couldn't justify 70 a month for two day a week for 2.5 hours. I did look into the program and it is just a bunch of playing with some numbers and ABCs thrown in. We already do a whole bunch of that. Mason can already say his ABCs, count to ten and knows his colors and shapes. When those are the goals for the year it wasn't a real hard decision. Next year the 4 year preschool is free and 4 hours 3 days a week. I can handle that.
I was glad to see that I wasn't the only in town to decide not to send my child this year. Evidently I am not the only parent not willing to pay that kind of money for a 2.5 hour social play group. Last year the lowest fee was 50. The only way to get out of paying the 70 is if you are on any sort of state program. Thank you share the wealth... I'm not bitter about it though...

All next week I will have my 13 year old niece, Morgan, staying with me. I am excited!! She is just a younger version of me. We look alike, talk alike, and even give the same facial expression which drives my brother nuts. Once in a while when she is being a real pill to him he will text me his frustrations... I love those text messages!! After all those years he tortured me it is nice to see him getting a little payback!

Last Wednesday my husband had a little kickball game for work and Mason and I went. It was fun to see my husband interact with his coworkers. After everything was cleaned up from the after-game victory great losers dinner I got to see my husband get real embarrassed. He had gotten out his phone to show someone something and while he was putting it away it pocket dialed me. All of a sudden 'White and Nerdy' by weird Al started coming from my phone. His bosses (there were 3 of them sitting right there at the time) got such a kick out of it. In all of the years I've been with Austin, I had never seen his face get that red. It was great!!

So that fairly well catches us up to current. Hopefully I'll get back to this computer before the end of next week but if not just know that I am probably nursing a sunburn and sitting on the edge of the tub. Summer should be a blast since Mason has decided that he is ready to potty train... Awesome!!

My Exciting Life

My to-do list is getting shorter. MY list is, Austin's list just keeps getting longer. Just so you're not confused.

My shower curtain is almost finished. YAY!!

My memo boards are ready to be hung in the office. So Pretty...

I have 4 baby blankets ready for the silent auction and another 4 ready to be sewn... I also have some burp rags washed and ready for some fabric but am undecided on weather or not to actually bag them as sets or forget about the burp rags...

My tomatoes are planted... Love me some fresh garden tomatoes!!

I have kept up with my 365 project. I have taken a photo everyday. I just haven't had time to get the last 2 weeks posted. I love to look and see where all my visitors are coming from that visit that site. All kinds of different countries... The USA only makes up about half of the visitors. I was really amazed. I think some of the search words are hilarious and wonder how they even ended up on my site because I am honestly like 4 pages back on google/yahoo/bing. Maybe tonight after the house settles down I will have time to update it... Maybe. As soon as I have time to breath I am going to order the photos from May 1st and 2nd on canvas. I just have to decide what size. I already know where they are going to go!

And now I'm off to sew up those 4 blankets hopefully before my babysitting kids get here and the chaos ensues. Can I just say I am so tired of the tattling!! They are learning quickly that tattling just gets you in time out. I can see with my own eyes what is instigated and what is lied about. Just a little forewarning... My afternoon is going to suck.

So that is what I've been up to and will be up to... I know exciting.

Oh and the cherry on top... Mason decided last night that he was no longer going to wear a diaper. SWEET!! I might have to move the sewing machine into the bathroom...

Sunday And My Best Friend Noxzema

Let me set the scene...

It is 60 outside and there is a breeze... it is cloudy... no hint of blue peeking out of the clouds at all...

I am mowing the yard at what could be considered slower than a snail...

I am wearing my normal yard mowing outfit... running shorts and a gray tank top...

I have goosebumps...

After the first acre I was finally able to mow at full speed... Finally!

3 hours later I am bright red and think I might even have a wind burn...

On a cloudy and cold day...

And that was my Sunday. The only redeeming point was that I got to kill a huge snake... I had to mess up the yard to do it because the direction I was going would have blown snake guts all over me but I got it...

I got the snake about 45 minutes into the mowing and the rest of the time I tried to get 'the song that never ends' out of my head and playing on facebook and the internet via my blackberry...

I know totally safe!!

After a pre-shower rubdown of Noxzema I am back to normal. Well, mostly anyways. I am a slight pink color but it doesn't hurt and I'm hoping it doesn't peel.

Mason

Sometimes it is hard to tell where Mason gets his sense of humor from.

He has the obvious two-year old sense of humor and then sometimes he will come up to you and just jabber. He will then look away for just a second and then laugh inappropriatly. You know the big booming fake laugh.

I love it!!

I don't know if he is telling a naughty joke or just making fun of whoever he does it to but it is great fun.

Then there are the times when you're getting ready to tell him not to do something and he will run up to you and do the muscle pose and start that grunting growl and strain the muscle pose. After the subsequent laughing it is hard to get after him for whatever he was doing.

Every night he has to introduce me to his dad when Austin gets home from work. Austin will walk in the house and he will go and welcome him home and then drag him to where ever I am and point to me in the tada way and say 'mom' like we have never met before. Then he has to drag Austin around and introduce him to the dogs and the rest of the house which he signifys by taking his arms in an arch over his head and saying 'howwwws'.

Mason has so many cute things he is doing eventually I will get it all wrote down on his calendar. My favorite right now is he will tell me that he luvs me and then go jump on the couch and he has this pirate patch we got at a b-day party, he puts it on and comes up to me and does the pirate growl...

I don't know where he learned the pirate growl. Maybe it is like the car noises and little boys are born knowing how to do it.

There are some things that he does that drive me nuts but they are the same things that drive me nuts about his father too so I know he comes by these things honestly. It doesn't mean I'm not trying to change his behavior though. Some day some lucky lady will owe me a lot. I mean A WHOLE BUNCH!!

No Argument

It was rather disappointing. Austin put up no fight whatsoever about the towels.
I ended up getting the Pink, Blue, Orange, and Green. That gives us 8 of each size. Next week I might stop in and pick up some more in different colors, I haven't decided, yet.