Peaches and Posh

I moved!

2010-10-02T11:31:00.001-07:00

I moved! Please visit me at www.mommyfliessolo.blogspot.com

Punkin Pickin'

2010-09-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

An impromptu trip to a local vendor last week provided us with a visual feast of fall colors.

First day of Pre-School!

2010-09-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today Isabella embarked upon her first day of Pre-school! (she calls it "kid school") This has been building up for weeks. She has talked endlessly about the "boys and girls" she is going to meet. I'm not sure who has been more excited, myself, or her.

I was able to schedule her to go on days when I am in my algebra class, so it works out perfectly! We wake up together, have breakfast together, I take her to her school, then mommy goes to her own school. It's really kind of wonderful. I was so excited when I found out that my schedule was going to permit her to go, that I ordered her a monogrammed lunch bag and back pack, and spent the better part of my paycheck on new duds for her at Gymboree. But tell me, who could resist those polka dot shoes?!

She loved her first day so much. When I dropped her off she ran right in, found a friend and said "Mommy, you can go to the car now."

I cannot believe my little chubby-cheeked red-head is already in pre-school. It seems like just yesterday I was in awe, hurting like I just got into a duel with a sumo wrestler, but staring at her asleep in her little clear box, terrified to have a nurse roll her out of the room for five minutes...

Now she wants me to wait in the car while she socializes.

She...

2010-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

is the cure for a broken heart.

Chooses her own shoes and socks, and puts them on all by herself.

is a silly ham.

has my freckles...sorry, kid.

has my mega-flexi-lips...sorry, kid.

is a lady...sometimes. A wise woman once told me, as long as you behave in public..."closed doors is closed doors." Thanks for the wisdom, mom-I mean...what?

is a daydreamer.

is a perpetual stinker who never ceases to amaze me with her stealth counteracted with a cherubic expression. I am so proud. You have learned well my child, you have learned well. Now, go forth and take on the universe as I have taught you.

The Gap betrayed me...a shoe saga

2010-09-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

My second day back at college. I'm in the library battling with the printer trying to print off some required something or other, I had already had trouble with my printer card, and was in a hurry to get to my next class. I quickly get up and there is an audible rip followed by a snap. Suddenly my shoe goes floppy, dangling off of my foot in the most peculiar manner.

Ipods were paused all around. One guy took out one ear bud to raise an eyebrow in my direction...the girl beside me busted out laughing.

I looked down, perplexed not sure what to do...do I keep walking with the flipped flop? Play it off nonchalant? That's it! Maybe no one will notice! I took a step...that option was obviously out of the question, the flop stayed put right behind me on the floor. That's when I looked back up, I could literally hear them thinking,

what is this strange redhead going to do now? I'm so glad that isn't me...OH CRAP don't make eye contact with her you fool! She might ask for help...I'm so glad that isn't me...

By this time my neighbor had recovered and she pointed one finger downstairs, she mouthed two words "Office. Tape." I quickly tossed the footwear nemesis Into my book bag, and headed for the office. Inevitably classes had just let out, the halls were packed. The office never seemed so far away. Here I was, dressed to the T with a silk flower in my hair, cute fingernails to match and...barefoot. Fashion statement? I could only hope.

I tried really hard to put off a hippie vibe.

I explained my plight to the young student aid working the office, she took a moment to stare at me blankly and then silently pushed a roll of black electrical tape in my direction. I was giggling like a mad women by this time and set to the task of taping the shoe TO my foot...that seemed like the best option. It got me across campus to my last class...and then it pooped out under my desk...Of course I made sure to be disruptive and show my desk buddy, who is a very big dude, named Sebastian. Sebastian wasn't quite sure what to think...he smiled politely and goes "Oh." So eloquent, that Sebastian.

He and I are going to be pals, I just know it.

New priorities!

2010-09-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

Well, okay so I fail at blogging...haha! But my life is literally going by like a flashy blur these days.

I started my new new job last month and then school last week! If I'm not working, sitting in class, or doing homework, then chances are I'm finding stolen moments to snuggle my wiggly little princess. I say stolen because she seldom has time for such nonsense...such a busy-body, that Isabella!

I can honestly say I am doing much better with my situation these days. I've put myself in as much therapy as I can afford and after about two months I am already starting to feel little sprouts of my old self starting to pop up. I feel more confidant about my life and I'm not as ashamed to talk about it as I used to be. It's a work in progress. I've finally started to accept that I cannot expect results over night, a five year marriage cannot just be erased and I'm finally "okay" with feeling the pain of the loss and managing it, while also holding myself accountable for my own contribution to the situation. I no longer feel like a failure, more like a fighter :)

I will confess that before I was afraid to talk about real-life situations. I was afraid of what others would think of me, but I really want to be able to write about what's real, not what I wish was real. I have been accused of "playing the victim" by people who's opinions I used to value and hold in high esteem, so I immediately clammed up. I thought that the only time I should ever write was when I had something sunny to say. But now I know that just because I write about how I truly feel, does not in any way mean I am "playing a victim" I'm brushing off those negative crumbs in my life and moving forward.

I want to start setting aside a minute or two each day to chronicle this whole phase of my life. It's therapeutic for me to write about this, and one day I want to be able to look back and reflect on everything. Whether or not someone wants to read this no longer matters to me, I'm going to write what I want to write, you either like it or you don't, you either agree or disagree, either way, I'm a'writin' it, I hope that by being honest, perhaps I will help someone who is going through something similar. I certainly cannot be of any help to anyone if I am keeping it hush-hush because someone had a bag full of discouraging things to say to me.

Besides, I have so many positive things happening that I cannot wait to share!

XOXO
Mary-Catherine

Busy busy busy!

2010-06-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in almost a month...ack! We have been so busy getting acquainted with our new life that I just haven't made the time to blog...but Isabella is "napping" (I can hear her over the baby monitor singing and playing with toys) so I thought I would take a minute or two to update!

Today was a great day. Isabella and I went to a play-date with my sister and some friends of ours that we have known since we were all little kids, it's actually really neat because ALL of us mommies were homeschooled together growing up! Our moms were all friends, and now WE are all friends. It's really special to me that we have been able to grow up together and have children together. Among the five of us there are ten kids! Can you say crazy?! haha! We have all experienced so many things over the years...there is just nothing like life-long friends! I feel so blessed to be back around such an awesome group of women. These are some women that I can really relate to, go to for advice and talk to whenever I need a shoulder. I have the most awesome people in my life! I just cannot say it enough.

It was a good 45 minute drive for me, so I had to pull through the Starbucks and get myself my vanilla latte...and I cracked up when Isabella asked if she could have her "coffee" too (Organic chocolate milk) I thought it was so cute when she asked "Mommy, I need MY coffee too." I love my little lady!

Things have been moving right along for us...our household goods shipment is set to come in from Hawaii next week and I am SO excited. I have really missed my "stuff" and I know poor Isabella has missed all of her toys. I got accepted to the college I wanted to go to and I'm getting enough financial aid to get me through the year! YEAH! I start in mid August and I will be going full time for Computer Science...I hope I can hack it (HAHA get it?) ...the math portion scares me to diddly death, but I'm ready to get to work!

I am having Isabella's 3rd birthday party this Saturday and I cannot believe that my little baby is turning three! She is SUCH a big girl...we are having a carnival theme and I got the CUTEST vintage style decorations at Hobby Lobby...I can't wait to post pictures!

Well here are a few pictures from our play-date today. I better get off of here and enjoy my "freedom" (I use that term loosely) while Isabella "naps" heehee!

The brood, take one! From left, Jacob, parker, Emma's legs and waist haha, Hilary, Isabella, Jackson, Madison and Caitlen. The kids were tired of sitting still at this point...can you tell?

The brood take two! Minus Jake and the two babies, Bella dnd Hudson. Isabella is the one in the gigantic hairbow, no missing her! heehee!

The mom squad! From left, Amber, Brittainy (my seester), Me and Candace. Tiffany isn't in the picture because she offered to take the photo...thanks Tiffany!

This face...

2010-05-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Makes my heart break into a million pieces...and then melt into mush.

Scares me a little because it means madness ensues...

Is everything to me.

Of all the mommies in the world...God sent her to me...that's just...wow!

one word weekend

2010-05-16T16:15:00.001-07:00

Deluge.

Love.

Woolgathering.

Snuggle.

Giggle.

Exhausted.

Festival.

Nephew.

Cousins.

Friends.

just being

2010-05-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today Isabella and I had a stay-home day...Lovey was busy working at "the cherry store" so we chose to just mellow out here at home.

I'll be working soon myself, ya know...yes indeedy! As a barista at my local Starbucks...ahh the glamorous life of a suddenly single mom. Good thing I look good in green.

I cleaned house while Isabella played...

Jasper looks perky because he just snarfed half a dozen burnt chicken nuggets out of the trash can...he thought I didn't notice, I'm learning to pick my battles with that beast.

Very busy shopping in between playing "horsey" with the broom...I had just swept up ten lbs. of black lab fur with said "horsey"

My mother's day daises Lovey and Granddaddy had Isabella give me on Sunday...Know what I love about daises? They're still so cheerful and fresh nearly a week later...

I am so grateful.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend...

XOXO
MC

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's day to all mommies everywhere!

Today we're appreciated and noted for our valiant efforts in poop wiping, sleepless nights, nursing, dressing, combing, bathing, disciplining....oh yeah, and that small matter of birthin' 'em to begin with :)

Much love and awe from yers truly.

Now, go prop your feet up and laugh at your husband while he changes a diaper.

Squishy men are the best men.

2010-05-06T13:22:00.001-07:00

Well, Jet lag has waned and schedules are being re-established...things are starting to feel a little more normal. I miss Hawaii just a bit more than I thought I would...but a new squishy baby nephew to snuggle has definitely been an acceptable elixir for that malady. See that handsome studmuffin up there? He's my new man...too bad he's a total momma's boy...he cried after this picture...hey, I'm working my way in people...

Uhm...please try to overlook my brown roots showing through...been a little busy...Ms. Clairole and I definitely need to reconnect.

Isabella and I are happily nestled into my parents big ole house way out in the boonies...a huge contrast to our little suburb life we've lived the past 5 years. Being back at my parent's is more than a little surreal for me...the last time I lived here was when I was 18...right before I unfolded my still-wet wings and headed to the courthouse to sign myself away to a boy I barely knew. Yikes. Lets not go there...not until I've had at least two years of therapy...wait, make it three.

Monday I will go forth into the fray and begin my quest for a job...oh my. A job...pardon me while I rock back and forth and wring my hands a bit...I'll be leaving my little wienerschnitzel during the day to be a workin' woman...I cain't take it! I've stayed at home with her since she was just a little squirmy pink wad...I can't handle the thought of not being a stay at home momma...but she will be in Lovie's capable hands, so I've nothing to fear. Change is always scary, but I tell myself if I just take it one step at a time, things will start to feel less scary and more acceptable.

Bitterness? Oh yeah...I got some of that. Anger? How much do ya want...I've got a stockpile...Disappointment? Let me just go check my inventory, 'cause I believe that department is full to bursting. But such is life, my friends! I got my red-headed stinker-pants...and that's all that really matters.

And now, with my new-found sense of freedom, I will proceed to say how I really feel about things. Oh boy, this blogging thing? It's gonna be So. Much. More. Fun.

A day at a time.

2010-04-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

Whew-whee but I'm in a funk! And not just any funk...a rotten-dead-skunk-funk. That's a stinky funk right there...

I try not to post too much doom-n-gloom on here...but truth is, that's just not real life...real life has it's own little dooms and glooms...and Lordy but I'm a'goin' through some right now...and I've never been much for faking it.

My mom has always told me to take things one day at a time..."don't borrow sorrow from tomorrow..." that was a big one growing up, she said it to me all of the time. Drove me nuts! Funny thing is...now it's my mantra.

There. I feel a little better now.

Truth is...this little stink pot is one of the only things gettin' me by...well, that and my momma...poor momma...I wonder how many phone calls a day she has been getting from me during the past few months? Poor momma.

Today was a discouraging day...reality can be a real stinker. And when someone hands you a giant stack O paperwork...and you realize that the past five years of your life have been reduced to the paperwork in your hands...you wanna kick some butt, that's all.

But then my little sugardoodle gives me her "toot-face"...

I gotta post pictures of the toot-face. It's a force to be reckoned with...it could win over a pms'ing snapping turtle who just stubbed her toe on the edge of a coffee table after hearing that her shell got towed 'cause she parked it in front of a hydrant.

...anywho, she gives me the toot-face and says "I WUV you mama-baby!" and I'll be darned if that doesn't make me feel better.

Stepping stones of comfort food.

2010-04-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

In times of deep sorrow...I find immense peace in home made chocolate sauce. Never underestimate it's powers. It's like the nicotine patch for your soul, it doesn't cure anything...but it sure helps carry you through those hard times.

Whenever I'm stirring up a pan of chocolate sauce, I think about my mom. Standing at the old beige colored stove in our house, she would be stirring up a pan of chocolate sauce, usually at about 11:00 o'clock at night...then when it was done, we would pour it onto plates and eat it with our fingers.

Today was a bad day. In fact, it was a really bad day. Better yet, make that a monumental of horrid days. The kind of day that deserve their own little plaque that says: "Hey congratulations, ya big schmuck...you made it through this day...now, buck up, go to bed and get ready for tomorrow."

My life is about ready to take an entirely different turn, a scary, unfamiliar turn. A turn that makes me want to ruffle up my hair, rock back and forth, fiddle with my hands and mutter incoherently. This will reflect in my blog soon enough. But I'm not ready for all of that yet....so I'm going to show you pictures of cake instead.

It all starts here. The firm foundation known as angel food cake.

But we all know this is where it's at...the special sauce. Who knew butter, sugar, cocoa and vanilla could yield such beauty.

I like to overdue things. It's who I am...ALWAYS add clear vanilla extract to your home made whipped cream. The angels in your angel food cake will sing your praises.

Oh yeah baby...

Oh man...get in my belly. Half of it got in my belly...the other half had to wait...Isabella announced she needed to poo-poo and I had better HURRY or it was going to "get out"

Chocolate sauce after a toddler poop? Still tastes amazing.

A series of photos I like to call The Suburban Food Chain

2010-02-21T23:01:00.000-08:00

Predator attempts to give off an aura of innocence.

"iz a very nize day today...yehz?"

Predator begins stalking prey.

Predator goes in for the kill.

Like a good gentleman...predator cleans himself.

"Yehz..I triez to eatz de feeshy...and de pointz?"

Gentleman predator missed lip-licking memo, it seems.

I am happy to report that Phineas the fish narrowly escaped certain peril by the skin of his phins-er...fins. He lives to die another day.

A Pioneer Dinner

2010-02-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

Tonight I felt frisky. So I broke out my new best friend:

It's Ree! From Pioneer Woman

We're practically bff's...

See? Ok...so I didn't get to actually go to a book signing...but my Aunty Gaye-Gaye did! This cookbook was my favorite Christmas present this year. I've already cooked my way through half the book. And gained a few lbs in the process...

Chicken Spaghetti...I was skeptical...but I made it last night and took it to my hubby on the ship...he engulfed an entire Rubbermaid container full in a matter of five minutes.

We're pinchin' pennies in this household...so for dinner tonight we had the leftover Chicken Spaghetti...but I needed some sides to zest it up a bit, ya know? Well...PW never fails. I made the Ceaser Salad that was featured in yesterday's PW Cooks post...BEST Ceaser salad I have had in a long time.

I also decided to make the rolls that were featured in the same post. Holy Moley. I wish I hadn't. They were the perfect balance of buttery goodness and flavorful rosemary. I burnt the heck-fire out of my hand pullin' 'em out of the over though. I said a real bad word. (Been watching too much DeadWood)

Good thing my hand felt better in time for me to eat some of these Apple Dumplings...Also featured on same post. Call me unimaginative...or it could be PW just really knows how to put one heck of a meal together ;-)

I'll tell you one thing, though...I got one happy Hubby tonight, that's for sure.

98'th percentile for head size...all the better to perch hairbows on my dear!

2010-02-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I love my little bean head....She'll grow into that gorgeous noggin of hers....I mean, I grew into mine...

Monkey see Monkey does...

2010-02-19T02:34:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I enrolled my little monkey in a gymnastics class...my baby is in a class. A class. With a teacher and rules...my...my baby!

We've also been looking into some private pre-schools for her. Pre-school! I can't abide. it's too much.

Mind...cannot...comprehend.

I had better change the subject before I need to call my momma.

My monkey...she loves her class. She's still trying to get the hang of the whole listening-to-a -teacher-and-following-directions thing...but she gets a little better with every class. Her favorite part is swinging from the rings. She looks just like the Orangutans at the Honolulu Zoo.

My....baby....

It's cruel is what this is. Straight up cruel. I need some greasy food now.

Holy vintage lace batman!

2010-02-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

I was lurking around one of my favorite thrifting haunts when I came across a wire rack of misc. textiles...they had various Ziploc bags crammed with odds and ends labeled "Buy one get one FREE" So, naturally I was all over that like white on rice...I figured I would spend 5 bucks and I was bound to come across something useful...holy moly spicy guacamole...I hit the mother-load!
I went home and eagerly un-stuffed my baggies discovering, to my delight, that I had literally hit vintage pay-dirt.

I admit...they have been spread out on the kitchen table for about a week now...every once in a while Isabella or I will wander over and sift through their wondrous fluffiness...dream a bit...then it's off again.

I think perhaps, that the best part of a good find, is the dreaming process, the planning of what you shall eventually use it for.

A woman's prerogative.

2010-02-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm exercising my special right! I've been feeling the bug the past couple of weeks...the blogging bug, that is.

That's right...I changed ma mind.

And there aint nothin' nobody can do 'bout it.

Closing up shop

2009-12-24T02:39:00.001-08:00

I've come to the decision and I'm retiring my little blog...perhaps I'm just growing weary of it or perhaps I have simply just lost my mojo...I'm not sure which but I will most certainly continue to frequent and stalk all of my faves.

Who knows? Maybe I will start a new one someday.

I'm currently working on saving all of my posts and making them into a book, a book that I hope to someday give to Isabella when she leaves the nest....preferably not for at least another 48 years.
I appreciate, love and adore all of the heartfelt comments of encouragement I have received over the years, and since I'm not sure if I can save them, I am working on writing them all down in a special notebook so that someday I will come across it and they can make me smile again :)

much love,

Mary-Catherine

How to score a Christmas tree in Hawaii

2009-12-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

First things first, ya gotta find yourself the nearest building with one of these signs hanging on it.

Then, you take your handsome husband and delectable daughter and you proceed to browse the firs....

You browse...and you browse...

And you browse some more...and then you discuss your browsing...

When you finally find just the right one...you send hubby to inspect the boughs for ultimate ornamenting perfection. Then it's off to the trunk trimmer for ole Firby!

Oh, but be sure to stop up your ears when they trim the trunk...those saws are loud!

And finally, you watch while handsome hubby struggles to tie tree to top of car...and voila! Ya got yourself a Christmas tree. In Hawaii.

Typical.

2009-11-19T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today Isabella waited until I was deeply enthralled in TJMAXX to do a big stinky #2 for the afternoon....typical.

Grandaddy brought home a box of "boom-booms" (ice cream) and Isabella wanted that instead of dinner...typical.

Jasper kept a faithful vigil for any sort of droppings or drips...typical.

(Jasper is very thorough when it comes to droppings)

Tonight, Isabella became excessively loud and rambunctious right when I was sitting down to watch Fox News...typical.

Just now, while typing this...my sweet, sticky little dirty girl climbed up into my lap and gave me kisses then requested to be tickled...typical.

I loved every minute of it...typical.

Like mother, like daughter

2009-11-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

I take full responsibility for the strong willed nature of this child. There's really no way out of this one for me.

Cousin of the canine sort

2009-11-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Meet my little brother, Jasper. He is my mother's baby.

Isabella and Jasper go way back.

Like the time he chewed the tips off of all her bottle nipples? Good times, good times...or the time he ate her pacifiers...not such good times. Jasper is also inclined to enjoy a poopy diaper or two if they are left within snouting distance.

*wretch*

These two have a great partnership...Isabella follows him around because he's furry and he allows her to do all manner of things to him.

For example, last night he was a great sport when she painted his entire coat with pink glitter, pulled on his jowels and gave him a noogie.

Jasper follows Isabella around because inevitably, she will be dropping edibles of some sort.

Please, can I keep her? I promise I'll take real good care of her....

I can't figure out who considers who the pet...but I know one thing...

It's love.

This Vs. That

2009-11-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

Last week when Hubby was here, we spent lot of time just soaking up the view.

In my humble opinion, there really is just no comparison....

This

Will always be more beautiful than that...

But nothing...nothing can compare to this view.

Lordy...I'm having to fan myself over here...I married myself a hunk of burnin' love.

*Swoon*

Leaf peekin'

2009-11-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

I'm back in my old stomping grounds of East Tennessee...and I love, love, love. My parents called a while back...they asked if Isabella and I would care to come home to enjoy some fall foliage? And I said, Why yes, yes we would. They're always doing things like that, my parents. Bringing me home when they know I'm homesick.

You see, I'm a Fall-Foliagophile...a lover of fall foliage. I made that up.

I love my parental units.

It had been over a year since I had been home, and except for my dearest sister who is sporting an adorable basketball of a pregnant belly, nothing has really changed. It's both relieving and sad to come home to find things exactly as you remember and miss them...

Something about being back in the South makes me want to tease my hair higher...and wear more eyeliner...Isabella has got to be confused, she's wondering why her hair bows have ridiculously graduated in size, but as the sweet little old lady working at The Bow Show said; "Oh, honey...the bigger the better."

I love the South.

Isabella is a foliagophile too.

Happiness is a color.

2009-10-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

Perhaps more than any one non-Isabella/Hubby thing in the world, I would say I love color the most. Yes, most definitely color. I cannot imagine my life without a palette of vivid and wild colors.

I like to tell myself that I was destined in some way to eventually end up here in Hawaii, this being one of the few places where you're treated (almost daily) to God's magnificent gift of the rainbow. I just never grow tired of those things...some are more magnificent than others...and a few are double, maybe even triple rainbows! My eyes just gobble it all up like a big ole greedy ogre. This beaut. greeted me when I walked out of my door Sunday evening.

There are so many glorious colors swirling around in my world right now...most of them are happy, very few are not. I feel nervous, the pessimist I am, I'm so full of contentment and happiness that my soul is almost tentative to allow myself any enjoyment...I keep asking myself,

"Is it okay to be this happy? Does this mean something bad is going to happen soon? Should I be worried?"

It's very unhealthy to think like that I'm told. So I've been on a personal mission to stop this negative, unhealthy behavior and instead just allow myself to wallow in the joy of my many, many blessings.

Oh, I'm wallowin' alright. You betcha.

I have so much to wallow in.

Time, the tricky little sucker.

2009-10-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

How did an entire two months pass me by so quickly?!?! Lordy, it's been so long I hardly know where to start...did ya give up on me? I did.

I did indeed receive my new laptop and we made love. Isabella? Well, I don't really know what's going on with her in this picture, but I apparently have morning face and Isabella looks a little forlorn ...and it appears she has chocolate milk spilled down her shirt. Just peg me Mommy of The Year.

Hubby came home from deployment! I have no pictures of homecoming because I fail as a Navy wife...actually, that's a funny story, really. I'll have to tell you that one later.

We've been spending a lot of time at the beach-of course.

Love those two...

Hubby lost a lot of weight on deployment...I've been busy cookin' him up some good ole country food...put some meat on them bones.

Isabella got a modeling contract at Vogue.

Just kidding, but this really cracked me up.

Got out my fall decor....more on that later.

Isabella grew boobies!!!

Er, sorry. Really mature mom, who's the two year old here?

We went out on a boat.

Hey, you stole my seat, ornery sailor.

The view? Oh man, the view...it was spectacular...

Absolutely spectacular...right down to the grimace on hubby's face.

I love my little Cheeto-faced vampire girl.

Poop

2009-08-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

This is exactly what my laptop did last week...took a big ole dump and pooped out on me with a moan and a flicker of the screen...poor guy didn't even se it coming. But the good news is, my new candy pink Dell should be in the mail sometime on Monday-yay!-I've been DYING without my intenet.

Be back soon!

My sisters are going to kill me for this one.

2009-07-28T02:49:00.000-07:00

Going on 23 years ago, I made my debut into their lives. It's funny, how our personalities are prevalent so early on in our lives. I was a screamer. Unhappy. I wanted to be one of the "big girls" from the second I came out of the womb. My sister's tolerated me as best as an 8 year old and a 4 year old could.

But time marches on...I grew out of it...sorta. I still scream when I'm angry, but anywho, we spent a bit of time doing this

Primping was our forte...My middle sister, Brittainy (the one on the far right) taught me how to apply my make-up, she helped me choose my clothes, taught me about style and gave me my first maxi-pads when I was 13 and too embarrassed to ask my mom (I'm sorry if my mention of maxi-pads embarrassed you, momma, "just keepin' it real")

But with three girls, there must have been cat fights, right? Oh, there were cat fights alright. There was drama. There were tears...oh buddy, was there ever drama. (and still is)

But more than any of that, there was laughter. Lots and lots of laughter. I am the goofy one. Can you tell? I often suckered my sisters into participating in all kinds of antics with me. They enjoyed it, I don't care what they say.

They were usually pretty good natured. But most of the time, I was the loud, obnoxious, bird-legged shrimp following them around, clamoring for their attention, poking my nose into their bedrooms and generally just annoying the dookie out of 'em.

I was in a constant state of melancholy when they both left for college. That's the bad thing about being the baby, you're always the last to go. And I was VERY impatient to "go"

We go through pretty much everything together, and at least one of us will be there for the other one.

Pregnancies.

Bootcamp.

New experiences...and things we don't care to ever do again.

Hasty courthouse marriages. (notice Tyler and I are the only ones that look genuinely happy?)

And even though we may disagree (which we do quite often) and we fight, and we hurt each other, and we say things we don't mean, and one of us isn't speaking to the other...one thing still remains, and it always will whether we like it (or choose to accept it) or not....

We're sisters, and aint nothin' none of us can do 'bout it.

:)

Masterpieces.

2009-07-27T01:59:00.001-07:00

The other day I needed to clean house, so I sat Isabella down at the kitchen table with some "squishy" Translated: PlayDough

She was very busy, chattering away to herself while she worked. I kept hearing her say something about "eyeballs" ....So I had to ask.

"Whatcha makin' over there, Bella?"

"I makin' eyeballs, momma!"

"Can I see 'em?"

"Sure! No problem you like it momma?"

"I LOVE it! Thank you, I'm going to keep it forever."

"Oh! Okay! I make more eyeballs for you!"

I love, love, love.

The time Hubby and I had dinner in a coven.

2009-07-26T02:04:00.000-07:00

Uh-huh, you read right.

Since it has been a crazy-go-nuts weekend, and I have had zero time to take pictures, I figured I would leave you with one of Tyler's and my favorite awkward moments. We frequently like to look back on this night fondly...then we shudder, swallow audibly and talk about the Braves.

I worked at Starbucks for two years. To say I met/worked with some interesting characters is the understatement of the century (one day I will tell you about the lady with singing Tourettes who came through my line to order a decaf, triple venti, nonfat, no foam, sugar-free vanilla, extra hot, laaaaattttteeeee!!!) Anywho...aside from the fact that I was living in dirty, rotten, but oh-so-glorious, sin with my fiance (now hubby) I was a good, church of Christ, homeschooled-through-highschool, somewhat sheltered (I say somewhat because I was stealthy. I love you mom.) girl. Hubby? Well....hubby is groomed. VERY groomed, and most of the time he is dressed head to toe in Banana Republic. 'Nuff said.

So yeah, Starbucks, right. One of my favorite people to work with was this guy that I will call Dan. Dan was really weird, and he always smelled kind of like marijuana. But I liked Dan, he was vastly intelligent, did a hilarious robot impression and when we worked together we liked to have contests to see who could make venti frappuccinos the fastest. One night he invited Tyler and me over for tacos after my night shift, I had heard rumors that Dan made a killer spicy taco, so I agreed. Hubby and I picked up a six pack and headed over.

Dan gave us directions to his girlfriends house, whom I shall call Molly. (Dan and Molly also lived in dirty, rotten sin) Hubby was hesitant, but I told him to "Be more open minded"...Molly lived in the projects, no biggee, I'm not too good for the projects...Molly lived really, really far out into the projects....no...biggee...We get to their front door and there was this little sign that said "Welcome to my coven" I got a little chuckle out of that because, well...because I was homeschooled through highschool and I thought it was one of those silly jokes like "I couldn't find my car keys so I drove my broom instead!" har har har.....?....jeez, tough crowd.

It wasn't until Dan opened the door, wearing a studded dog collar, black eyeliner and parachute pants (NOT the Starbucks uniform I was used to seeing him in) that I noticed the enormous pentagram on the wall and an interesting looking swinging device in the living room.

Hubby blanched.

Molly was a gracious hostess, and I'm sure that we had an interesting conversation...but the fact that she was wearing really big, really long chains around her neck, and black panties with fishnet pantyhose, really had me distracted from any and all conversation...there's really no telling what I prattled on about.
We finally sat down to dinner, Hubby looked as if he were sitting on pine-cones. I decided to take the most obvious aspect of the room and attempt to start a normal conversation. There were books...lots of books. Floor to ceiling throughout the entire house was nothing but bookshelves. It wasn't until after I opened my big, fat, homeschooled mouth that I happened to actually look at what a lot of the books were about. Uhm....lets just say....that was an educational evening for me...Momma didn't teach me none of that in no home-skool.

Awkward silence.

Suddenly, Dan was completely overtaken by lust...it must have been the conversation starter about the books..., he jumped out of his chair, sending it flying into a bookshelf, and he began utilizing the chains around Molly's neck. He very deftly chained her to the dinner table....right on our tacos, dangit!....and he...licked her.

That was it. Hubby bolted.

Being a polite, Southern girl, I felt obligated to say something-anything-before I just chased after my hubby who was already gunning the engine of my Honda...I said something like "Man, Dan...those were great Tacos...see you at work tomorrow!..."

Incoherent moaning....

....and then I followed suit, bolting after my preppy, Banana Republic man.

In the car, I promised hubby to never ask him to be open minded again. We went home and read our bibles like good little sinners.

Just kidding on that last part, well, kind of. I prayed...hubby held himself and rocked back forth for a while.

Work was a bit awkward for me the next night. Dan was all smiles and invited us over for game night. After I got finished retching in the bathroom at the mere thought of what types of games they would be playing, I politely made up some bogus plans and lied right through my teeth.

I'm rearing this.

2009-07-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

A little light morning read...

Hmmm....looks riveting...what on earth could have her so enamored?? Lets take a peeky-pie, shall we?

Ah, yes...she's reading about the prolapsed cow uterus on PioneerWoman complete with icky gory pictures. Yeah, that one really grabbed me too.

CAUGHT!

On pitching tents.

2009-07-23T02:50:00.000-07:00

Get your mind out of the gutter, this is about CAMPING...honestly.

I've had a lot of company lately. More on that later. My dear friend from Japan came and visited me for a couple of weeks and a few days into her trip she and I thought it would be so fun to go beach camping. With my two year old. Nevermind the fact that she had NEVER been camping before in her life and the last time I had been anything that even remotely resembled camping was when I was fifteen. My mom and dad are real crunchy folks, they like to backpack. As in rough it in the wilderness with only as much as you can carry...in your backpack.

Well it just so happened that I was smack in the prime of my teenage angst/rebellion phase, not to mention I had myself a cute little dish of a boyfriend, so they made me go with them. As in, I had my own backpack, and I was expected to carry things, like pots and pans...in my backpack.

I started my period with a vengance the very morning we were leaving. This was a two day trip. Lovely. I begged to stay home, but nope, no such luck. They knew better. (which in retrospect was probably a good thing) Period or no period, I was going. Period. (sorry had to throw that one in there, just way too easy)

So, not only was I hiking 4 miles up a mountain to a patch of dirt just so that I could sleep on the ground and hang my food up in trees so bears did not come into my tent and try to eat me....but I was also packing a ziploc bag so that I could keep any of my menstral evidence sealed up (which I also had to hang in a tree) because the scent of my blood would attract bears and they would try to eat me.

How's that for a lovely mental image?

Moving along.

So my friend and I...we wanted to beach camp. I called and reserved us a sweet campsite right on the beach at one of the most beautiful camp grounds in Hawaii, it's gated and specifically for military, so completely safe. We loaded up with everything. And I mean everything. And away we went. Two naive little suburban girls.

Oh, Lordy.

The first night into our two night trip (anybody else noticing a pattern here?!) It was about midnight and we were snuggled deep in the throngs of our air mattress, in our tent that we had so proudly pitched ourselves, when we noticed that people were walking awfully close to our tent....and even more annoying their flashlights were shining right through the nylon walls into our faces. I felt like my eyeballs were glowing like a raccoon's whenever you pass it with your headlights on. This went on ALL night long...I was getting increasingly annoyed, didn't these people sleep?! I mean what was going on all night long that had every single darned camper taking flash-lit strolls right by our heads???

I found out the next morning around 6:00 am when the wind blew the entire front half of our tent up off the ground. The only thing holding us down was us, on the air matress. I went outside, morning lips, crazy hair and all, to hammer our tent stakes back into the ground. I took a look around the area where we had pitched our tent............

We had pitched our lovely tent right smack dab in the middle of the path to the bathrooms. I can only imagine what those campers were thinking, shuffling to the bathroom to take a midnight pee, when all of the sudden their flashlight illuminates our bright yellow tent right in front of them, and most assuredly my sillouette raising up in annoyence to peep through the mesh window to see who on earth was walking by our tent this time?!

"Hey, look at me! I'm a big ole dork" I promise that's not a toupee going askew in this picture...it was just REALLY windy that day.

Honey-child, it's a good thing you're cute...

2009-07-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

'Cause it's your saving grace.

I love the heck out of my stink-pot.

I'll could be meeting Dog the Bounty Hunter.

2009-07-22T02:19:00.000-07:00

Let me paint a picture for you.

I have crazy hair. My mascara is dripping. The circles under my eyes are starting to resemble that Zombie movie Dawn of The Dead. I have been wearing the same tank-top for two days and it is starting to put off an odor. I am rummaging around the house like a mad woman searching for my precious Zoloft and you better dang believe there is some high dollar vodka chilling in my freezer.

Before all of you perfect mothers go and start judging me...imagine being alone, on an island, with your red-headed two year old (who by the way has the temperament of a hand grenade) Imagine trying to buy groceries, toilet paper, tampons and what-have-you with a screaming appendage who is going all kinds of exorcist in your cart, throwing things on the floor as fast as you can put them in. Imagine getting home only to realize that amid the blood curdling screams of your dear, sweet offspring you basically just grabbed things at random...coming home with an assortment of four boxes of easy mac, three Lean cuisines, a jar of pickles and...Japanese rice candy?!?! Because you had to to make a quick exit out of the grocery store, because said toddler was so far gone in the grips of her metldown that she ripped the neck of your favorite shirt open...because for the love of everything that is holy you were just grabbing things-anything so at least you would have something to show for the amount of suffering you just endured.

Imagine that. Just do it. Humor me.

If that isn't enough to make you grab your hair, rock back and forth and scream "WHY?! Why me?!" then imagine driving down the road, jamming to a great tune only to have your toddler climb up into the passenger seat...because apparently she has figured out how to unbuckle herself out of her carseat.

Yep, that's me, I fail as a mother. If it wasn't for Zoloft and life's sweet nectar I like to call vodka, why ya'll...I would surely be in jail by now and Dog himself would be posting my bail.

It's one am....and my beloved is sitting beside me, covered in toothpaste and sobbing because she is "sticky" ....because she figured out how to climb over the baby gate I use to gate her into her room at night....and played in her toothpaste while I was in the shower.

Wanna trade? didn't think so.

Dorks have all the fun.

2009-06-28T03:13:00.001-07:00

Side Wedgie.
Sand-covered bum.
Half a hair-do.

Like mother, like daughter.

(I won't even risk the detriment of your vision by showing you my dorky beach self. Just trust me on this one...while sand-covered side-wedgies are charming on toddlers....definitely not so cute on the momma.)

Birthday pictures, and updates coming soon...

Summer Kitchen

2009-06-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

I have been bus, busy, busy getting my house all ready for....my parent's visit!!! That's right, that's my big news, (told ya, exciting for me...not so much for anyone else, except my parents, that is) To put this into more perspective for you....I haven't had the pleasure of playing hostess for my parents in over two years! And the fact that they are coming all the way to Hawaii is huge, because due to the fact that my mom suffers from chronic and severe claustrophobia she has NEVER flown in an airplane....she is in her fifties (sorry mom for throwing your age out there hee-hee!) My mom has always been one to go for the big guns...no small trainer flight for her, no siree! She's starting off with the bug guns. A nice, long 15 hour ordeal to baptize her into the world of air travel.

Say a little prayer for her...and my dad. Not sure who will need them more ;-)

Sunshine.

2009-06-05T01:22:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

When I first moved to Hawaii, I never thought this ole Southern girl would notice the changing "seasons" of a tropical island...but after living here for two years I can definitely detect the difference! With the perpetually rainy winter season behind us, the Hawaii sun is bearing down full throttle...and we're loving it.

Isabella and I have been lolling about, going back and forth between pool and sunshine...soaking it up. If we're not going to the beach, we spend our afternoons in the back yard splashing about in her pool or running through the sprinklers. We always top things off with a popsicle and then we sleep. I noticed today that I have developed a fresh batch of freckles dusting every part of my body that has been exposed to the sun...I'm kind of digging this look.

I love these pictures. Isn't this what summer is all about? Playing in the yard in your bathing suit, popsicle stains on your mouth, and mosquito bites in every nook and cranny...man, I love summer.

I have some exciting news to share with you...well, exciting for me at least...

Break.

2009-05-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm taking one. Feeling a little run-down and uninspired lately...I'll hopefully get my mo-jo back soon :)

J.O.Y.

2009-05-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

Today I am absolutely filled with it...for no particular reason except that Heavenly Father has blessed me and life is good.

Before I smother you in photos and wax poetic about how wonderful toddlers with popsicles are...Sweet Tamerie over at ALittleofThisThatandtheOther Was kind enough to award me with this! Definitely give her sweet page a visit. Thankyou Tamerie, you're such a peach! :)

Below is Isabella's favorite playmate...together they enjoy making up silly songs and running amuck. I took them out on the front porch for popsicles this afternoon and kicked back in my lawn chair to enjoy one myself...as I was watching those two rejoicing over their popsicles I couldn't help but feel my soul begin to smile.

All of this week's stress and anxiety just sort of melted away, like the treats in their sticky little hands.

My sweet little Bella trusts me to take care of her, she knows without a doubt that every morning she will be dressed, fed, and changed. For her, it's just a part of everyday life...and in an ah-ha moment I realized that my Heavenly Father will always do the same for me if I put my trust in Him. I prayed silently while I watched them and peace engulfed me like a warm blanket. I began to giggle and smile with them and grabbed my camera to capture the moments of their sweet excitement. Seeing their smiles and listening to their gleeful squeals of delight...it just thrilled me...toddler happiness is such a genuine and uninhibited thing, much too sweet to let pass you by.

How sweet life can be when you just give your problems to Him! I'm filled with joy...absolutely immersed by it. I took the time to soak up what I had been missing all around me while I was so deeply preoccupied by my funkish week...While walking through the neighborhood the sprinklers kicked on, I saw the immediate longing flash in Isabella's eyes...Oh, why not? We charged them alright! We went running through those sprinklers, giggling, flailing our arms and making spectacles of ourselves, the neighbors now think I'm a complete screwball, but I don't care because one mommy saw us having such a blast that she let her little girl out and they joined us...and I made an amazing new friend! I guess the point of my ramblings are, trust in Him...leave your worries and cares to Him, and He will bless you. (Is this too preachy? I'm sorry...I just had to share this...it's the best thing that has happened to me all week)

And now, after much lamenting, I have come to the conclusion that I am a sporadic blogger at best, no matter how hard I try to be otherwise. I'm just going to have to accept me for who me is...so, thanks for staying with me :)

My sentiments exactly.

2009-05-18T03:00:00.001-07:00

Isabella and I seem to have had identical reactions to this week's stress.

Here's to a better week!

......

2009-05-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

Recovering from a pretty stressful week, ya'll! Be back on Monday...the good Lord willing.

My "crack"

2009-05-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

I could have worse addictions.

Hubby: It is completely normal for a toddler to have at least one pair of shoes for every occasion. "sporty" "dressy" "casual" "breezy" "preppy" "beachy" "cutesy" and last, but certainly not least "play date-y"

Completely normal.

A very special mother's day

2009-05-10T22:49:00.000-07:00

My heart is threatening to burst this mother's day. Have you ever felt that way? So blessed and so incredibly content that you felt your heart would burst with love and happiness?

My dearest friend has been in the hospital since Wednesday...she was thirty weeks pregnant with her sweet baby girl, Taylor Grace. She was diagnosed with preeclampsia and was ordered to stay at the hospital on bed rest in order to be constantly monitored. Isabella and I spent a sweet afternoon with her on Thursday, chatting, giggling and eating goodies. Through it all my friend's spirits have never wavered, she's remained positive and hopeful, even though her husband is away on deployment during this difficult time.

Friday night I received a phone call from the hospital, they advised me to get to the hospital as soon as I possibly could...I immediately went into prayer mode as I dropped Isabella off with some wonderful friends and I rushed to her side...I had only been in her room ten minutes when doctors rushed in informing her that things had taken a turn for the worst, she would need an emergency c-section...at thirty weeks. My friend was visibly shaken, but she held up like the true Texas cowgirl that she is...she didn't bat an eyelash as she told them to do whatever they had to do to keep her baby girl safe. I witnessed strength that night that I will never forget.

Our husbands are on the same ship...so I was so honored when my friend chose me to be by her side . I got scrubbed up and we were whisked into the operating room. I held her hand in both of mine, and as she squeezed them tight we listened behind the blue curtain as the doctors brought her baby girl into the world. Sweet little Taylor weighed in at only 2lbs 15 oz...but she's a cowgirl just like her momma...when she came out she made the faintest little squeak and I knew in that moment, that God had given her the same determined spirit that he had given her sweet mommy.

They held baby up for mommy to see...and I was so incredibly blessed to witness the most profound three seconds of my life. I watched in disbelief as baby Taylor opened one eye and locked it with her mommy's...and in that one moment, I saw two spirits intertwine, I watched two people create a bond in two seconds that will remain for a lifetime and will never be broken. I cried at the immense beauty of it all...never in my life have I felt so humbled and grateful for God's gift of motherhood.

Sweet baby Taylor is thriving in the NICU, she breaths on her own and takes her breast milk through a feeding tube. Mommy is also doing well, she gets discharged from the hospital tomorrow...and even better, the Navy is flying her husband home from Hong Kong as we speak!!! I am filled with happiness for my sweet friend...filled with gratitude for my Heavenly Father's grace. What a beautiful mother's day....what a beautiful mother :)

skinna marinky linky dink...

2009-05-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a bad blogger.

Not only do I not consistently post every day...but I never can seem to comment back to each and every sweet comment that is left on my page. Not because I am "so busy" indeed, I make it a point to not be that busy at all...but honestly? It's because I will click on a person, fully intending on commenting back...but then I will always get lost in that person's blog archive...I'll start reading, get intrigued and before I know it I have spent an entire hour (or more) reading about this one person's life instead of spreading my comment love around like I should be...sigh...this is not a bad thing at all...I love it when I find a blog that I can't tear my greedy eyeballs away from...

All of your kind words always inspire me and never cease to boost my spirits, especially on those lonely days...so, I'm making a vow here and now to become a better blogger!

So...in true lurker fashion...I give you a few of the blogs that I have lately been making googly eyes at....These ladies are lovliness personafied!

ABitofPinkHeaven Is right up my ally with all of her beautiful pinkness!

TheKingandI A fellow LDS lady, a great crafter and an amazing writer! I am always uplifted by her sweet posts... I found Whitney through ADuckInHerPond (another amazing lurkfest...She's an incredible writer...I read her stories almost every evening!)

Reinvented I just love this lady. She has great ideas and she makes me giggle.

ALittleLovliness The name says it all...when I happened upon her beautiful world I just gasped...her little girls are just pure princess...and the clothes! Oh my goodness...the clothes....I love, love, love the pillowcase dresses, she included a tutorial, and I am totally going to try it out...so beautifully frou-frou!

Enjoy :)

My first quilt...

2009-05-05T15:41:00.001-07:00

I certainly didn't expect my first attempt at quilting to produce anything resembling perfect...so I expected these crooked squares...I don't mind, actually, that they don't line up perfectly, I tell myself it makes it look more "cottage-ey" I have visions of this quilt being drug through the sand at the beach, snuggled under for midnight movies, or spread out on the grass for impromtue lunch picnics with The Bella...none of which require perfection.

There are no quilt shops, or quality fabric stores on the island (that I have found but if you know of one please let me know!) so for my mother's day, I opted to order a bunch of beautiful prints from fabric.com...it was exactly what I wanted :) I binged on these adorable charm packs, which is what I'm using to make my patchwork quilt. I also snarfed a couple of yards of some favorite Amy Butler prints...I bought my groceries yesterday and I am looking forward to a few days of staying home and creating, creating, creating.

So ya'll were wondering where I got the fabric to make Isabella's busy bag? Well, my mother sent it to me...however, it is an Amy Butler design, and you can order it from fabric.com...they are wonderful, I order from them frequently and they're always very speedy with their shipping.

It's been sort of slow going with this monkey on my table...but even with my eight legged monkey assistant, I'm still finding immense peace in our boring, little routines. Does it make me a bad mother that most days we stay in our jammies, eat chocolate, color, and sew all day long? I feel like I should be more structured...and I know that I will be...as soon as Tyler gets home...but for right now, unless we absolutely have to be somewhere, I'm really okay with just this. In between chores and the other daily grinds, we talk and giggle...sometimes we bicker...we nap, we take care of business, we hope for a phone call from daddy...It just feels so natural to not fill my days with clutter but to just enjoy them as they are, slow, warm and uneventful.

Busy Bella's busy bag

2009-05-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

Trying to take good pictures of my busy B. is an effort in futility...I managed to get this one...she looks like she is in the loo...SIGH...I guess I'll take what I can get, even if it does resemble her being busy doing...er...her business.

The dress miss Bella is wearing is a beautiful Strausburg hand-me-down (on loan) from her cousin...I just love a good smock frock...I'm shopping online right now for a smocking thingy (not sure the correct terminology, yes I googled "smocking thingy") I'm feeling ambitous...or maybe just cocky...since I tought myself how to FINALLY make button holes :) after much chastizing from my hubby for not ever reading my usuers manuals for any of my electronics, I decided that now was as good a time as any to leanr some new skills. I made this "busy bag" for Isabella to take to church with her, she can stuff whatever she likes in it.

I lined the inside of the bag with Muslin for a little extra durability, the flower is glued onto an oversized button and then pinned onto the bag that way it can be removed for washing. I realize now that my bows look sloppy...oh well. The ribbon straps are tied onto-yep, you guess it! Buttonholes :-D

I'm still loving my sweet new layout so much!!! Happy Monday to all :)

Ta-Da!!!

2009-05-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

So what do ya think? I am completely in LOVE with my new bloggy!

When I posted about how I needed a make-over Sarah over at SarahsBlueCastle was so sweet and generously offered to do it for me! She has really done a fantastic job...she took so much care and time doing this for me and was always sure to ask if I liked everything...such a sweetheart! She incorporated all of the things I love best, Polka dots, the color pink, and little blue birds!

She is so talented in so many ways...not only can she do beautiful blog layouts, but she can also do some incredible house projects too...currently she is blogging all about her porch make-over on a budget...it's so awesome seeing how creative she is with objects she has around the house...definitely stop by and give her a shout, you will be so glad that you did!

Thank you so much Miss Sarah...you are truly a peach!

playskirt

2009-04-29T17:02:00.001-07:00

I love playskirts...simple and breezy, perfect for a day of toddler play. My mom is always sending me beautiful pieces of fabric from the quilt shop she works at...this particular piece was destined to be sewn into a playskirt from the moment I saw it. Monkeys, pink elephants, toucans and tigers...oh yes!

There is just something incredibly gratifying about making an article of clothing for your babe.

Oops!

2009-04-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I let an entire blogless week pass me by!

Thank you so much to everyone who had so many helpful suggestions for blog layouts! I cannot WAIT to show off my new duds...a very dear and sweet bloggy buddy of mine generously offered to use me as her "guinea pig" and is giving me a full make-over! I have followed SarahsBlueCastle for a while now and I am always amazed at her thriftiness and her creativity...This lady is talented ya'll! I am so excited for you to see her amazing handiwork. Definitely give her blog a visit if you're in need of cool decorating ideas or even just a little inspiration.

Over the weekend I was invited to a birthday party for a little girl in Isabella's nursery class at church...I had one short evening to think of a gift idea...so I zoomed up to the Target and quickly put together this gift basket full of three-year-old bliss. I whip-stitched this little drawstring pouch and filled it with "magic rocks" Isabella just loves to play with these.

This morning I tried my hand at braiding Isabella's hair...this was my first attempt ever at braiding her hair...so cut me some slack haha! I just LOVE the look of little girls with french braids (especially when there is ribbon tied to the ends-to die for!) so now that Isabella's hair is long enough I am going to practice every day until I can make them look sleek and perfect. That might take a while. It doesn't help that braiding her hair is like trying to wrestle a greased pig...I used cookies and Max and Ruby to get her to sit still for these...

Ok well, be sure and pop by later this week to check out my new look...I'm SO excited!!

o,l <--- Isabella's contribution to the blog...whilst I was fethcing myself a diet coke I found her fiddling with my keyboard....future blogger on my hands!!!

blog augmentation

2009-04-21T17:23:00.001-07:00

My blog needs a little lift, ya'll!

I want a new background, new template...new everything! Trouble is, I don't know the first thing about doing any of that myself and I don't want to risk losing my archive, or my list of blogs I like to view, well...anything off of my page, really. I see lots of beautiful bloggies out there...so I'm wondering, who do I go to? What's the going rate? Anybody got any info I could use? Pretty please? With a peach on top?

I'm envisioning something pink, sassy and definitely frou-frou...

i've been working....

2009-04-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

...on Isabella's room! If I wasn't such an amature, I would have taken before pics... I still have many, many things I plan to accomplish in here. Like curtains, (do I attempt making them, or just make it easy on myself and buy them?) a fancy mirror for her vanity, a pink, fluffy rug from Target to cover the hideous, brownish, office carpet ($80 rug-yowza! Will definitely have to wait) and a yard sale book shelf I just acquired that is currently undergoing a major face lift.

I have the hard part done though...and that is painting the entire room. The stripes were a pain in my rear-end...but definitely worth it because I LOVE 'em. The little canopy thingy over her crib is just an embroidery hoop that I covered with fake peonies, I saw one similar to this in a magazine and wanted it so badly, but it was $60!!! I racked my brain and came up with my own-cheaper-version, well it's probably not my own version, I'm sure someone has done this before, but it was new to me...Anywho...I cranked up my hot glue gun and I lined the entire hoop with pink ribbon first so that none of the hoop shows, then I glued on my strips of tule, then I added my peonies...it took about three artificial bouquets and six yards of tule. Super easy and fun to make! Maybe I could use this as my first tutorial....that would be so fun! But then I would have to host a giveaway I suppose...seeing as I would have this extra thing laying around...ho-hum...what to do...

Have a happy Monday, all!

One day

2009-04-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

Today was a gift to me.

These are the days God sends me when He knows I'm in danger of losing my groove. Before deployments I never knew the power that one day could hold. One day can get you through the mire of hundreds of days. It can wipe away the frustrations and dread from the past weeks and completely refresh your outlook for the ones to come.

I took Isabella for countless rides in her new wagon (her prize after being so sick for so long) We scoped out the yard sales in the neighborhood, we mailed daddy a 24 lb. care package (yep, 24 lbs. I don't cut corners, they already go without so much out there) We went for ice cream cones at McDonalds, we rode the escalators at the Navy Exchange (she loves to do that) and after all of this, we sat in my bed and read some of her favorite books, then took a three hour nap together.

I'm taking an odd sort of comfort in the fact that my house is insanely messy because I know it's because spent the entire day playing with my daughter and putting miles on her new Radio Flyer, only stopping to rest when she did. My O.C.D. self really wants to jump up and start scrubbing and tidying and on a normal day, I wouldn't be able to sleep until I did...but no, today is not a normal day, not at all, for we were restful and pefectly content. There wasn't a single tantrum or meltdown...not a single tear was shed today, no backs were arched, no food was thrown, no accidents, no fresh boo-boos...however there was, hot sunshine, much laughter, running amuck, red cheeks, stickey kisses and many a times, a sweet toddler pausing to put her clammy little hands on either side of my face and say; "Mama, I wuv you."

Be still my heart!

I just want to relish this calm, I want to remember the serenity of this perfect day during deployment. I'm going to pack up all of the sweetness from today, tuck it away somewhere and bring it out when I'm feeling so overwhelmed that I don't know if I can go on another day...week...month.

Yes, today is a gift to me :)

we're weaning.

2009-04-18T05:04:00.000-07:00

Uhm....yeah....so the weaning thing...not going so well for me. She's like a junkie with her crack...I'm not even sure where she finds them all...since when do I own a GREEN pacifier? I swear, she's been hitting kids up at playgroup, she's probably got some gangster toddler name like..."Izzie-P" I can just see it now. She's walking up to some toddler, shuffling her feet, there's probably some nervous twitching, eyes darting from side to side, makes sure i'm not looking, and then she asks "So you got the stuff? You got it? Huh? HUH?!?" Paci dealer/toddler thug then whips a paci out of his/her diaper in one fell swoop and passes it to her in a fake, (but adorable) toddler hug...all of the parents are so busy grabbing their cameras and oohing and awwing over how cute it is that we never notcie the exchange.

Anybody have any helpful suggestions for this wean-green mother of one?

(boo-boo on the nose: A flash-before-my-eyes disaster involving a 4 1/2' couch, a sick toddler who very uncharacteristically threw herself backwards in anger when she didn't want to go to bed, a mommy with her hands full of laundry and one panicked phone call to the doctor at 9:00 at night on his Emergency line...all of this, on Easter Sunday... Sigh)

A giveaway and some ramblings

2009-04-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

I'm shamelessly leaving my mug all over the place over at Bee and Rose these days. I've been following her for a while now, she makes me giggle and she homeschools too!

So yeah...about me and my mug...she's having this monster giveaway you see...Unless you live in a blogland cave then you probably have heard all about it because it's all over the place...I mean this is a crazy fantasic giveaway we're talking about here...I'm salivating over the cup-cake apron (because you all know about me and my pink cupcake kitchen) not to mention she has her own Halloween boutique called Black Crow Boutique that features these dolls called Ugly Dolls...I LOVE those ugly, ole dolls...they fall into the category of "so ugly it's cute" heh heh heh....ok so if you hurry you still have a chance to enter for yourself! She's taking entries until 11:59 pm MST April 17'th...so hurry hurry hurry!

Anywho...a while back one of my sister gifted me with this fabulous pink, vintage tablecloth...it was positively dreamy. It had a lot of holes (because it really was vintage) so I was unable to use it on my table...I was contemplating pillows but I decided to try it out as a window valance first...what do ya'll think? As I'm typing this I kinda think I may have written about this before...I can't even recall, oh jeez. Well, if I did I hope you don't mind a re-run!

I gotta tell ya, I'm really digging decorating with old plates lately...they are addictive. I found all of my old antique plates at the Goodwill...some of them are chipped in places, but hey, they only cost me fifty cents a plate so I can't complain! Plus, who can tell when they're hung way up over a window? not me!

Now Isabella's art desk I know I have blogged about before...but I just took this other picture yesterday because I moved the desk to a different wall (and completely gutted my clutter self and gussied it up a bit with some pom-poms)...I can't help it though, seeing her messy, little desk just makes me smile, what's even better is the way she pronounces the word draw....she asks me if she can go "dwaw" Love it!!!!

another yard sale makeover

2009-04-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

I found this little shelf at a yard sale a while back...I think I only paid a few bucks for it. I liked it because it was solid wood-and heavy! It had potential and I couldn't bear to pass it up. It sat unpainted in my hallway for over a month...my brain just pooped out, I had no idea what to use it for or where to put it.

In a sudden gust of inspiration the other day, I removed the door, replaced the drawer pull with a vintage glass knob, I painted her up and sanded her corners...made her look worn out :) I think it looks great sitting by my front door loaded up with Isabella's sweet, little, Keds. She loves to to take her shoes off at the door and put them in the shelf after coming home.

Just a little side story about that old window frame hanging on my wall there...The first time I saw this window frame it was hanging on my then boyfriend's wall in his little bachelor pad. I immediately fell in love with it and when he began telling me how he had a passion for antiques and loved to peruse the flea markets, I knew that he was definitely the man for me. Oh, I married him alright! You better believe it! Now, some of our favorite things to do together on the weekend is going to yard sales, thrift shops and antique malls. Some of my favorite things in our house are pieces that he collected all on his own-so adorable!

i love a good hunt...and old books!

2009-04-15T02:49:00.000-07:00

Get a load of these! A friend from my ward called me on Saturday to tell me that her husband was in charge of a used library book sale and would I like to go? .....Would I?!

An hour later I was sweating, stinky and definitely grimy but grinning like a polecat as I carried a crate full of books out to my car. The book sale was held in a musty old warehouse (cool!) over on the air force base...every nook and cranny of the space was stuffed with books of every genre. Said space was not air conditioned and people were crammed into this place like sardines, happy sardines though, lugging crates upon crates of loot around as they pilfered. It was so humid and muggy that I was sweating astronomical proportions out of every pore and follicle I had (I'm a lily-white you see, not meant for this wilting, tropical heat)...even still I was excitedly wedging my stroller into impossible crannies and shamelessly on my hands and knees rummaging for dear life because...well, because it was fun. All of the proceeds went to the base library, of course and none of the books were over $1.00. Not even the hardbacks!! While plundering the shelves I stumbled across a little crate/shelf full of books that had an ink pen on duct tape label that read "old books" (Yes!) I gathered up all of the ones that looked the most interesting to me and here is a picture of my four favorites.

I just love how old books smell (and new ones too)...you can't see in these pictures because I'm a horrible photographer, but the edges of the pages are browned and crumbling and oh, my but I love that too! The spines are worn from multiple reads and as I was flipping through them I noticed that a couple of the books have been written in. It's just magical, I tell ya. Something about old books just makes my imagination start to spinning...I think, if I could have anything in the world, it would be a time machine. Yes, most definitely a time machine.

I plan on reading these books eventually...but in the meantime I am enjoying decorating with them. Tucking them in corners and enjoying the site of them in my home.

Easter Re-cap

2009-04-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

Whew! I'm back...no excuses...just plain ole bloggers block, it hit me like a bag of bricks this week, ya'll!

We were both feeling a bit puny on Saturday, but I assumed it was just something that would pass. We went about our Easter business...I gritted my teeth and stood back to let her dye her eggs all by herself....she did a great job, choosing different colors, plopping them in the dye and mixing and matching, she didn't quite "grasp" the concept of the fragility of eggs though...and we ended up with about four crushed ones.

Easter morning arrived bringing excessively sore throats and icky sinuses...poor Bella won't eat a thing. We had to forgo church and stay home since I was afraid we were contagious, not to mention she is a serious cranky crankenstien.

Friday afternoon we received a pleasant surprise from daddy! He sent his girls Godiva chocolates for Easter. For Isabella, a giant chocolate bunny, and for mommy a sizeable box of my favorite truffles! He does spoils us :) This will mark the third Easter in a row that we have not been able to be together...I have my fingers crossed for next year though!

Isabella was very excited to dig into her "bassit" and was immediately clawing at the cellophane :)

She was all about the giant bunny...until I took it out of the box, then apparently it transformed from a cheerful springtime treat to a dark and menacing creature from the wild...for when I placed it front of her, my toddler was instantly overcome with terror. I managed to catch this picture as she was fleeing for safety. Leave it to my child to go down as the first toddler in history to be absolutely terrified of a chocolate bunny.

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter!

2009-03-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

Today I snapped a few pictures of a typical Bella...disheveled hair, her favorite boots on the wrong feet and apparently very gleeful about the entire thing. She kicked them off just long enough to use her monkey toes to climb up the entertainment center and turn her cartoons on.

I told her I was going to take her picture, so she started hamming with a vengence, I went to go get my camera...but I couldn't find it anywhere...apparently at some point I had left it within the toddler radius because as I was pilfering around looking for it she clonked up behind me in her boots, hands me my camera and goes "Here mama. Cheeshe."

It won't be long and when I lose things I can bribe her with a dollar and she'll go find them for me :) I distinctly remember my mom doing this with me about a pair of car keys....

Bathroom re-do

2009-03-25T15:38:00.002-07:00

Before

After! (No, the paint is not darker on the right side, my picture just messed up somehow causing that weird dark line looking thing...)

Finally, I'm done! Well...almost, I still have a frame to put around the mirror...a totally awesome Idea I gleaned from ProjectCreateAHome...but for the most part, I'm done.

In a few weeks, I'm hosting a little lunch get together for ladies from my church...that really got me in the mode, I took one look at my drab, white, military housing bathroom and I knew it wouldn't do. I needed to transform it into a foofy and fabulous space for nose powdering and the like. Just one problem though, I'm broke as a joke...sigh.

I did a little brainstorming, a little blog stalking...and finally I decided that I could just use the paint leftover from my kitchen. I really wanted one of those stencils with the scalloped edge, but jeepers ya'll, those are $16.00 stencils!...I had a perfectly good oatmeal container sitting in my pantry that would suffice. Sure, not nearly as convenient, but it was free. I spotted some beautiful cottege style hand towels at Target...but yikes, I don't have a spare $40 lying around to spend on hand towels, So I bought three towels from wal-mart for $2.44 each and I sewed on my own ribbon and pom-poms. Not bad, eh? The artwork on the walls was a Goodwill find, originally the frames were a horrid shade of gold, nothing a little spray paint can't fix. A basket on the back of th commode adds a little warmth, and the window mistreatment is a scrap of fabric I had in my closet that I just kinda rigged up to the window and tied with some ribbon.

All in all, my bathroom re-do cost me a total of $17.44 which is only about a dollar more than I would have paid for the stencil!

Just another Saturday

2009-03-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Weekends with Tyler gone are...boring, lonely, monotonous, you get the idea but usually, I also indulge in a Saturday afternoon nap. Isabella likes to craw into bed with me after she wakes up. With her messy hair, bed-time breath and runny toddler nose she comes clamoring into the room and with a big to-do and much grunting she refuses any form of assistance and hoists herself up onto my big ole bed. Her favorite thing to do is raise my window shade and keep tabs on the neighbors...she waves to every car that goes by and points out all of the people walking their "goggies"

I like these little moments, they're nothing much, just bits of silliness, she likes to pick on me and say "No! no keeshes mama!" but if I just pretend to cry she becomes very concerned and will always say, "Oh, awww I sowwy mama!...heeere you go" and then she administers the sloppiest, slobber kiss she's got. Love it.

Naptime...

2009-03-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

is a sacred time not to be tampered with. Generally, in my household, between the hours of 1:00-3:00 my house phone will be off the hook, so if you get a busy signal, I'm sorry, this is my sanity we're talking about here.

Today was no exception...I sipped on an icy cream soda while I covered plastic Easter eggs in bits of vintage paper out of my Vintage Paper Bundle that hubby ordered for me from paper relics...he really is something else, my Hubby.

It has officially been one month since Hubby left...only five more to go!

2009-03-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

ApartmentTherapy

LivingEtc

LivingEtc

I adore pink, especially in kitchens. I myself have a pink kitchen, but since I am a renter I'm limited to what all I can do, I have painted my walls that beautiful aqua color that goes so well with cotton candy pink, but my cabinets are just going to have to remain the nasty wood veneer that comes sock in every military house...I've been getting tired of my set-up recently, I've arranged and re-arranged everything, but to no avail, so I've been perusing for inspiration, these pink kitchens just taste so good to my eyeballs...I especially love that funky pink fridge in the first photo.

When Tyler is on deployment I like to set little "challenges" for myself, this week I challenged myself to go three entire days without spending any money...not even a dollar for a McDonalds cheeseburger! I'm on the third day and boy, am I ansty in my pantsies...This is harder than it sounds, three days is actually longer than you would think.

I've noticed though, that I have been getting a lot more done, I have been working on my bathroom redo, and I tried a new chocolate pound cake recipe with a vanilla glaze which turned out to be so sinfully delicious that I just accidentally left it at a friend's house, the potty training has been more on the front of things too...she still jut sits on it and sings, but at least she's sitting on it now. And thanks to my mom, I learned a new trick, I learned how to improv and make my own buttermilk...awesome!

Now...if only I could muster up the oomph to tackle those mousy brown roots peeking out on top of my head....Miss Clairole is waiting patiently for me upstairs on my bathroom sink....sigh.

today....

2009-03-17T16:01:00.001-07:00

We're enjoying the tasks at hand...

while you were showering...

2009-03-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

I was having a little fun. I love you mommy, I really do, but you're so naive...so elementary...do you really think you can get away with a peaceful shower that easily? Did you reallythink you would get to shave your legs today? Pssh...amateur.

Oh, mommy...you make me giggle, the way you try so hard, you do your hair, you wear your lipstick, you dress me in the shnazziest of clothes, and you yourself are usually so coordinated...but mommy, who do you really think you're fooling? It's my job to keep you grounded...which is why I ensured my best of tantrums the other day, this way you wouldn't notice your fly unzipped, and your hot-pink polka dotted underwear exposed to the world. You should know, I take my job seriously, mom. You can pretend all you want, but momma...I will personally ensure that you are never going to be one of those sauve moms who have it all together...that just isn't real.

All your friends should know by now that when they drop in on you, I'll be running around in only my diaper with my latest disaster crusted into my hair, and you will be desperately chasing me in your old lady robe with the ugly Gardenias all over it...you wont have any make-up on, and your dirty underwear will be piled up on the stairs waiting for you to put it in the washer...I'm doing this for your own good mom, I'm just testing those women for you, I want to make sure they're your true friends. You should thank me, really.

And the other day? you know, the day I got really mad in the commissary? Remember it mom? I'm sure you do...I was screaming at you and arching my back out of that horrid cart seat, I hate those cart seats mom...how many hints do I need to give you?!?!...I nearly flipped backwards out of it...but wow, mom! You were really on top of your game that day...you caught me by my feet, just like I knew you would, you ever so lovingly pulled me back into the cart by my ankles...and those women in the express line who gasped in horror and then talked about you behind their hands? Yeah, those...don't worry, I sent a subliminal toddler message to their children...their day is coming, and when it does, lets hope their toddlers are doing as good of a job training them for W.C.S. (worst case scenerio) as well as I am training you.

As for the entire bottle of shampoo with traces of Crest toothpaste that I dumped into my brand new rain boots...I know you'll figure it out, mom, that's why I love you so much.

P.S. Your plans to get rid of cable? dumbest idea ever. Sorry, just trying to look out for you, mom.

2009-03-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

I've been a little MIA this week...I made the mistake of counting the months and days until my husband returns...bad idea, by the way. In the meantime, my recently angel-turned-exorcist toddler was slowly taking me to the brink of insanity which in turn caused me to host a big ole pity party for myself and that put me so far down in my cups that I could barely see over the tops. I'm better now though, thanks to a fresh haircut, a brand new box of Clairol's best Natural Light Auburn #110 and a killer new shade of nail polish. That right there, is a real, true-to-life mom's trip to the spa.

So, after hoisting myself out of my den of sorrows, I started a couple of projects...now, I'm still learning how to use this fancy new camera of mine, so my pictures are still not the best quality, but I wanted to take some pictures of a few corners of my home to show you

This is Isabella's Easter basket!!! I just found it at Target yesterday ...in the background you can see the goodie box I'm stuffing to send to my sailor :) See the Samoa boxes peeping out the top? It's been hard for me not to eat 'em all up!

My pink toaster! I love that thing...I also love my new, pink, Scentsy burner...it's so yummy! It makes my entire house smell cinnamony or vanilly...whichever I choose :) Find your nearest Scensty rep. and I promise you will just fall in love.

Isabella paused for a reverent moment with Blues Clues...This is the Entertainment center that I got for a steal because there was a flaw on the front (I covered it up with some brown paint)...I bet ya can't find the flaw, can ya? The front doors are glass panes but I didn't like them because you could see my electronics on the inside, so I found myself some pretty scrapbook paper...problem solved!

The window behind this love seat is actually a horrible sliding glass door...yeah, a sliding glass door randomly in the middle of my living room...sigh...military housing. Anyways...I disguised the door with a few sets of Martha Stewart window panels...I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Well, as you can see Isabella is busy piling shoes, snacks and what-not on the couch...but if you look behind the couch you can see the window mis-treatments that I made...I took advice from The Nester and made them using thumbtacks, hot glue and heat-n-bond seam tape...I was feeling lazy that day, and quite frankly, my sewing skills bite.

Well, that's all for now...the rest of my house is still too messy to photograph, and my toddler is upstairs calling my name and from the sound of things she's not happy to be left waiting...I'll see ya'll later!

lets gussy up the potty palace...sall we?

2009-03-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

I call it the potty palace...because now that I'm sort of trying to potty train The Bella, her hot pink potty travels with me to each bathroom. She could take it or leave it, quite frankly. She tinkled in it once and I made a big ole deal over it with cheering and clapping and a few gummy fruit rewards...and now, well she's pretty nonchalant about slamming the lid closed and saying "No thank-you ma'am" Guess I need to tone it down next time.

Ok, so on with it...I'm painting my bathroom, here's the "before/midway through the job" picture...it's so white...so stark white...I'm painting it this lovely Robins Egg Blue...I only use Valspar paint on my walls... the higher the quality of your paint, the less coats you'll have to use...at least that's what My friend Martha Stewart told me. So, my point is, do ya'll have any cute bathroom ideas? any helpful linkydinks? I've been perusing the internet looking at peoples bathrooms, it's kinda fun...

Oh my goodness, where are my manners?!...thanks to ya'll for all of the calender suggestions, I finally found one I like! :)

So, is it weird to hang pictures of eggs in your bathroom? I found these vintage prints that would look so pretty with my paint color...but would that suggest....something? I really like them but I got to thinking...Hmm...that might be...you know, weird, Laying eggs in the bathroom and such.

Ok, I'm off to play some toddler gams before bedtime.

Target Opens!

2009-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

The grand opening was at 8am...I was ready to leave the house at 6:30...the night before I had done a drive-by and there were thousands lined up waiting for a "special event party" so I knew the grand opening was going to be packed.

I packed a mothership bag and greased up my stroller wheels. My friend and I had plans to be in line at 7 am, we wanted to be the first in...but the trunk of my car broke and thwarted those plans. I wasn't letting anything stand in my way, we crammed into her car and went anyways. We weren't the first in line...but we were about halfway between one thousand...so maybe 500'th.

Of course, my child had rip-roaring meltdowns right in front of every local news camera crew. I'm sure that I was in the background of the evening news disciplining my bucking-bronco of a child. I was too afraid to watch it that evening.

I had to go back to Target yesterday to return a shirt I didn't mean to buy...I fell off the sidewalk on my way in...I mean I really bit the dust...I basically ignored all prospects of there being a curb and just sailed through the air. I was too focused on making sure Isabella didn't fall out of my arms so I clutched her to my chest and landed on both of my knees. I of course, had bloody knees and toes, and I'm pretty sure I sprained my ankle. Some security guards came to my rescue and a cluster of rubberneckers watched as I picked my bloody-kneed self up off the ground and hobbled my way into the store. Later when I was leaving I discovered my fly had been unzipped the entire time. What a day to wear hot pink polka-dotted underwear.

I'll never be cool.

So here's a few pics...the line in front of us, the line behind us...Isabella is wondering why she's awake at 7 am and out in the chilly rain..and I just noticed this, check out the scary monster toe behind her! EWW!!! dude needs a few pedicures. All of the employees lined up at the entrance and clapped and cheered when we walked in :) I felt like a movie star...I might have struck a pose or two...and paused for photo op. I knew I should have worn a gown. And a scary picture I took of myself being a complete dork with no eye make-up or mascara on...yikes.

playing

2009-03-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

That's what we've been doing a lot of lately...

I'm trying to phase out the television watching in this house since I'm getting ready to nix the cable...the other day I was calling her to come eat lunch...usually she's quick to trot into the kitchen at the mere mention of "yum-yums"...but I was getting no response, I peeked into the living room and she was glued to the screen...mouth open...drool slowly dripping from her chin and puddling into her lap...yeah, that pretty much decided it for me.

It's been kinda chilly here lately...with rain and lots of wind. No good for beach bumming or pool partying...so I unplugged the ole' tube this afternoon and we sat on the couch for over half an hour...just goofing off together, singing silly songs and playing toddler games...I grabbed my camera hoping I wouldn't spoil the magic...

I have this vintage Brownie camera and she loves to play with that thing more than any toy we have ever bought for her. She carries it around the house and says "CHEESE!" except...her cheese sounds more like "sheese"

I was so naive...

2009-03-03T00:11:00.000-08:00

"Oh please, really?...pshh...it'll be a cake walk." These were my ignorant thoughts when offered warnings from other military wives. They had many a yarn to spin about toddlers turning into sippie cup clutching monsters upon daddies leaving for deployments.
(In all fairness to myself, last deployment Isabella was still just a wee little baby...so she really didn't realize Tyler was gone. But oh, my...she knows this time. She knows.) My generally happy kid, with the pleasant disposition has turned into a ticking time-bomb.

I was one my way to the grocery store and I needed some white spray paint for one of my projects that I haven't been able to work on, I thought, coolbeans...I'll run in the Nex on my way to the commissary...kill two birds with one stone! Oh, geez...What's wrong with me?! I must have left %50 of my brain in the delivery room along with the placenta...I'm not sure what went wrong between the escalator and the paint aisle...but something went wrong...something went really wrong...She turned into what I like to call, The Bellanator. We were pleasantly going along holding hands, when suddenly something caused her to crumple into an angry red-headed heap on the floor...bad thing was, I didn't realize Hurricane Bella had rolled in and I kept on walking...causing the drag effect...oops.

Bad Mom Point #1

I stopped and bent down to pick her up causing some big Marine behind me to ram his little hand held basket into my bottom...sorry dude. Of course, being a toddler worth her salt, she rag-dolled me...big time. Nice. I'm trying to get a hold of her and it just aint workin' It's like trying to wrestle a greased pig...well, I KNEW there was a reason I dressed her in over-alls today. Desperate, I picked her by her straps.

Bad Mom Point #2

So, I'm carrying my sobbing child by her overall straps, just trying to find an empty aisle so I can talk some sense into her...you know, toddler sense. Turns out, Isabella doesn't like sense. She grabbed my hair with one hand, and began swatting my facial region with the other, she did that toddler angry jog-in-place thing and then she kicked my groin...repeatedly. This just isn't going well at all...at this point fluids are flowing everywhere...we're talking snot, tears and both of our sweat, I'm like a mad woman, clutching a can of spray paint in one hand and trying to wrangle a hot mess in the other...a head peeps around the corner...eyebrows raised, the dude disappears and I quickly determined it is the men who always look...because any smart woman wouldn't dare.

Obvious Bad Mom Point #3

Then, It started. Screaming like you've never heard...my spray paint hits the ground. Two more heads peep around the corner. I wanted to bite their snooping heads off and eat them for dinner. My Mothership bag falls to the floor. I'm trying to scoop up my charge and untwine her sticky finger from my hair, but her grip is like The Hulk and she's gone so ding-dang-dong limp!

Her armpits are like jello and her body is positively noodle-esque, I'm beginning to wonder if my child has a spine...the overall straps weren't very popular with the public so I'm searching another way to transport my disaster on Keds...Her screaming is coming straight from the throat by now...they're horror film worthy...then, my clever little minx couples them with pleas of "HELP! HELP!" Oh, very nice Bella, thanks for that.

Bad Mom Point #4

Three heads this time. "WHAT? YOU WANT HER?!" They disappear. Thought so. I hear them laughing. Good thing I don't have a license to carry. I pick up my Mothership and then I pick Isabella up and carry her under my arm...kinda like you would a bag of cat food...one toddler hand is still firmly intwined in my hair and those sturdy, little legs are pumping for all it's worth...Obviously, we left our spray paint rolling around on the floor.

Not even two minutes later, after the walk of shame through the store...she was clapping her hands, kissing my cheek and between snuffles, she was telling me we were "fwiends"

SIGH.

I know that right now, in this very moment...6 hours ahead of me in Tennessee...my mother is feeling quite vindicated...and she is laughing.

Isabella Smile-o-meter

2009-02-25T16:53:00.001-08:00

This picture was taken a few days ago by Isabella's daddy...he doesn't like admitting it...but he has a real soft spot for giant hairbows. As you can see, she's clutching her "bebe" who's name changes daily...so far she's been "Seesy" "Pipin" "Kitty" and a few others I couldn't decipher...when she's not lovingly carrying her around by her head and feet, she's nursing her or scolding her...a natural mom, my Isabella. I think I'll look into ordering one of those T-shirts that says "Mommy's milk made me grow" reckon they carry those in baby doll sizes?

I have a ton of projects going on in my house...I was almost lured by the cluttery windows of the craft store today but had to remind myself that I need to finish the things I have already started (window valences, mock vintage Easter eggs, embroidered church bag...etc) before taking on new projects...I have been wanting to post pictures of my living room all week but with Tyler being home on holiday...and then leaving on deployment...the disarray is surely going to take me a couple of days to get back under control.

I have been on a quest for a Calender ALL week...nowhere has any cute calenders, I'm thinking of ordering from my favorite, Gooseberry, or maybe something vintage from Paper Relics...because I'm certainly not finding anything wall worthy around here. Does anybody know where I can find one of those wooden calender display thingies? you know, the ones you hang on the wall and your calender goes inside? I really, really want one.

Ok, well this has tuned into a post about nothing...and it's Bella's naptime, an ice cold diet coke and a bag of BBQ chips have my name written all over them...and perhaps a bit of Lifetime TV :)

almost arrested...

2009-02-25T00:27:00.000-08:00

My hubby made a blog...he left for his six month deployment at about 4:45 this morning...I was delighted to receive his e-mail this evening about his shiny new blog he has created. If you've got a moment for a little ol' sailor, give him a clickety...right here

In other news...Our Target here in Hawaii opens in less than a WEEK!!!! finally!!! Three of my girly-friends, Isabella and myself all piled into my SAAB wagon this evening and off we went to the Wal-Mart to stock up on house wares items...chocolate...cheap clothes...bath fizzies and other necessities you need when your hubby leaves (three of us have husbands on the same ship so we go through deployments together)

We decided on the way home to take a detuor and document the progress of the new Target opening up right down the street from our neighborhood. We were slowly cruising past the front of the store, noses pressed up against our car windows and necks craned...trying to find holes in that pesky privacy paper they had pinned up to see if they had stocked those shelves yet, when we got a glimpse of...polka dotted bathing suits!! we began squealing with excitement and I'm sure my car was bouncing from the outside...when just then, out marched a very angry police officer...oops! Someone from the backseat quipped that she had heard it was being patroled by police and there was supposedly no tresspassing...that information would have been very useful...oh, I dunno, before I pulled into the parking lot?!? ...It was then I happened to notice the sign saying something about tresspassing...violaters...prosecuted...My friend in the front seat started mugging it up and waving like a mad woman...he made a bee-line for her window...Isabella was in the back seat loudly saying "Hi! Hey there! Hi!" and my other two girl friends in the beackseat were squealing and bouncing in their panick... Mr. Policeman and I locked eyes...I froze in my panick and then...raw instinct kicked in...I quickly put my little turbo charged mommy wagon in first gear and gunned her right outta that parking lot...In my rear-view mirrow was a puff of stinky turbo engine smoke, and a considerably miffed cop. Whew.

Lord knows, four lonely, Target deprived women (one of them I might add, is extremely pregnant) and an overly friendly toddler could pose quite a threat to an un-opened Target :) Goodness...what a bunch of mugshots we would have made! Thank goodness for turbo-charged mommy cars.

If you're ever on the market for a fast get-away car disguised as an innocent mommy-mobile...these are your wheels. (doesn't come stocked with adorable husband packing beach gear into the trunk...sorry, he's all mine)

warning! Long post ahead

2009-02-22T23:19:00.000-08:00

Two subjects I try to steer clear from on my blog are religion and politics...but tonight was one of the happiest nights of my life, and whether anyone cares to read it or not, I want to record it.
I've written briefly on my quest for THE church for me and my family...well, I'm overjoyed to say that my quest is over.

Hubby was raised LDS, I was not. But now, I'm proud and grateful to be able to say that I myself am now LDS. I have spent a great deal of time beseeching God to lead me to a church that would reflect ALL the values and principles I hold dear...my answer came quickly and unexpectedly, I didn't like the answer at first and was stubborn, and because I'm human I ignored it for all it was worth. But about a month ago I gave in and told Tyler that I wanted to visit the Mormon church, he acted a little apprehensive, and told me he was'nt sure I would like it, I assured him that I had done my research, and I would be just fine..we began visiting and after about three weeks, he and I both knew it. We. Were. Home.

A lot of people have misconceptions about the LDS...they think we're wackos...we're a cult...we worship Joseph Smith...I could go on and on...The important thing though, is that none of that is true. I will never forget my first Sunday of visiting. The kindness, and the frank way in which they answered my questions and never once did they bat an eyelash or act offended when I asked blunt questions about Holy Underwear. I had the missionaries at my house for literally three weeks straight, teaching me, guiding me and praying with me, many people in the church even invited us into their homes to counsel and teach me and you wanna know something? They were so happy to do this...and my husband?! oh wow...don't even get me started, seeing him with his new found passion for his Lord and humble in the sight of God has made me fall in love with him deeper and more passionately than ever before. Listening to him pray and ending the night together reading our scriptures has been...incredible.

Anywho...tonight, I was baptized into the church and this morning, I watched as my husband was ordained back into the priesthood. We have been newly wed, so to speak. Our marriage is now firmly and wholly based upon God which is the way it should be. I'm a Mormon, and I am proud to say that and as for myself I can whole heartedly say that I truly believe with all my heart, that this is the true church.

After the baptism...with the missionaries, the one on the right baptized me. Many of the ladies in the relief society made their own leis to honor me with...

Me before the baptism, I'm in my garb...ya like it? They told me to be sure and NOT wear polka dots underneath :)

MamaJo, Granddaddy and Kristina...Thankyou so much for your prayers and support, we appreciate everything you have done for us more than you will ever know. MamaJo...the hymns you recommended were so perfect thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! We love you :)

busy doing nothing...

2009-02-22T00:23:00.001-08:00

Tyler leaves very soon...so we've been sure to do a lot of this...

Oh, daddy...you will be missed.

2009-02-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our missionary friends took us to see the Mormon temple...the temple is under construction right now, but it was still beautiful, even with wooden panes in it's windows and all of it's paint stripped.

It was a long drive out to North Shore, so when we got there Isabella was pretty eager to stretch her toddler legs...she had plenty of opportunity to do so on all of those stairs!

We stopped to take a rest on a big marble bench, she really liked that. We also stopped to smell the Hibiscus, she really liked that too.

I asked to boys to let me take their picture...they got all sheepish and immediately lined up execution style...I told them to relax and "at ease" and this is what I got...silly.

The more I learn, the more I'm impressed. These boys put off college, dating and sports for two years, save up their own money and pay their own ways throughout these missions, and just because they were sent to Hawaii, doesn't mean they get to go to the beach either, they can only see it from afar, focusing only on their work for God. They have some pretty intense stories to tell, people can be pretty mean, they laugh them off, but still, I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to meet such cruelty on a daily basis.
Isabella is completely in love with the one on the right, she loves to hold his hand and a couple of times Tyler and I have caught her with her head propped in her hands, sighing in his direction...can this really start at only two years?!

happy hearts day!

2009-02-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

Here's my little cupid last year...I can't believe how incredibly fast this sweet phase passed me by...Tyler and I were hoping for a Valentines this year in the form of two pink lines...but oh well, those two pink lines will just have to wait until after deployment.

Now, for this year. Truth be told, I'm not a big Valentines Day fan...Hubby and I actually have an agreement not to celebrate it...but for Isabella, now that's completely different. I have been gathering up little trifles here and there and stuffing them into a goody bag for her. Last night I even braved the mayhem of the Navy Exchange and I ventured to the florist to get her one of those mylar balloons she fancies so much...lemme tell ya, those sailors? they're serious about their Valentines. I've never seen so many moon-eyed men in my life, all of 'em clutching giant teddy bears for dear life...looked like a bunch of crazies, and I was right in the thick of 'em.

Isabella made me proud, she knows what's really important, she was instantly enamored by her box of chocolates, and even had the presence of mind to finger then sample each and every one before putting it back into the box. That's my girl, right there.

quiet toddlers-be afraid!

2009-02-11T13:03:00.001-08:00

Chances are, if you've got a tot, then you know my plight. If your toddler is quiet, then something is up. Mischief is most certainly in the making...in my case, it happened while we were in the same room together...sneaky little minx, my Bella.

One second I look and she sitting in her chair watching Little Bear...next thing I know I hear her pretty little lips just a smacking...and what is it that she's doing? Oh, nothing much, just eating an entire tube of lip gloss. The tube itself was completely filled with slobber and the wand was licked clean of any and all of that new Minty fresh Cover Girl lip gloss.

Well, her lips are sufficiently shined, and her breath sure is minty. That's what I get for leaving my Mothership bag within reach.

I've got it bad!!!

2009-02-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

Bloggers block, that is. Hubby is currently on his way to pick us up a tasty pizza because it seems I also have chefs block...and laundress block...and cleaning-lady block...Oh jeez :) Do ya'll ever have one of these days??

Isabella and I stayed tucked away in the house today...enjoying the smell of our new candles and watching The Little Mermaid...we ate brownies and chilled out in our sweats...I did manage to wash all of the sheets today...and I made a considerable dent in the Mt. St. Laundry that has developed in our bedroom...all of this tuckered me out though, and all I want to do now is go finish off that pan of brownies and then hibernate. I need some gumption! anybody know where I can find any??

The anatomy of a day at the park

2009-02-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

A typical playdate at the park.

The. End.

dreaming and drooling...

2009-02-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

My entire household has been under the weather this week...I've not really been in the mood to do anything at the end of the day except collapse on my bootie and stuff my face with Hostess cupcakes.

I've been shopping around with my bootie time...lately, this is what my eyeballs usually tend to gravitate towards...hey, a girl's gotta dream, right?

2009-02-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

Since I went to a few yard sales on Saturday morning and found this...(for only $3!)

...I was able to move this into an empty corner in the dining area. I don't have much space, so I utilize what few empty corners I have, thus the empty corner in our dining area is now home of Isabella's new art desk...or as I like to call it, her homeschool corner :)

I also found this lamp...($1)

One little face lift later, and now it looks fabulous on my kitchen counter :) I got the idea and the know-how for my tufted lampshade from Sarah over at BlueCastle...she's a real lamp genius with tutorials galore!

Sorry for the glare in my pictures, it's been super duper bright lately, I don't even have to turn lights on during the day, you wouldn't think that would make it difficult to take pictures...but turns out, it does. So yeah, this has pretty much been my weekend...that and Isabella's chronic runny nose, humidifier, vapor rub, Benedryll, and Johnson's Vapor bath...whew, poor little feller, it's pitiful when babies get sick :( She's feeling her oats a little bit more today though, she's currently sitting at her art desk working on a masterpiece and chattering away to herself...I love that Noggin is NOT on right now...in fact, I think I'm going to unplug the TV while she's not paying attention...

poofy pink things and works of art

2009-01-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

I found it! My camera, that is. Turns out, I had put it in a real safe place, away from the threat of certain toddler doom. Well, it seems I forgot which safe place I had used, but yesterday when I was cleaning, there it was! pretty as can be sitting on the window sill behind the drapes...sigh.

Ok, so the other night Lovie me a link to a blog she said I "must see." and oh my goodness gracious...the inspiration is running rampant over at Everyday Beauty. I got the idea from there for these crepe paper flowers I made...I was so disappointed when my local craft store only had white...no biggie though, nothing a little craft paint can't fix. I didn't have any nice stamens to use so I just painted some Christmas foliage I had left over and then I glittered it with Diamond Dust (my personal fave.) Anywho..while you're googling at her lovely blog...check out those candy lights!!! There's a strand of candy pink ones with my name all over 'em. I can't believe I lived near that shop for almost year and I never knew about it...just makes me sick, sick I tell ya.!

Mine of course are nothing compared to hers...hers are just pure eyeball bliss.

So, maybe you're wondering when I have time to craft and blog with a busy toddler, or maybe you're not, I dunno. But...just thought I would share my tactict. When blogging, I usually tape large sheets of paper to the top of my kitchen table, and then I let her go wild with crayons...it works for me. I can sit here at the table and she can color all around me as much as she wants, every once in while she'll stop to boss me around or offer me a kiss. Sometimes I use naptime...or sometimes I just wait until she goes to bed...but those tend to be my "magic hours" when inspiration and itchy, crafty fingers come alive...so mostly, we color, which results in a plethora of beautiful works of art. I can't stand the thought of throwing any of them away, I have drawers full of drawings, I recently chose a few of my favorites, framed them, and hung them in the kitchen. I just love the look of framed Child's art.

Here's a peek at my (hopefully) little future blogger, she's quite busy so my picture is blurry...I wonder what she'll blog about someday? probably her weird mom, no doubt.

Okay, I suppose I better got make some lunch...the toddler beast is calling.

Wowza!

2009-01-28T01:35:00.000-08:00

Wowee! 17 comments is a record for me!...Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your supportive comments and well wishes about this! I definitely learned a lot from ya'll that I didn't know...and now I am prepared to have a much more open mind for my next "church adventure" :)

So, a bit of excitement for this little ol stay-at home momma...the lovely queen bee over at Bee And Rose bestowed a "luv-ly" award upon me! thank you so much! my first awards both happened in one week, whoo-hoo! If you have never visited her blog before, buzz on over there, she makes me giggle on a daily basis with her funny momma stories/sagas, and she's got super nifty ideas too! I'll post the rules in just a sec...

I've lost my camera, ya'll! I've searched my castle high and low...I have a sneaking suspicion that a certain red-headed tot has trotted off to hide it from me...probably her desperate attempt at getting me to quit shoving it in her face for a "photo op." every time she so much as sneezes...*sigh* as soon as I find it I have something pink and fluffy i'm dying to show off. Oh! and also a humorous set of lopsided curtains I attempted for my kitchen...I'm sure not ever gonna be makin' my living as a seamstress, that's fo sho!

Ok, so back to my award :-D here's the rules: ( I kinda broke them..because well, I don't eaxtactly know five bloggies well enough to award them..you know what I mean? I felt awkward...Ok, Ok, I know, I'm talking nonsense but I felt shy)

Honorees, please follow these instructions and share the LUV!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (You can highlight the photo and text of this post and copy/paste wherever you need to...start your highlight from the bottom up to get the photo)

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received the award.

Whew!!! So there you have it!!!! Go spread the luv!!!!

I'm proud to nominate..

1. Meme over at Screaming Meme

2. My momma, over at Lovies Cotton Candy

3. A Thorn Among Roses

4. L.O.T.s.of Love

5. The Little Bluebird Diares

Ya'll just brighten my day every time I look at your blogs!

thoroughly cheezed

2009-01-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

I just have to share this...It's kind of long, so I'm sorry...but I was just flabbergasted today, I'm wondering if anyone has ever had any similiar experiences like the one I am about to share with you.

Since moving to the island, finding our "home church" has been a challenge for both Tyler and me. Both of us grew up in the church and have specific expectations of what we want for our family. He and I come from drastically different religious back grounds, he grew up Mormon and I grew up in a Southern Church of Christ, but overall, we both know what we want. We've tried various churches but so far neither of us have sensed that we have found a church where we felt we belonged. We know that God has a specific church in mind for us...we just can't seem to find it.

I go to a ladies bible study every week and one of the ladies there suggested that Isabella and I visit a new church with her this Sunday, I've really been discouraged and off the hunt lately, so I thought it would be a good way to hop back onto the wagon...The first sign that it wasn't the church for me was the big sign in the parking lot advertising that the church had a bookstore and a cafe inside...since when did going to church on Sunday mornings become a business venture?? I'm trying to keep an open mind so I shrugged it off, I tell myself the times have changed a little...then I noticed everyone was really casual, I'm seeing a lot of blue jeans...I immediately felt overdressed in my sweater set and black skirt...Isabella even more so in her crisply starched sailor dress, lacy socks and matching hair-bow...uhm...apparently we didn't get that memo. I'm starting to feel really out of place, but we go and choose a pew....no sooner had I chosen a nice, empty pew near the back and settled my big diaper bag, (aka The Mothership) when a lady approached me and informed me that children under the age of 12 were not "allowed" to sit in the sanctuary because they are a "disturbance" I would need to "leave my child in the approiate nursery" Uhm...whoa.

My friend saw me bristling so she quickly caught my arm and guided me out of the sanctuary, she encouraged me to check out the state-of-the-art nursery system she heard they have...I was trying to keep my cool and it was taking every possible bit of will power I had not to bolt for the door...I step into the nursery and I am immediately bombarded with three very well-intentioned and sweet women, one asked Isabella's name, one asked her age, one asked me if she had any allergies...all in unison. Then I was handed one of those restaraunt vibrating devices "to alert me if she cried" and was told to write down all of her information on a form-then, go enjoy the message! wait a second...what? by this time my child is clawing her way up my sweater set and is digging the heels of those pretty little Lamour shoes into my thigh like a jockey, she is obviously not having anything whatsoever to do with this hullababloo, there was a lady trying to force a badge with Isabella's "assigned vibrator number" onto her dress, she was prying my child out of my arms. By this time, Crazy-Psycho-Mom side is been rearing her nasty head...and with my daughters small plea of "Help baby! No!" (she calls me baby, not mommy) I'm like, nope sorry. I ask nice lady number one; " Can't I just sit down here with her?! It's our first visit and she's scared." Nice lady number two very emphatically chimed in "Oh, no maam! we don't permit the mothers to stay!" Uhm....exit please?

My kid is hanging onto me like a baby monkey, she's migrating up my body and pretty soon I think I might have to peel her arms off of my eyes, all four of her limbs are wrapped around my body in a clench of terror, I feel the gullet of my throat being compacted by the force of her burrowed head...I make my way back up the stairs to a glassed-in room outside of the sanctuary, theres a nice, cheerful sign on the door that says NURSING MOTHERS ONLY!...(Quick! Bella, hide that sippy cup! this is our only hope!) I go in and mark my territory with The Mothership...three moms are already in there with some very content babies, nursing away. I get a few odd looks walking in with my chattering tot, but I don't care, at this point I know I'm not ever coming back so I just I smile, say "Hi ya'll." and I plop myself right down. Right in front of my seat, at pefect eye-level, in big, capitol, red letters, is a sign that reads: PLEASE KEEP YOUR CHILDREN QUIET!!! ....Sigh....

Maybe I am just old fashioned...but I was brought up to sit through church quietly and with my family...I can remeber not being a disturbance at the age of 3 or 4, sitting nicely for my mother with coloring books and crayons, if I misbehaved, she flicked me on the head or gave me "the look" and that would straighten me right out...How am I supposed to raise my daughter to know how to worship and behave in church if she is not "allowed" to sit in there with me? I'm sorry if I have offended anyone...but this was the first time I had ever been told to basically NOT bring my child to church with me until he/she was 12...the audacity of it all just blew me away.

Saturday Garland

2009-01-24T14:25:00.001-08:00

I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter that hubby had tucked into my stocking this Christmas. (he remembered! aww) I can totally vouch for this circle cutter, it was so sooth and easy to use...I almost lost a finger when I was changing the blade but other than that this thing is my new favorite gadget. However, I decided this week, that after midnight there will be no more crafting for me involving blades of any kind. I'm not sure how it happened, but when I was inserting the blade I cut the tip of my finger wide open...the blade was so razor sharp I didn't even feel it or realize it until I felt something tickling my elbow and realized it was my own blood flowing down my arm. Pretty gross, huh? My kitchen looked like a crime scene by the time it was over. So, just be careful with this thing, it's no joke.

ANYwho...I used chipboard letters, Martha Stewart and diamond dust glitters but unfortunately didn't have anything skinny enough on hand except for that white yarn to tie the circles onto my ribbon with, I'm going to replace it with white ribbon because I think it will look better.

So that's my weekend so far, The Bella and I sure miss our man, but we have big plans to walk to the park, take a dip in the neighborhood pool, and maybe partake in some ice cream cones with colored sprinkles. We're visiting a new church tomorrow morning and then after her afternoon nap, we're going to make pink cupcakes in leu of her favorite book, Pinkalicous :) A nice, simple weekend. Perfect.

I hope ya'll are all enjoying your weekends as well :)

Truffles for my tot

2009-01-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm not a big fan of Valentines day...I'm just fine with going out and buying myself my own chocolates...that way I can choose the ones I like :-P...but I love making things for Isabella and putting together sweet Valentines for her. I saw this idea on Etsy, originially a larger version for Cupcakes though, and I thought "hey! I could do that...why not make them smaller and use them as chocolates?" I was up until 3am that night... happily making felt truffles.

I was on my way to the craft store yesterday to purchase more supplise, when I had a flat tire...I'm talking my rim hitting the pavement flat tire. Great. Now I'm sporting a nice, little donut on my car until I can find my car's type of tires...stupid tires have to be all special and hard to find. Apparently ya can't just go to Wal-Mart for these...go figure.

Anyways...thank goodness hubby made sure I had roadside assistance added to my insurance policy before he left...that's my fella, right there. I will have many more edibles to show you soon...I just wanted to give you a peek at what I have been working away on...I love felt, and now I'm craving Godivas....

blissful

2009-01-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not the only one who thinks Naps are the most beautiful and wonderful luxury in the world....I seldom ever get do this...but today when Isabella went down for her afternoon nap, I went down too. I wish so badly she would snuggle up in bed with me, but she absolutely refuses to sleep anywhere other than her own bed...a lot like her momma. She was tuckered out from a a day of play at the park...her little cheeks are still rosy. There was so much housework I needed to be doing, but my fluffy, white pillows were beckoning to me ever so sweetly...I finally yielded and I am so glad I did. We mommies work hard! It's important to remember to treat yourself every now and then...even if that treat is something as simple as an afternoon nap...

I've been tagged!

2009-01-22T00:09:00.000-08:00

Syndee over at Syndee's Space tagged me for a game! I have to list 8 random facts about myself and then tag 8 other people...weellll....I don't really know 8 people to tag because I'm still sort of a newbie...so I am only going to choose a few of my closies :) I hope that's ok...

1. My hair is mousy brown. I dye it red. Everyone just assumes it is natural because my daughter is a flaming red-head...is it bad that I don't correct them??

2. The other day, I ran the front of my car completely over a cement curb in a crowded parking lot. I was completely alone with no one to share the humor with me. I was very stuck. I drive a stick shift. I had to gun my engine in reverse and my child was in the back seat going "WHOA! Whoa!"

3. I'm addicted to Diet Coke...absolutely, hopelessy, addicted. They don't make a patch for that.

4. I could easily spend my husband's entire pay-check on Etsy. Etsy rocks the socks right off of my feet.

5. I proudly played with my American Girl dolls until I was 13.

6. My favorite books as a little girl were the Anne of Green Gables books, and Little Women.

7. I was homeschooled all the way through highschool, and I'm proud of it :)

8. I want a Scotty Dog...quite badly.

Okydoky then...that's all I got. I'm tagging, Kelsey, Mom, Kimsey and Whitney :)

My mom awarded me with this nifty award! Here is the info: "This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are extremely charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award."

Ok-again, I don't really know 8 people to award this to...But I choose: Mom, Kelsey, Whitney and Frenzied Mother :)

easily amused

2009-01-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

This is a list of the things that are making me really happy lately...they're silly, really, Just little trifles here and there...but they represent something bigger, whether it be creating something beautiful, or just being healthier for my family...these things make my heart happy.

1. These rockin' organic lollipops...Love 'em! and the best part is, Isabella does too and I don't have to feel guilty about letting her have one :)

2. My compost pit...yeah I know, I'm a weirdo because dirt makes me happy...but this rich, dark, earth is awesome! I can't wait to grow some organic veggies.

3.Isabella's messy little art corner...I don't even bother cleaning it up anymore...it's the first thing she goes to in the morning and after naps...love it.

4.This goofy little bird I sewed. He's full of all kinds of funny mistakes, like his crooked beak...but Isabella loves him and that makes me smile...again, my mom inspired me, check out her line over at inspired friends!

5.These dried roses I glittered...I love me some Martha Stewart glitter!

6. This Almond Vanilla, organic granola...it's so delicious, we munch on it all day and it never lasts long in this house...

So, that's just today...but tell me, what makes you happy?

please don't look closely!

2009-01-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Because this was my first time...

Sorry for the picture quality...I'm really starting to get annoyed with my hot pink, Fugifilm, point and clicker...it's a good purse camera no doubt about that, when I was choosing my camera I had no idea what I was doing, I only liked it because it was pink...I know now that I definitely need something with a lens.

My cupcake is very obviously crooked haha! but other than that, when I first started I was seriously confused...and then by the time I got halfway done I started to figure it out...it shows in my stitching. I have been perusing blogs and admiring everyone's beautiful applique and embroidery...I've been longing to try it for myself. My mom makes it look as easy as breathing...I've been so used to watching her whip up genious works of art out of seemingly nothing...I just assumed I would be able to pick up a needle and go....not so much.

But at the advice of the all-knowing MOM I went to Wal-Mart and bought the cheapest articles of clothing I could find to practice on...and these are my results so far...these will probably just be used as play clothes or go-to-the-park-get-dirty clothes.

I'm looking forward to getting better. and in the meantime...I'll be making a lot of play clothes :)

And now I can't resist to share the latest Bella-ism with you...I showed her the pants after I had finished, she looked at them for a second, touched them, and in a very matter-of-fact voice she said, "Oh! cute tweet-tweets." Just like that.

Inspiration

2009-01-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

I keep seeing these nifty little inspiration boards popping up all over bloggyland...just had to make one for myself!

On my board is a little conglomeration of things-or people-that inspire me. I think this perfectly sums up my sources of inspirations...the old photo of my mom...the picture of Isabella still fresh with her scrunchy newborn face...my pretty pink money Tyler brought me back from Hong Kong. These all represent important things in my life. My amazingly artistic mom is the one who began my passion for creativity, my baby Bella of course inspires me daily, and my hubby traveling all around the world, seeing amazing places and always remembering to send me a unique trifle. But for me, the most fun part of all is adding new things as time goes by.

If you have a little time on your hands...make one for yourself and hang it in a corner of your house that you walk past every day.

imagination

2009-01-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while I was pilfering my craft room for pink clutter, I came across this old ceramic tea set. Chipped and missing pieces, it shows definite signs of my childhood devotion...I'm not sure why I loved it so much, it most likely came from the dollar store where I bought it with my little allowance (aww) but love it I did! this humble, little tea set had the power to spark hours of imagination and play.

I was curious, I figured Isabella was still too young, but I thought it was worth a shot, so I let her play with it, expecting it to last a few minutes before it became old news and she was back to climbing the kitchen table, but instead it was like a little light-bulb went off in her 19 month old toddler brain. She drug one of my cardboard boxes into the living room and used it as her table then proceeded to have tea with herself...she would slurp her tea and then say "Mmm...dee-lish-us" that's her new favorite word, delicious. She even says it when she takes her vitamin. I love it.

Is it normal to be intimidated by you kid? because I'm skeered ya'll.

too much?

2009-01-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so when I said I was in a January rut...it was true. You tell me, how in the world you decorate for the winter non-holiday season....when you live on a tropical Island...how? I would rather decorate my walls with caveman drawings than fall into the tropical mod-ish decorating style, so usually I go by my old home state of Tennessee and decorate according to their seasons...

After clearing my "clutter shelf" of all of it's Christmas decor, I let it sit empty and blank for a couple of weeks to pique inspiration. Didn't work. I'm typically cluttery girl by nature...but I'm not so sure I'm feeling this shelf....anybody got any ideas?

brownie/curtain therapy...a little cheese with my whine

2009-01-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

This has been one of those weeks where I felt like the punches just kept on coming, and the cherry on top was the fact that Hubby had to leave :( I must say, I had been handling really well, rolling like a pro...until yesterday. Without going into too many boring details....lets just say one unsuspecting person just pushed me a wee bit too hard in my delicate position. After a day full of mishaps and a grumpy and very constipated toddler, I went over the edge. WAY over the edge. Hey, I'm only human. (Hubby is at this very moment saying a fervent prayer of thanks at being gone this week)

After my self indulgent little outburst (I think "inept baffoon" and "ignorant monkeys" were the words of choice?...oh dear) I called up my dear friend and confessed my sins...which resulted in a hearty bout of guffawing at my expense. Later that night she showed up at my house with a giant cookie sandwich (aww!) with bright red frosting in the middle...Yummers! I shared it with Isabella thinking "eh, what the heck? a little frosting cookie won't hurt this one time" she gobbled it up like nobody's business which later resulted in the world's largest load of red poopie which then caused me to go into hysteria thinking she was having "bloody stool" .....................yeah.

So since The Bella stole most of my frosting cookie...and because I'm greedy, I made myself a pan of therapy brownies after she went to bed....as happy as she could be I might add and probably having a good laugh inside at her ding-dong of a mom ....(her poopie was completely normal today, I'm sure everyone wanted to know that but I felt compelled to share and now I know NEVER let her have that again...although it did work as a fabulous laxative) I decided to calm myself down with a little sewing, chocolate brownie and some mindless televison. I ended up sewing these MUCH needed curtains for my upstairs bathroom.

The first picture is alright...but in the second one I had to use the flash and you can tell. Notice my classy stainless steel towel rack placed ever so nicely OVER the toilet? Compliments of the Navy. The first thing I do when I move into a military house is de-military it as much as possible. Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful to be provided with such nice housing but the stark white atmosphere is an irresistible blank canvas for me , SO...I remove the ugly, wood veneer kitchen cabinet doors and pile my them with attractive dishes and antiques...I remove the horrid nightmare we call Venetian blinds (whoever invented those and thought they were attractive must have been on something strong...seriously) and I paint the walls...all of this, I of course have to store in the garage and put back before we move out, but it's worth it to me. Unfortunately though the ugly and oddly placed steel towel racks (and they will put four or five in one bathroom, no joke) I just have to deal with because they are firmly bolted to a steel stud in the wall. They must have seen me coming.

Home made Marinara sauce

2009-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had company for dinner and I made my old faithful standby, Lasagna. I always make my own sauce and I use a recipe for Marinara sauce that I got from the Food Network channel a couple of years back, I don't remember who's show this recipe is from but it is absolutely wonderful in that it is insanely easy but tastes like it took you all day! This sauce has had a home in my recipe box ever since. I even like to make it and keep it in jars just to have on hand. I wanted to share this recipe with you because I just love it so much, it's perfect for Manicotti , Lasagna, Spaghetti and is especially delicious to serve as a dipping sauce with a cheesy garlic bread, very easy to whip up as a quick appetizer when you have a few people over and is always a huge hit for me.

Tonight I also made a Sally Lunn bread with a buttery basil and garlic spread...baking this bread brought back so many memories from my childhood. I can still remember my mom baking up a batch of this to take to an ailing mother, a church potluck, for company or a ladies luncheon...the smell of this delicious stuff would just fill the house and make all of us kids come clamoring into the kitchen for a bite of this fluffy and sweet bread. Today however, the smell had my hubby hovering the kitchen like a UFO...Isabella even roused out of her nap when the wafting began :)

Ok, enough jabbering from me, here's the Marinara recipe!

1/3 C. good olive oil
1 C. minced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. of ripe tomatoes, cored and peeled into 1-inch pieces or 2 (28-ounce) cans of plum tomatoes, drained
Pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil, add onion an cook for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, pinch of sugar and salt and pepper and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture through the fine disk of a food mill (or food processor or blender) and then return to the saucepan. Reduce for 15 minutes. See how easy that is?! Love it!

Now, the recipe doesn't call for this, but I always add fresh basil to mine whenever it comes time to puree, I just love the taste of fresh basil! enjoy :)

this post is not about our feet

2009-01-10T02:10:00.001-08:00

Because that would just be...weird. No, this post is about doing what I don't do best...sitting back and taking a "chill pill"

I know that lately my posts have been sporradic at best, and the qaulity of my pictures definitely leaves something to be desired...sorry 'bout that. but with the stress of Tyler's rapidly approaching departure weighing on me, I have felt an immense amount of pressure to "do this" and "do that" and "get it all done" All of this at the expense of our precious bit of real family time we have left together. I handle stress very poorly. During times of pressure I tend to become a very unflattering version of myself. I develop tunnel vision and I become so wound up in a task that I stress myself out and all anybody really wants to do is hide from me, which typically results in a general boo-hooing on my end...NOT pretty.

So when I recently submitted my prayer request at my ladies bible study to somehow get it all done... a well seasoned Navy wife, whom I greatly admire, approached me and very gently reminded me "Quality, Mary-Catherine, not quantity." This stopped me dead in my tracks, God is funny like that. I prayed for peace and viola! I began to realize that if certain things didn't get done, it would be O.K. So the dishes sat in the sink for a while, who cares? and the laundry situation in our house is slightly out of control...big deal And don't even get me started on the garage and back yard and homework load...I realized that now more than ever it is imperative for me to measure my priorities and take time to enjoy my family.

It's like a great weight was lifted off of my shoulders...We're not doing anything different, but the day-to-day has become an opportunity for me to just shake off all of the excess clutter on my brain, wipe my mental check list clean, and just enjoy the view of my husband and daughter playing "horsey" on our living room floor that...honestly? needs a good vaccuuming...another day, another day.

Isabella's first haircut!

2009-01-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

It was time...I held onto those darling red locks as long as possible...but this morning Hubby suggested that our little girl's hair was looking slightly...mullet like. I experimented with various sizes of hairbows but unfortunately he was kind of right this time :( The mere suggestion of scissors touching her sweet head made my heart hurt...but after being prompted to research mullet hairdos online...I conceded.

We took her to a local salon that specializes in children's hair, they were wonderful! they saved her little curls for me and even took her picture and put it in a little frame that says "My First Haircut" She did great for her hairstylist...the fact that she got to sit in an airplane, watch Disney movies and eat candy probably helped a lot! She got to choose a special prize out of the treasure chest when she was finished and by the teim we left she had made friends with everyone in there.

Neither one of us can stop ruffling her bob... You should see her jaunty little walk she has now, you can tell she knows she's cute!

Reflections and new beginnings

2009-01-01T02:25:00.000-08:00

New Years in Hawaii is serious business. It seems that the party starts around 2:00 in the afternoon here...we were eating lunch when we heard that first unmistakable pop of a firework. By around 10:00 this evening so many fireworks had been fired that the entire neighborhood was hazy with thick smoke. Even now at 12:30 am I can hear pops and bangs one after the other...and it will most likely go on until the wee hours of the morning. It seems everyone is excited to celebrate a new beginning.

Our New Years was just as I wanted it to be, quiet and calm. We spent the day at home, lolling about outside watching Isabella draw with sidewalk chalk, only running out for a quick grocery store stop, on the way home however we decided to go on a little impromptu drive...the entire skyline was lit up with fireworks and Isabella was enjoying the show so much we cruised a bit with the windows down, she clapped and cheered in the backseat, not entirely sure what all of the commotion was about, just happy to be a witness to it. The air was full of good smells, bar-b-q grills, salty ocean and of course, firework smoke. Breathing it all in just made me happy. We watched Dick Clark countdown until the the ball dropped, we toastesd with a bottle of bubbly and then raced eachother upstairs to see who could be the first to kiss Isabella into the New Years...he won :( She was fast asleep and only opened her eyes long enough to look at us like were were a couple of loonies, then she rolled over and went back to sleep. After that we stood in the driveway and admired the numorous displays going on throughout the neighborhood...there was cheering and yelling, running about, sparks, fire and much nonsense. We joined in with our little sparklers and now we are in bed.

2008 is a year I will never forget. Not only did I learn how to adapt to a totally different lifestyle on an island far, far away from home, but I carved a niche for myself, I found wonderful friends and I surprised even myself when I realized I enjoyed it. I experienced my first deployment, then I experienced a homecoming. Because God was looking out for me, I won the drawing for First Kiss and received the coveted honor of having red carpet rolled out for me so that my husband was the first sailor off of the boat. Isabella learned to walk while he was gone and everyone watched as she trotted up that red carpet right into her daddy's arms... just as if he never left...all the while tears rolling down his cheeks I did'nt mind that Isabella actually received the first kiss. That is a memory I will always hold dear.

This has certainly been a year of ups and downs for us...I can think of three words to describe this year, uproarious, overwhelming, and tumultuous. Having been to the bottom, Tyler and I both know that the only direction for us now, is up. Having gone through more this year, than ever before, we can honestly say, we are happier than we have ever been. 2009 is looking wonderful for us, even though we will be apart for more than half of it while he is gone on another deployment. I look at my beautiful little family and whether we are apart or together, I am surrounded by more blessings than I can count, I cannot think of a better way to start a new year.