The Door

...is in.  

Hurrah!

Here's a look:

The only thing I don't like about this picture is the guy seems to be holding up a piece of wood and scratching his head.  I certainly hope the roof doesn't cave in once the job's done.  If so, I will submit this photo into evidence.  Exhibit A.

Once the workers left for the day things like this started to happen:

and this...

I wish I could say it stopped here...

...but, it just got sillier and sillier...

If you have young children then you have probably seen the movie, 'Ramona and Beezus'.  

Thanks, Ramona, for the inspiration.  

Ice Ice Baby

My in-laws live in a town where they have festivals, and art shows, and all kinds of wonderful things.  Why we don't live there I still haven't quite figured out.
Every year, on New Year's Eve, they have a 'festival' called "First Night".  Although, since it's New Year's Eve shouldn't it be called "Last Night"?  When we move to that town I will bring it up with the board.  But, in the meantime, First Night has ice sculptures.  All over the place.  Companies sponsor an ice sculpture and put it in front of their office and there is also a little park where ice sculptures are out to be perused.  It's like a little art show for ice.  Very lovely.  There is also someone selling hot chocolate and hot apple cider and kettle corn...  it's quite quaint.  (say that 3 times fast)

Can you guess which company sponsored this sculpture:

 Yep, the plumber.

Oh, and in the past, there is usually snow on the ground and people are wearing their snow boots and are all bundled up.  This year?  Not so much.  Global warming?  All the ice sculptures were on green grass and causing quite a muddy mess...

This guy was not quite finished his masterpiece

A T-Rex

This guy was busy working on something as well.

 Looks like it's going to be a pair of eskimos in front of an igloo.

Sculpting is amazing.  Any form.  Whether your medium is ice or clay or marble.  It is just amazing to me how someone can see nothing and another person something incredible.  

Deja Vu all over again

I know I have written this post before, it seems so familiar to me.  We've all played this game.  It's (drum roll please...) WHAT'S YOUR WORD?

I haven't posted in so long, it may well have been the last post you read...

I don't do resolutions.  Instead of resolutions I do a word for the year.  I have been doing this for the past few years and I really enjoy it.  I try to think of that word everyday and meditate with it and bring it into my prayers.

This year I am mixing things up a little bit.  My word is a resolution as well.  Say whaaaa??  Gotta pay attention on this here blog.  Didn't I just say that I don't do resolutions?  Well, this year, my word is my resolution.  So there.  Nanny nanny poo poo.

My word is my bond.  What's that from and why did it just pop into my head?

Without further ado, my word for 2012 is

ORGANISE
or,
ORGANIZE

depending on where you live.  The meaning is the same though...get yer shizz in order!

So, I am going to dedicate an hour a day (is that too much?  too little?) to organization.  I need to organize my time, so it may just mean I get an hour to myself some days.  I can sit around and scratch my armpits.  I also need to organize my bedroom and the toy closet, so I see a lot of laundry folding and board game stacking in my future.  Who knows, I may even post a few before and after shots.  I know you all are dying to see a photo of my armpit post scratch.

Huh?  What?

But, whatever the organizational challenge I will accomplish (a previous year's word) it and, in the long run, be able to spend quality time with my family (last year's word).

Here's to you!  Let's organize the shizz out of 2012.

Trash Picker

My son has an affinity for Mc Flurry's.  
The ice-cream concoctions that are blended with goodie goodness sold at that fast-food joint you might have heard of.  

hmm...really shouldn't finish a sentence with 'of'.
...of which you might have heard.  There, is that better?

So, after a particularly hot and sweaty baseball practice he politely asked (as all teenaged boys do *ahem*) if we could stop and get a Rolo Mc Flurry.  You heard it right peeps.  A Rolo Mc Flurry.  That would be ice cream blended with delicious caramel Rolos.  

Hold on, I'll be right back...
Love me some caramel.  Or, do you say, carmel. ??  I love them both.

Now, back to my story:
I graciously said 'yes' and off we went.  He finished it on the drive home and promptly threw it in the trash when we got home.  Such a good boy.

A while later we thought the house seemed particularly quiet.  


It's only when it's particularly quiet do you realize how noisy a puppy can be.  There was no scurrying across floors, no stealing socks out of laundry baskets.  It was just oh so quiet.  So, we called our little darling, just to make sure she was still in the house and hadn't snuck out to play with a goat (yes, our neighbor has a goat--that's a story for another day).  After calling out, "Virrrrr-ginnnnn-yaaaaa" this little head popped around the corner:

Did someone call me?  Pay no attention to the cup on my snout.  

It may be stuck, but I don't mind.

It's oh, so DEE-LISH-US.

Anything But a Face

One of my favorite sites, I Heart Faces, is having another contest.  Usually their contests have to include a face, but this time they said no no no, anything but!  So, I immediately thought of this photograph:

It is my mother and her newest grandson.  I just love how both hands have wrinkles on them.  Circle of life.  As you may remember my mother is suffering from Alzheimer's so this photo is a little extra special.  I just love that she got to hold her grandson, even though she won't remember.

xo

It seems I was on hiatus

Sorry, it wasn't intentional.

Our darling dog, Hoss, was diagnosed with bone cancer.  He was given a prognosis of about 3 months, but I feel that he will last longer.  I hope and pray that I am correct.

My darling mother is living with/suffering from Alzheimers.  It's a horrible disease with no cure.  All we can do is be patient, kind and loving.  And pray for her everyday.  It's interesting how people think Alzheimer's is just forgetfulness.  I did too to a certain degree.  But, when we were all in the middle of it--my brothers, sisters, father--all of us--we realised that it is so much more than simple forgetfulness.  It is so much more heart-breaking.  And there is nothing any of us can do.  Sad sad sad.

So, I guess I was on an unintentional hiatus.  Blogging just seemed a little narcissistic at the time.  I couldn't bring myself to sit at the computer and blog about anything.  It all seemed so unimportant.  But, then I realised that life goes on.  Love goes on.  So, I have rallied and am starting to see posts all around me.  Hopefully you'll enjoy them too....

Hug your loved ones today.  Everyday.
xo


www.alz.org

Guess What Peeps?

It's snowing again.  It's late, it's dark, but I can see the snow sparkling outside.

It's beautiful.

I can't wait to see it in morning's first light.  I am sure I will take a gazillion photos.  I just can't help myself.  Every year I say, 'baby-cakes.  you don't need any more photographs of that tree covered in snow.'  But, then I see the freshly fallen snow and I am like a kid in a candy store.

Or a bull in a china shop.

One of those.

Strong like bull.

ahem...where was I?

Oh, yes, gorgeous, beautiful, freshly fallen snow.  It's reminds me of the pile of confectioner's sugar I sift when I make my famous carrot cake.  Yes, it's famous.  You haven't heard of it?  Oh...  hmmm... I could have sworn it was famous.  How many people have to like something in order for it to be famous?  oh...

I am starting to get confused now.  It's late, it's dark...

Ah, yes, as I was saying, it's snowing again in these parts.  I just can't wait to take a photo of that tree covered in snow (again).

Here is what it looked like last time it snowed:

It's just one of my favorite trees.  Makes me smile.  It's also my daughter's 'climbing tree'.  Maybe that is why I am so attached to the tree.  When she was little she grabbed hold of those branches and would not let go.  

 Small fry was determined.

And, if you please, shall we all just have a moment of silence for the diaper sticking out of the back of the pants.

Is it not delicious?  Doesn't it make you want to wear outfits with peter-pan collars?  

Why I didn't have 100 babies I'll never know...

What's the Word?

The word is the bird

Grease is the word


When did you first hear about having a word?  For me it was either whilst reading the book Eat, Pray, Love or whilst watching Oprah.  Maybe it was while I was watching Oprah while she was talking about the book Eat, Pray, Love.

hmm...

Last year my word was ACCOMPLISH.   I love that word.  I love it I love it I love it.  I really wanted to use it again this year.  I just want it to be my word.  Mine.  ALL MINE.  Nobody else's.   However, I decided that I need to come up with a new word.  I can't use the same one year after year.  However, I will allow myself to use it along with a new one.  So, while accomplish will still be part of my daily mantra I do need to come up with a new word for the new year.

Oh, but I just love accomplish.  Please can I keep it?   It can mean so much, or so little.

Actually, the correct definition is:

to bring to its goal or conclusion; carry out; perform; finish:to accomplish one's mission.

I have never been one for setting resolutions.  They seem like a recipe for failure.  People seem to have grandiose ideas of what they would like to achieve for the New Year, but never really make a plan as to how to achieve said goal.  However, I love the idea of a word.  I really think about what my resolutions/goals would be (if I were to 'make' some and then actually stick with them) and then try to think of a word that would help define those resolutions.  And I mean I really put some thought into it.  I sit quietly and pray and meditate.  This is no half-assed word retrieval.  This is the real deal.

I really do use my word as part of a mantra.  When I pray I know to ask God to help me accomplish.  It's really wonderful to have a word.

And, please, do not say your word is balance.  Please.  Are you with me?  Hasn't that word be done to death?  Don't get me wrong--it's wonderful to have balance.  And, I love balance as much as the next person, but if you say your word is balance I know you have put no thought into it.  Think about what balance means to you.  What is it that will make you feel like you have balance in your life?  Really think about it and your word will come to you.  Honest.

And, so, after much thought and consideration my word for the new year will be FAMILY.  When I first thought of family I dismissed it immediately.  But, it kept coming back to me.  The more I thought of it as my word the more I thought it would be the perfect word for me this year.  As my children are getting older it's easy to get stuck in certain ruts, or to let things slip by, and I really don't want to let anything slip by.  So, family it is.  Doing things for my family.  Doing things with my family.  Doing things because of my family.  It will involve doing new things together as well as continuing on tradition.  It will really mean so much: big things and little things.

One of the definitions of family is:

any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents,children, uncles, aunts, and cousins

So, what is your word?  Will you even think of a word, or just set a resolution?
Or neither?
Or both?

Good luck!

Happy New Year!!

And the Icicles hung off the gutter with care...

and my hope is they won't pull the gutter off the house like they did last year.  

okay, well, that didn't exactly rhyme, but, hey!  

(butt hay...hahahahaha....hay for your butt....heeheehee)

  

ahem.  scuse me.  forgot how old I was there for a second.  

Back to the icicles:

I loved the reflection in the window of this one so I thought I would share.   

We didn't get a lot of snow so I don't feel too guilty about taking pictures and not knocking down the icicles straight away lest they rip the gutters out of my house again... 

Last year the icicles were about twice as long and twice as wide and they just ripped that gutter right off of my house.  

(I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair...)

True story.  

Whilst I was trying to be artistic taking photos of icicles my son was being inventive in his own right.   Trying to sled down the slide.  (say that 3 times fast).

oh boy...this is not looking good.  Should I ask if he is okay,  or just keep taking photos?  

Keep taking photos?  Oh, I am so glad you said that.  

hmmm....mummy's here if you need me darling.  

okay, now, it looks like he has finally righted himself

and....

success!

Ah, to be a child again.  I could laugh when people say but, hey!  and take photos of children in precarious situations without offering aide.  Oh, I already do that?  hmm....well, Happy New Year!

An Extra Hour

will get you a nice sleep

will allow your children to wake up happy and rested

will get you a freshly mown lawn

a relaxing breakfast

all of this before noon

the day is still young

love me an extra hour

thank you daylight savings

you have definitely saved my day

US & OZ: October 29, 2010

From OZ:

i saw her hunched over in the yard with her mom's camera...asked her what she was doing. 

"i'm just taking a picture of the poo." 

of course. it was a nice lookin turd.

                                                                 -Kate

From US:

Pretty sure the turd didn't come from this girl.  

She was at the school's Halloween parade.  

I was so taken with her that I couldn't help but take some photos.  

The owner didn't tell me to stop so I just kept on clickin'  

Doesn't she look like she has lipstick and eyeliner on?  

Maybe she was hoping to meet someone special...  

Pumpkin Carving

The only time I take a picture of my son wielding a knife

My daughter decided to color hers as well

Notice the earrings?

It's all very tiring

Trying to piece it all back together

The end result:

Happy Halloween!

US & OZ: Day 6

I did not receive a photo from Kate before she left for Fiji.  I did get an email from her and I think she may have attached a photo to it, but it didn't come through.  She did, however, assure me that she packed her camera!!

So, here is the photo that I imagine she would have sent me:

hahaha, couldn't resist...
 that's not a knife...this is a knife...

anyhoo...back to our regularly scheduled programming...

My little one has finally mastered the 2-wheeler without the aid of training wheels.  She was SO excited and proud to ride around with her big brother.

Kennywood

wouldn't you?  hahaha, couldn't resist.  

Anyhoo...

Over the weekend we drove a bunch of hours so the kiddie-winkles could meet their cousins at an amusement park.  

Kennywood Amusement Park to be exact. 

It's historic!

My son rode this ride:

Not my cup of tea at all.  

This is more my speed:

This is my daughter's speed:

Hope you had a fun weekend!

On the First Day of School...

...Mommy sobbed and sobbed...

Yes, it's true, I am emotional. I cry at Kleenex commercials, which makes me reach for a tissue...hey, I think I just figured out their marketing strategy! clever clever

Anyhoo, back to the matter at hand...

There she goes.

Off to meet the big yellow bus.

The side pony-tail she did herself.

She's very fashionable this one--she knows what's up!

I can't believe 5 years have come and gone so quickly.

I was not ready to let her go.

I always hold her hand when we cross the street.

She comes with me to the supermarket.

We go to the park and then the diner together.

And now...she's leaving me!!! What's up with that?

She walked up those gigantic steps into the bus ALL.BY.HERSELF!

She walked down the aisle of the bus ALL.BY.HERSELF!

She buckled her seatbelt ALL.BY.HERSELF!

I was surprised I got a photo that was in focus because of the water in my eyes.

There she goes.

Bye my little darling.

I'll be in the fetal position on the sofa until you get back.

This guy, on the other hand, is an old pro.

See ya, Ma. Please don't even think about crying.

I'm still not even sure it's him when he's speaking.

His voice keeps getting deeper and deeper...

Where have my babies gone?

Come back my little ones.

And let's not forget dear ole Hoss. He was wondering where his kids were going.

He even tried to get on the bus.

Now, I wish I had a photo of that--it was pretty funny!!

Who is going to rub my belly all day long??

Who is going to give me treats at random times throughout the day??

These are the important questions that need to be answered.

Summer Fruit

Would you like to know what I think is great about Kiwis?

When you have finished enjoying their delicious sweetness, you can fill the skin with more delicious sweetness.

Perfect for little hands.

I think this is where a blueberry fell in the pool:

yum!