Saturday, December 29

What he likes to do...




Co'b (not cob as in corn on the cob, but co like co. plus the sound of the letter b) short for his name, Korbin. Anyhoo... Co'b likes to just hang out with me while he is doing his own thing, building, drawing, good/ bad guys.
Today he worked together on his new Lego hovercraft... with 'shooters' that he got for Christmas. He loves to build. We have large baskets filled with blocks. You can find all sorts... but up until now we never had the small, big kid Legos. We have now gotten bigger.



I'm not sure that it speaks to other people, but this photo tells me happy and sad stories... this little boy is a little boy... people.... a little boy. The only reason I slightly remember him being a baby is b/c he has a baby sister. Whats going to happen when she is all big.

By the way... the fabric above... well, it is finally getting cut! I been putting it off since here.

(p.s. I have finally come back to explain something about this post...I couldnt get the pictures in the positions I wanted and then well... too much time passed and it didnt seem important) what he likes to do is sit with me and hang out and do his thing, while I do my thing... the picture that speaks volume is the one of him in his 'beanie' outside. He is such a beautiful person... and I am speaking of his heart.

to my mom

I have always thought of my mom when hearing this song. As a little girl I would sing along..."Winter , Spring, Summer and Fall... all you've got to do is call"... I loved it and still do. We have since declared this as "our" song... so here's to you mom'a!


Mom'a...

I love my mom.

Recently I sent her a package of random items (total random from coasters, aprons, to doll bedding.) Everyday since she has received it we have talked (she lives several states away)and everyday she mentions her coasters. She loves them she says and wants more.


My mom was the first person that I expressed my desire to focus on and improve my skills and possibly start making money for my love of crafting.


More than a year ago, egged on by a friend, I started reading blogs and discovering Flickr groups.... through all that I have been truely inspired and amazed at these women and honestly, them plus my MOM.... have been what is encouraging me to keep going. My mom is my biggest cheerleader and the craft bloggers are my inspiration to dig deep inside my crafty self!!


I, to date, have had three customers!!! Yah me! I have been sewing gifts mostly, or things for my kids. I am in love with fabric. My love for patterns started off in paper when I found the art of scrap booking. I could gaze at paper most of the afternoon, Starbucks in hand.... daydreaming of the blue and brown paisley paper that I wanted to just jump out and lick b/c it is so damn yummy. So now that my focus has changed directions... bolts of fabric I could go around and touch and feel, no intention of buying it, just being curious about all the possibilites ahead of it...and not leave it until I carefully tucked its ends back behind the next bolt. (This has nothing to do with me working in retail and having to help out in the fabric department. I also do weird stuff like fix hangers or hang up a sleeve if it has slipped off.)


My point is that I am very thankful for my mom. She is always there when I need her, just a phone call away. And somehow she always knows what to say... and when to say it without me asking..... so you have no idea how much I have needed you the past week... thank you.

Wednesday, December 26

'till we meet again...



I bought the little snowmen a few years back to accompany the bigger one on the left and be his friend. There use to be two of them, each holding something different, I forget now what the other did. I received them from a co-worker/ good friend like 10 years ago. I have since lost touch and wonder about her each year when I bring out my snowman... I remember the year I opened the box to find its mate's ball broken. (dirty people, his ornament belly, she would be one of these people and then would announce it to the front reception area of the doctor's office we worked at... crazy girl)
I was 18,living back home in Georgia and dating hubby, she was in her 40's, married and had kids, "Mer" is signed on the bottom. I hope this little guy never breaks. Hmmm... until we meet again my friend. until we meet again...

Tuesday, December 25

HOHOHO



Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Friday, November 30

Woody or Buzz?
















I have a friend whose little girl found (this) Woody "with" his hat, EVERYTIME she came over! So... for her I want her to notice the sleeper that MyPie is wearing and that she chooses 'Woody'.... most of the time.

















I had to turn the flash off for this pictures... and I love that it caught all of HER movement while she was playing.

EVeryday it seems my love for my babies grow and grow... I am so in love with her right now! She is funny... she is serious... she takes up for herself against kids twice her size... she says "peash" (please)... she says "Niiiice".... she loves shoes (boots and black cluncky mary jane shoes are her favorite) she tilts her head and smiles and I fall in love with her more and more!

Monday, November 26

Anyone for a picnic?

I made this little picnic blanket with matching napkins for my niece for Christmas. I hear that she is ALL about her tea set that MY grandmother got her... so this will be something that they can use together while she is there during the week. How awesome that the great grandmother gets to be so involved in her life. She and my mom rotate watching her while my brother and sis in law work. She is quite the character... I hope she loves it... I thought about her and my brother the entire time I was making it... how crazy it is that MY LITTLE BROTHER is a dad.

Wednesday, November 7

Here's to you....


this was hubby's bday cake this year. (my first angel food cake, I was excited with the results. We celebrated with dividing half the cake the way his dad would have wanted it (with homemade whip cream and strawberries)... and then the way that my husband prefers...(plain).
My husband was actually born and a couple days later brought home on his dad's bday, so I am sure that this was a special time for him and it feels like second nature to celebrate this time of year with him.

Since his dad is no longer with us I was hoping to help him be here with us this year... we enjoyed it so much that I think that I plan to do this each year! Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Thursday, November 1

Trick or Treat... Minnie Mouse and a REd Power Ranger

My Red Power Ranger and my little Minnie Mouse....
(we tried so hard to get her to wear the ears... I even tried putting them on a couple of times a day for like 3 weeks before halloween... no chance!)
I found this fabric at Wally World, it was just screaming Minnie Mouse at me as I walked by... so Minnie Mouse bag it became!

When I look at this photo I am reminded at how much they love each other. She would follow him anywhere... he would hold her hand anywhere. He is patient and kind with her most of the time... and she adores him, most of the time!
Happy Autumn!

Tuesday, October 30

but the suns not up yet...

Okay, well for now the floor is no longer sticky! And I have just sent out a bee-zillion emails that were suppose to be out last week, so check that off the list!!!

This morning I woke up 3 hours before the kids (so yes, the sun had not come up yet) just to catch up on the dishes from the night before and some laundry that I could no longer pretend wasnt there, mainly because our closets and drawers were empty, but anyhoo I got it done)... it seems that I don't have time for the 'other' stuff in my life for always trying to play catch up...

Three whole hours!!! I also spent time with a friend, took a nap and actually got to sew a baby blanket for my soon to be niece. (This was not all done before dawn, I just actually had time to do this stuff b/c of the 'before the crack of dawn' waking! though I don't think that I could do this every morning)

well... I am going to bed before the alarm clock.... aahhmmm... Pieya.... aaahhmmm goes off!!
later!

Wednesday, October 24

Hello... where are you?????

Why can't I get motivated? I have all these plans... and nothing seems to get done. I made a list and everything... but still... here we are...floor still sticky... crumbs still on rug where kids had their snack... clothes still in dryer (scared to take them out b/c then I will have to fold them or even scarier, I'll have to put them away!)... paperwork piling up... and should I even go into the details of fixin' (I'm still a southern girl at heart) the cushions on the couch to find snack crackers and alphabet magnets underneath... now most may have cleaned it up... I however 'sighed' and put the cushion back on top of the mess! Another day I suppose. Hopefully I will forget about them and the kids will find them first and if I am lucky, eat them. Hey, a mom can dream can't she!

Root Beer Float vs. warm Pecan Pie

the boys preferred the root beer float and the girls wanted only the pecan pie!!!!
they both were alot of fun to watch dive into such simple pleasures

Sunday, October 21

Slow pokin'

So these are a few photos from around the house. This is the wall that you look at as you exit the kitchen and go into the family room. The base boards took 3 coats!!!!





Any and all shades of green I just love. (that and brown... all shades)
Co'bs favorite color is green too! Though he is is specific and likes dark green and thought that we should've painted the rooms dark like a forest.
Check out my flickr page for more of the pictures...
ta~ta

Monday, October 15

I'm not sure how I have made it to the point of where I am... even though the first layer of the house looks unkept... I rest easier knowing that for once, the underneath is clean as can be.

My in laws are in town ... but the preparation for company in general starts weeks ahead. This time was a little different... we decided to paint the kitchen and family room and two hallways. Did I mention that they are vaulted ceilings... and that because of the previous colors primer HAD to be used and the base boards needed 3 coats in some areas to be turned into 'ultra white'. Yes there is a HUGE difference in the land of the color 'white'. (the base boards were painted the same color as the walls, I promise that they were NOT just that dirty!) And I haven't even mentioned the cleaning of ALL the carpets (I borrowed a friends rug cleaner and I now have one on my Christmas list... its a must... including the 'Lavendar Essense' carpet shampoo that I used)

With company in town, I almost don't know what to do with myself... I feel like I am 'suppose' to be doing something. I haven't been able to do any sort of crafting since the stuff with the house started and I am really getting an itch to get some creative therapy going. Especially since I have what feels to be a brand new space all around me... surrounding yourself with colors and items that you love is such inspiration. We finally unpacked more boxes that hid most of my treasures... to have them out where I can see them are like finding long lost friends. Each item, remembering where I got it... some thrifted some new.... who I was with or who gave it to me... I love it.

I really need to post some pictures of our progress with the house because it looks amazing! I love doing home improvement projects! There is such an instant gratification that goes along with it! I remember as a kid helping my grandmother paint and wallpaper, I was a pro before the age of 10. My dad had lots of rental properties while I was growing up, and each time he either bought a new place or a new tenant was to move in.... there was always a renovation to take place. My mom being the decorator that she is gave me such a love for creating a space to live in that you love. She has such a way with decor and loves to change her home with her mood. I am so glad that I have that quality from her. Thanks mom!

Sunday, September 16

little things; BIG enJOYment



I wanted to share a few of my JOYS from today…..



1. A Cloudy day!!!! (those of you who do not experience the 360 days of the Arizona sunshine may not understand my joy of today's overcast. (how did Florida get the nickname ‘Sunshine State’? They need to reconsider who holds such a title.) Part of my morning routine is opening all the blinds, so anywhere you walk in the house you can see outside… and throughout the day I found myself gazing at the wonderful ‘hazy hue outside. The kids even went outside (still close to 100 degrees) and played at the water table… with the sun hiding behind the clouds it didn’t seem so bad.



2. We (mostly me) cleaned out Co’bs room. We were able to diminish the collection of Matchbox cars down to JUST ‘20′ cars and trucks (I had to make sure ALL the Scooby Doo one’s were there, we double and triple checked ourselves just to make sure). We managed to get rid of 5 stuffed animals, though I was hoping to have the number higher, it was sweet that he insists that he has to cuddle them (there are about 10 on the bed and the rest are in a large red bucket under his loft bed) because “i yaove them” (I will never correct his speach on this one). In the end we had 1 bag for the trash, 1 bag for donation, and 1 bag for resale.



3. After a day of cleaning rooms and laundry (which I still haven’t folded), I loaded the kids up to drop off our donation pile (its been piling up) to our local, and BRAND NEW Goodwill. The receipt of donation has a 20% off purchase coupon which I basically ran with to the front door. (Did I mention the nice, clean and COVERED drop off area, another HUGE plus in this Arizona’ian’s book of favorites. Well we each found a treasure… Pieya got a little bitty ride-on toy- its a little pink bike with a basket on the front, $1.99…. Co’b has been eyeing a Resue Hero tower at our favority resale shop that has been priced at $17.99-RESALE … well the first thing he spotted was a similar one with a price tag of $2.99!!!! In the back, there is a small section of material and I found this (the picture up above... I couldn't get the image to move for some reason) for only $.99!!!! I like this fabric so much that I used in for my banner in my shop. I haven't listed any items yet... but I have a couple of projects in the making. later!

easy breezy

After going to bed way to late last night... 'Pieya naturally got up way too early this morning.
So... I decided to make it a great day anyway... with the guys still asleep (it was 7am), she and I escaped to Starbucks... just the girls! I love the sound of that. Co'b and I use to have 'dates' ...we would go to our coffee shop... mommy gets a chai frap or a iced carmel macchiato... Co'b would get a 'cow'...(Horizon's milk box) and like me he would swap b/w vanilla and chocolate depending on moods.
But today was different, today was Pieya's turn. She's 15 mos and we had our first- just the two of us date to the local coffee shop. I had a carmel macchiato and she had chocolate milk. We shared a cheese danish. She wore her Dora pajamas... complete with bed head! We had a great time as she opened and closed her hands to the men and women who came and left. She would smile and tilt that little head down... and wave! I love her!
Later that day... me and the little guy went to Lowe's to buy the paint mommy finally talked dad into doing in the family room and kitchen. Updates on that to come... maybe even a few pictures. I love before and afters. We went with Aracucana Sage, I started a little trim work... and I can not wait to tackle this project. Okay... I so need to go to sleep.
By the way... I made this apron for my grandmother... I can't wait for her to get it. later.

Friday, August 17

slurpin' sweet melon


Co'b & Pieya on the left with my niece on the right.

We were visiting family in Alabama and Georgia this summer and this picture was taken at 'their' great grandparents house. (I feel so blessed for that to occur... my grandparents mean the world to me... for them to love my children as much as me... esp from a great distance makes you appreciate the special bond that you have as family.

Gran Gran had come home with a watermelon from a garden that he and his friend had planted (at the friends house). My kids being the watermelon fruitcakes that they are, were extremely excited. My niece soon understood the idea of just digging in and really enjoyed herself.
I wish that I had gotten them when they were all finshed... we HAD to take them all out side to hose them off in the grass!
I will never forget July of 2007... full of watermelon, Co'b's first fishing trip, dog jumping in the lake, museum, swimming at KK's, the ability to pop in and out at my moms house, eating at my dads restaurant, seeing old friends, seeing my nieces and nephew, and lets not forget eating at Country's Barbeque (one of the highlights for sure, my first job was as a waitress at the one downtown on Broadway in Columbus GA)