bumper sticker

Bumper stickers amuse me.  I saw one the other day... and I am still thinking about it:

I'd tell you to "Go To Hell", But I live there
And I don't want to see you everyday!

taking a break

With ten days left until the "Tennis Birthday Party", I am taking a break from the computer.  I'd like to say I am on vacation.  Sitting in a lounge chair, reading a novel, cleaning my sunglasses, and sipping ice water.   But, I am putting the final touches on a tennis party. 

With family in town.

I am taking a tiny break.

Be back soon, with party pictures.

what else?

I have an odd obsession with houses.  Let me clarify:  "HOUSES FOR SALE".  If it is not for sale, then I am not obsessed.   My other odd obsession is "OVERPASSES".  But focus here, "houses for sale". 

Every Sunday morning, I peruse the "House" section of the local newspaper.  Any openhouses I can waste a few hours at?  Sometimes, my house list is within the city limits.  And sometimes, it is not. 

Recently, I have become obsessed with just ONE house.  I really like this particular house.  And I really like the realtor.  We have become friends.  Yes, probably not in my best interest (or hers).  But friends.  So most of my freetime is spent thinking about this house.  It is a preoccupation I have.  To avoid cleaning out closets.  Decluttering.  Goodwilling.  And anything else I can avoid. 

Well in the midst of my house daydreams, the children all get the flu.  The yucky kind of flu.  The more than a runny nose kind of flu.  You know what I mean.  Loads of laundry -- hourly.  UGH.

So the dryer just dead stops in the middle of all this flu laundry.  DEAD.  Since I am not really a pioneer woman.  Nor am I amish.  I need a dryer.  Preferably one that dries!  And comes in the shape of a rectangle not a rope. 

And since I have to disconnect the dryer when a new one gets delivered.  Whenever that may be???   I decided to mini make over the laundry area.  It had this laundry border... which is cute in your thirties... but now in the forties swinging toward fifties, not so cute.  So I ripped it off the white walls.

And then I had this vision of GREY walls.  Yes, I have been conspiring to somehow for some room buy grey paint.  I even had grey paint cards selected.  All I needed was a reason to go and buy grey paint.  So, grey it is.  I also wanted to experiment with batten board walls.  But when I got "the look" across the dinner table, I didn't push my luck.

Because honestly, I had nothing to do with the dryer breaking.

Although, ironically, I did have a washer/dryer set selected, too.  I selected them during the first week of December.  I had the model numbers.  But, really, I did not know the dryer would break!!  Subliminally, I didn't even wish that my dryer would break. 

However, I may have had something to do with this:

The GOOD news:  I have put my preoccupation with a particular house on the backburner.  In fact, it is so far back that I cannot even move it one inch closer to reality at all.  I believe it is getting pushed further and further away.  There will always be another house to preoccupy myself with.  So for now, I should preoccupy myself with my existing home.  I have grey paint!!

cats away, mice will play

I wish I weren't too tired to play.
Or drink.

I am dreaming of room service.  maid service.  stillness.  quietness. 

Ahhh.  If only England was on central standard time zone, I would phone at the noisiest times of the day.  When tantrums are high.  And patience is low.  Ahhhh.

I miss this...

preview

As I mentioned before...
We are preparing for a "TENNIS THEME BIRTHDAY PARTY"
We begin prepping months in advance.  Ideas, designs, menus, games, fun.
I am waiting for the arrival of my "tennis" stuff by post.  Until then... the other birthday stuff must get done!

So here is a preview of what we have been working on:

1.  A birthday board.   Clip displays the number of years.

2. Hershey's Candy Bar Wrappers.

Ingredients:  friends, fun, chocolate, sugar, sweetness and smiles

3.  Water bottle labels.  Before.
"Happy Birthday" water is for during the party.  The "Thank you" water gets placed into the favor bag dubbed "Tennis Survival Kit".

 4.  A banner.

The completed water bottles: 

5.  Tonight I need to complete the balloon wreath. 

And 6.  Finish the Invitations:

More photos to follow... especially of the party set up!



art at home

I love children's art.
Probably because that is the only kind of art I can do. 
I could totally pass my art off as my 3 year old's creation.
We would be rich!
We would be deceptors!  (Like that one man and his daughter... cannot recall the name... probably because I am extremely exhausted.  Or because I really don't pay attention to little trivial details.  Like names.)
Anyway, I love the art my children create.
Perhaps, because I wear the PARENT GOGGLES!
But, honestly, I despise the MESS.
So today we painted outside.
And then I hosed the girls off.  Well, one girl in particular. 

Matroshka Dolls and Polka Dots are a few of our favorite things

Find the hidden picture.

The doors are being put in the playhouse.

tomorrow

I learned a very difficult lesson today.  It's painful, really.
About tomorrow.

I have a friend -- more than just an acquaintance.  The kind of friend that you can call and pick up where you left off... two months ago, ten months ago, two years ago.  That kind of friend.

And she was my hand surgeon's assistant.  I lost two fingers and gained a friend.  I call that "lucky".  I saw her daily for three years as my hand was being reconstructed.  Her smile lights up a room and on some of those dark mornings, I needed a smile thrown my way.

And then life happens, it returns to normal - marriages, kids, jobs, etc.

So this year was the first I did not receive a Christmas photo card. I did not put  much thought into it -- but it occasionally crossed my mind... because she was the type of friend that always sent holiday greetings. Consistently.

And then I learned that "tomorrow may never come for someone you care about".  

In just a few short months, while I was busy managing the nine-month-flu, placenta previa and a newborn, my friend managed to get cancer, go through chemo, and die.  All in a blink of an eye. 

I am so sorry Carla S.  I am so sorry.
I wasn't there.  At all.  I didn't even know.  I wasn't there.  Oh God, I wish I had known.  She is gone.  And I didn't even say good-bye.  I didn't even say anything at all.  Carla passed the day my baby was baptized; four months ago.  I didn't even know.  Until today. 
I am so sorry.  Gut wrenching sorrow.  Nauseating sorrow.  It hurts.  I would have said something, anything.  I would have smiled at her in return. 

Carla, I miss you.

a first

And today, a milestone was reached.
Only due to age.
Not neediness.
My "middle little" got her first haircut. 
Actually, more like her first trim.
And ... it was FUN. 
She cannot wait to go back for the world's most expensive haircut.  About $5 per snip. 
But... it was totally worth it -- just to see her smile swell with pride and big-girl-ness.

I am sure I purchased one of these cute little hair chairs today... too bad the hair chairs have to remain on the property.  How fun would it be to have this TAXI in your playroom? 

a diddy...

Pink skies at night

Mommies de-light

Pink skies in the morning

Mommies heed warning

Pink skies any time

Mommies guzzle wine



I particularly love the "city wires"!



Too much "Mommy Wine"?
 OR 
Camera still programmed on "sunset"?



mother nature's beauty

It snowed in Texas.  Yup.  Real white flakes.

The fluffy kind.

The kind that never make it to the ground.

Because the ground is still 67 degrees from yesterday's temps.

The kind that make winter fun.

The kind that make you appreciate not living in the Northeast.

I love Texas snow!

PS Sorry to all my northern ex-readers

Five Months Old

My baby is five months old today.

Her smiles make my day.

Her grins are wide when her sisters are near.

I hug her tight savoring the moment.

For tomorrow she is one day older.

Ode to Joy

The "Ode to Joy" and "Nutcracker" and "Jingle Bells" play all day long at our house.  The tunes are in a jazzed up version that make you want to get off your bum and DANCE.  Like crazy! 

Occasionally "Jingle Bells" gets a new and improved DRUM beat in the mix with a dash of Saxophone.  I love the music that resonates within our walls. 

Try "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with a Reggae beat.  Or an Indian beat (the country). 

Even our def-tone singing sounds *almost* Great.  Really.

And the tunes we can create with our own made-up words.

How fun!  How creative!

Until, the middle "little" went to church and sang her own version to the choir-orchestrated "Alleluia"...

"Fla-ha-ha-ha-meen-go;  Fla-ha-ha-ha-meen-go"
Translation:  Flamingo

and onto my next project

Who knew?
That tennis balls are NOT yellow. 
They are actually green.
Since who knows when?
But green?
I still call tennis balls yellow.  I will continue to call them "yellow tennis balls".  And I will continue to be corrected by my seven year old daughter... and husband... and, recently, my two year old daugther. 
Clearly, I cannot win this debate. 
So, now I refer to tennis balls as PINK.  The Wilson Hope PINK tennis balls. 

My oldest wants a Birthday Party this year.  Last year, we had to skip a party because I was very ill with that nine-month flu!  And we always have a party with some grand theme.  So this year she wants to have a small number of girls over to the house.  Yup.  I think I am insane agreeing to this cockamanie idea.  Because really who wants to host a party to little girls who will run wild through your house?  Opening closets.  And drawers.  Peering into any opening.  Chasing the cats.  Begging to go swimming in 30 degree temps.  UGH. 

The point of my yellow tennis ball situation is this...
She wants a TENNIS theme party. 

So, now I ask... where do I come up with TENNIS things?  Because clearly in my city, TENNIS things do NOT exist.  Except at the pet store, they do sell TENNIS toys for dogs.  Somehow, I do not think these "little-on-the-verge-to-tweendom-already-discovered-Justice-and-boys-and-cliques" want dog toys.  I have ideas.  I just have to find them.  Or create them.  So create, it is. 

And, a big thank you god for the internet and google!!  Because there is ONE web-site where I can actually buy some expensive party goods and decorations.  Yippee!

My Birthday Girl announced this morning that next year she will select an easier theme... like "COWGIRL"... because that we DO have here in Texas.  We can do Cowgirl.  With boots.  And hats.  Horses (pew).  And the cutest plastic boot drinking glasses you have ever laid your eyes on!

However, a TENNIS theme begins to grow.

Stay tuned for how this TENNIS themed party is created out of nothing. 

fyi, favors are fun!

I love favors... as I may have mentioned before.

So, I had to come up with a new idea for this holiday season.

Usually, I do hot chocolate favors...

But... some other random grade level mother *took* my idea and

she now does the hot chocolate favors... so let her.

Hers suck!

Because...

I have a NEW idea for favors:

AVON!

These are great for favors. 

And the price is right.

AVON!  A big shout out to AVON!

Hand lotions with Christmas Designs and Scents

Lip balm with matching Christmas Designs and Fun Flavors

Love it!!

Will be giving the gift of Avon again next year! 

(Thank you, MRE, my favorite Avon rep!)

and now I know

why mommies look forward to the start of school after a break...

mommies,
everywhere,
LET YOUR WEEKEND BEGIN TODAY !!!

I am heading out for a mani/pedi
And I don't even care if my pedi will be covered up with wool socks and boots.
And that my mani is CLEAR.

It's the WEEKEND !
Yippee!

flower headband created by her oldest sister

And more drivel...

And on the second day of the New Year, I was welcome to dismantle our home from every holiday article.
Yay for ME!
It was a fabulous day spent taking down trees, decorations, and stockings.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, 2011!

So...

My darling husband arrived home today with a surprise!

Yay for ME!

My overactive imagination kicked in...

A Tall Starbucks with EXTRA Caffeine!

A NEW car!

A prepared meal!

A ____ (something I have always wanted)!

{It's a fill-in-the-blank

because I cannot recall at the moment

something specific that I have always wanted,

except for tickets to Oprah

or

to sing back-up (lip-sync anyhow)

for Jimmy Buffett

or...}

Except...

it turned out not to be so much of a Yay

As an UGH, Nay!

In my garage sat a

Hopper

and

40 BAGS of INSULATION

That's right folks,

my big surprise!

I got to spend the next three hours

shoving insulation

into a hopper.

Happy insulatin' New Year!