Festival Fun...

Our local Art Institute sponsored a Children's Festival today...

We played some carnival games...

Did some Carnival Art...

Sat and enjoyed some fresh popped Popcorn and listened to Live Music...

And got a Butterfly in our favorite colors...

Thanks for a FUN time Lilley-Kate!!!

She's One LUCKY DUCK!!!

Well... the Give-Away for the FABULOUS quilt over at Old Red Barn Co. is over... and unfortunately the LUCKY DUCK wasn't me... but it was still fun to participate!!! Congrats to the winner!!!

She Wanted Pink Petunias...

And Pink Petunias is what she got...

YUMMY In Our TUMMY...

These YUMMY Blueberry muffins made the 5 hour trip home with us this past weekend... I don't know what is YUMMIER... the moist blueberry filled cakey inside... or the sugary crunchie sweet topping!!!... Good thing we don't have a WEGMENS here!

A FABULOUS Give-Away...

DON'T miss out on this FABULOUSLY GENEROUS Give-Away going on right now!!! Only ONE entry per person... BUT... there are 3 ways to get more entries... go check it out!!!

BB10... and a QUIRKY Little Habit...

So last night was the premeire of BB10... and I was SO EXCITED!!!!

I LOVE the decor of the house... L-O-V-E it!!! I think the KITCHEN is my FAVORITE room... Those "barrel sinks" in the bathroom area kinda freak me out... but just kinda...

I thought JULIE looked Beautiful last night... I LOVED how her dress did that flouncie flounce thing when she walked... of course... NOW anytime I see body glitter I think of Dance Recitals... LOL :o)

I always have to do double takes when the houseguests all sit around introing themselves to each other... what to REVEAL... what to keep SECRET...

There are 3 accents that I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND TO HEAR when someone speaks... ONE of those is in the house... I think I'll be hitting MUTE quite a bit

I have a QUIRKY habit of giving people nicknames... typically based on my IMPRESSION of them... so far...

FRODO... JUGHEAD... CHARMIN and GRANOLA GUNS have impressed me enough (or maybe I should say NOT ENOUGH) to be bestowed a nickname... the others will come to me as the season progresses!

Can't wait for TUESDAY!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Friday evening was spent putting up the signs for the YARD SALE... getting last minute items together... and HOPING no EARLY BIRDS knocked on our door in the wee hours of the morning to get an early peek! Nick decided to ride up to school and visit some friends and go into the city on Saturday...


Saturday I was up and outside setting up for the sale by 6:15AM... Michael had set up the tables and got most of the stuff outside for me... I just needed to organize it and wait for my first customer... the sun shined brightly... I sold pretty much everything I wanted to sell (the rest went to donation)... My friend Mrs. Hardt and Lilley-Kate's best Girlie Friend came over and spent the day (Mrs. Hardt brought some items over to sell Friday Night)... The girls played, swam, and played some more... The Sale was a SUCCE$$!!!


By the time we got everything cleaned up... and WE cleaned up... I wasn't to keen on cooking anything... so we treated ourselves to PERKINS (Lilley-Kate's FAVORITE "real resturant")... I had my usual... Chicken Tender Sandwich... YUMMY... when we got home we got into our pj's and just RELAXED the rest of the evening!!!


Michael woke up early this morning and was able to get in a round of golf before the rain started falling... I worked on a towel order (that I delivered this afternoon)... once the rain ended and the sun came out we spent the evening outside... Tonight I watched BB10 (my FAVORITE Summer Reality Series) and will be watching NFNS in a bit...

Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!!

Tanlines and Tootsies...

It's That Time Again...

For my 2nd Annual Yard/Garage Sale!!! I've spent this past week getting things ready... gathering items to sell... dusting things off... and pricing (THAT is the tough part)... I want to offer "bargains"... but at the same time I AM out to make a bit of money off the whole thing... I mean... it's not ONLY about getting rid of stuff we nolonger NEED... or WANT... so we'll see what happens... I have "recruited" a couple of neighbors to "join in"... the weather is suppose to be great... WI$H ME LUCK!!! :o)

Goings On...

Well... today is "Hump Day"... Wednesday... already!

Michael has been working on a little project in the Living Room...

We're still wiggling teeth frequently throughout the day (no luck yet)...

All my flowers in the garden are starting to bloom (we've already seen a couple of butterflies and a hummingbird)...

I think the rain has finally moved on... FINALLY!

Set the date for our Garage Sale... July 12th

Got to chat with my DEAR FRIEND yesterday...

Nick has been working the LATE shift this week at his Summer Job...

Abbie has become a "Nervous Nellie" with all the fireworks going off this week...

Michael came home with a little Birthday present for me...

Lilley-Kate has a playdate today with her BFF Kylee...

It's hard to believe we are already into July!!!

In Anticipation...

We noticed 2 wigglie teeth the last week of school (and 2 adult teeth already coming up BEHIND the wigglie ones)... every night and every morning we have been wiggling those teeth... but as of today... no luck... I realized pretty quickly that we could be caught "unprepared" for such a monumentous occasion... so today I made Lilley-Kate a little something...



Her TOOTH PILLOW... so... when those wigglie teeth FINALLY decide to come out... she'll have something to put them in for the Tooth Fairy!!!

It's just made of felt... and blanket stitched together... the back is a bit "wonkie"... but Lilley-Kate was THRILLED...

Now... just to get those teeth to come out!

Suggestions Welcome...

Time for a new camera!!!

I currently have a SONY CYBER-SHOT 3.2 mega pixel (purchased in 2002)... I like it well enough... except for the delay in shots... and sometimes the screen will go "blank/black" in between shots too...

I have been lightly researching Canon Powershots...

Think $200-$300 price range

Any suggestions???

Easing Into It...

Well... we are into Summer "vacation" now... it always takes us a couple of weeks to "ease" into our Summer "routine"... nothing fancy... getting my Summer "To-Do" list made... setting up playdates and activities for Lilley-Kate... I like a bit of "transition time"... to casually enjoy the mornings, afternoons, and evenings at a slower pace...
Yesterday was one of those "slower paced days"... Lilley-Kate and I enjoyed some time outside doing a bit of gardening (ok... I gardened while she ran around chasing the first butterflies of the season)... then we played hopscotch... Yesterday evening we played PLAY-DOH and danced the Macarena (I had to look it up on YouTube as I never learned it the first time around... sad I know)

With Michael's new job he is home quite a bit earlier than before... so little projects are getting done... and he seems to like HIS "slower pace" of a 40 hour workweek... Nick seems to be struggling a bit with his Summer job... I keep reminding him that he only has to work until mid-August and that any situation is what we make it... but he's almost 20... enough said...

I have quite a Summer "To-Do" list... and once our "Ease Week" has ended... it's full speed ahead!

Some New "Duds"...

I'm planning on sewing up some more skirts for myself... these arrived yesterday in the mail...

Alexander Henry "Veronique", Amy Butler "Lotus" and Micheal Miller "Groovy"... I'll use the vintage Simplicity pattern I used before... and then another skirt pattern I found here .

Crowded Out...

So... a couple of weeks ago we realized we had "occupants" in a nest under the front eave right outside Lilley-Kate's bedroom window... I had Michael literally hang out the window and snap a picture...


Then yesterday we noticed little heads poking up above the edge of the nest... so once again I had Michael hang out the window and snap a picture this morning (much to the disliking of the "Mother Robin" sqwuaking" from our neighbors roof)...



Well... we get ready to head out for a little shopping and I about have a heart attack when I step off the back porch!!! The BABY ROBINS have "flown the coop" (or do only chickens do that?... anyway)... we could only find one of the babies... which seemed quite comfortable on my car and obvious had no plans to move along...

The "Mommy Robin" sat watching from our neighbors roof... seemingly torn between concern and unconcern... finally she let out a couple of "sqwuaks" and flew away... she had given her little ones love, food, and shelter...

Now it was time for them to use their wings...

Lilley-Kate was quite perplexed as to WHY the "Mommy Robin" would just fly off and leave her babies... Michael explained that that is what some animals do... later in the car she said she wouldn't want to be a bird... I asked why... and she said "Because I wouldn't want you to just leave me like that Mommy bird left HER baby"... OH... my favorite girl... THAT would never happen...

She Did It!!!

Before bathtime tonight Michael... (who has the patience of JOB)... worked with Lilley-Kate on learning to TIE... using a "tip" from another Mom... we gave her one of Michael's shoes (since the laces on Men's sneakers are EXTREMELY LONG) and SHE DID IT!!!

An Invasion...

We are being INVADED by SQUIRRELS... I THINK that the squirrels born this past Spring are now being "kicked out" of the nests... they are EVERYWHERE all of a sudden... this morning when I took the dog out I counted 13 just in our yard alone... running around like BANCHEES and acting all crazy... I am ASSUMING they are young (they are small and kinda skinny... growling and "chirping" at each other)... as they are bold enough to get "too close for my comfort" to the house and ME... UUUUUggghhhh... BATS, BIRDS (especially the big black CROWS), and SQUIRRELS... Next time I/we go out I'm takin' the broom as my "weapon"...

Stunned into Leaving...

So... this past weekend we attended my nephews HS Graduation Party... to be quite honest it was NOT something that either Michael and/or I was looking forward too... we hadn't seen or spoken Michael's family since Christmas '07 (although I DO keep in touch with my sister-in-law)... but it WAS for my Nephew and we figured there would be plenty of people there so "dancing around the BIG PINK ELEPHANT" wouldn't be that hard... everything was going FAIRLY smoothly... Michael and I were standing together when his FATHER walked up to us and said:

"I'm glad to see that Lilley has slimmed down"

WTH does THAT mean?????

We were outta there within 15 minutes...

SHOW NIGHT!!!

Tonight was the BIG NIGHT!!! What a FUN time all the girls had... and they did FABULOUS!!! Mrs. Hardt and I had fun chaperoning the group... we've never seen so many press on jewels and spray glitter in our lives!!!

Working Out The "KINKS"...

Last Night was dress rehearsal... one final chance to work out the "kinks" in the show... and each number... the girls did GREAT... and what seemed like disjointed confusion at earlier stage lessons came together smoothly for the 3 1/2 minutes they are on the stage... The Recital is TONIGHT!!!

I'm On A QUEST...

OK... it shouldn't be THAT hard... and I'm NOT being my usual "picky" self...

BROWN SANDALS... SIMPLE BROWN SANDALS

It can't be THAT difficult right???

FABULOUS... Like Kitchen Curtains

So I made another FABULOUSLY EASY skirt from the vintage SIMPLICITY pattern... omitted the center front seam (made the front one whole piece) and made matching bias trim for the waistband... I chose the fabric because my favorite flowers are daisies... although Lilley-Kate LOVED the skirt (my little flower lover)... Michael thought the skirt looked like kitchen curtains...

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Another weekend comes to an end... and the start of a VERY BUSY week ahead...

Friday we had Lilley-Kate's Kindergarten Carnival (see post below)... we got home after school EXHAUSTED... showered and spent the rest of the evening just relaxing...

Saturday dawned SUNNY and HOT (my two FAVORITE WORDS)... by 9am the thermometer was already reading 87*... so we knew it was gong to be a record breaking day in our area... Lilley-Kate had recital practice TWICE on Saturday... after Finale practice at noon Kylee (Lilley Kate's BFF) and my friend Mrs. Hardt picked up a pizza nad headed back to our house for lunch and relaxation between practices... we had "stage lessons" at 4:30... funny how practices seem so "disjointed" but then on "show day" everything comes together perfectly... all the girls did GREAT and are so excited about the show on Friday... Nick left for an overnight to see some old friends Saturday morning (with strict instructions to LOVE the car as it is approaching 250, 000 miles!)... We did have 2 blink and you miss them storms that came through during the day... Saturday night we ate lightly... and went to bed early...

Today I had my weekly morning chat with my sister... finished another FABULOUS and FABULOUSLY EASY wrap skirt... made our usual trip to Wallies... enjoyed some outside time and Lilley-Kate played in her pool... I caught some "rays"... and Michael tooled around the yard... Nick arrived back home safely from his trip... I made Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner (per Lilley-Kate's request)... tonight is IceRoad Truckers Season Premiere and Next FoodNetwork Star...

BUSY BUSY week ahead...school ends... daily recital practices... and prep for graduation parties this weekend and of course Fathers Day!

Hope Everyone had a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!! :o)

My first Asiatic Lily bloomed in my garden on Friday... the salvia is thriving... and the coneflowers are budding... we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the butterflies!

Carnival Fun...

Lilley-Kate had her "Kindergarten Carnival" yesterday to celebrate the end of the school year... all the kids had a fun time... bouncing in the bouncers and going to each activity station... there was face painting... balloon "sculptures"... a mini train ride... and lots of fun! I volunteered at the carnival and Michael volunteered as a class chaperone (I'll have to rethink the whole giving the camera to Michael and saying "get some good shots of the kids"... every time I saw him I would say... "Are you getting pictures?"... and he would reply "Yep... lots"... well... we ended up with 5 TOTAL)... It was REALLY HOT yesterday... but LOTS of FUN!

FABULOUS and FABULOUSLY EASY!!!...

I LOVE skirts... LOVE LOVE LOVE them... and when I find one I like... I stick with it...

Being a bit on the short side... and carrying a bit more than I would like "on the bottom"... I always look for "classic" styles and "cuts" that not only "work"... but look nice... and I have found just that in a vintage SIMPLICITY "JIFFY" pattern (#4763)... 4 total pattern pieces (plus optional pockets)... A-Line cut with a bit of "swing"... Wrap-around style for ease of "fit"... took me MAYBE 45 minutes to cut and sew (I did take a shortcut and used bias trim for the waistband and ties)... I used a FABULOUS Alexander Henry fabric "VERONIQUE" that has a nice feel and drape (I'd say it is a mid to lightweight cotton)... I will DEFINITELY be making more of these!!!

One of my FAVORITE actresses was asked in an interview once why she wore skirts so much... her answer... 'with a big bum and thick legs I just feel more comfortable and presentable in skirts'... it made me love her even more!

Choices Choices...

So I took Lilley-Kate to have her recital pictures taken... I didn't want to use the "Dance Studio photographer" so we went to our local "photography studio" and had them done... she did WONDERFUL and had a fun time getting her picture taken... out of 54 proofs... I have narrowed it down to 8 (that I will purchase) and 2/3 that I will get "packaged"... it was a fun afternoon and Lilley-Kate is really looking forward to Recital Day!

CAUGHT!!!...

We knew we had "nibblers" in our flower beds... the plants chewed down to the mulch were the evidence... but we had never caught one of the offenders... until this morning...

Race to the FINISH...

Well... we're in the "home stretch" of the school year... another full week... and Lilley-Kate's Kindergarten year will end... recital practices start in earnest this week... and will continue daily until "show day"... I want to enjoy these last few "hurrah" days... keep the schedule straight... and be where we are suppose to be... when we are suppose to be there...

WHEW... it seems like I am running the "End of the Year" race at breakneck speed this year... it'll be nice to enjoy a quiet Summer and just refuel...

An EXCITING Visitor...

After standing at the kitchen window with camera at the ready... I was able to snap a couple of pictures of a very exciting visitor to our window feeder... it was fun to watch the male cardinal knock the seed to the ground... only the male cardinal came up to the feeder as the female stayed on the ground and ate the seed... we have really enjoyed watching all our visitors to the feeder... probably one of the best purchases we have made (and the least expensive)!!!

4 Generations...

Clockwise from bottom left... Great-Grandmother ("GG"- My Grandmother), Grandma (My Mother)... Mother (Me)... and Lilley-Kate

COMMUNICATION...

IS IT REALLY THAT DIFFICULT????

Attitude Adjustment...

My Dad's Mother (my Grandmother) honestly wasn't the NICEST person you would meet... but one thing she would always say is... "If you can't say anything nice... then zip your lip" and she lived that rule probably 95% of the time)... well... lately I have felt like I don't have anything nice to say... so I have been keeping my lip "zipped"...

I feel like my ATTITUDE has really needed adjusting lately... I'm not "intentionally" trying to be "stinky"... or think "stinky" thoughts... it's just "happening"... a LOT... and pretty much every little thing is irritating me lately (nope... not prepping for Aunt Flo either... although that would be an easy "out")... it's really starting to bother me...

I try REALLY HARD to be a good person... set a good example... and most times I'm pretty satisfied with the way I "conduct" myself... but lately I feel I am falling a bit short on things...

I THINK it may just be anxiety over some upcoming "events"... those "grin and bear it" events that are attended out of "obligation" mostly... having to paste a "plastic smile" on our faces and PRETEND all is wonderful ... I'm not really sure... or maybe listening to the same "complaints" over and over... and not understanding why NOTHING is being done to make things better or different...

Anyway... I have a stinky attitude... and KNOW I need an adjustment... If I close my eyes and listen... I can hear my Grandmother loud and clear...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Michael received his MASTER'S DEGREE this weekend... after LOTS of work... CONGRATULATIONS honey... I'm SO PROUD of you!!! :o)

Money Making Monday...

Well... all my auctions just ended... not too bad... 12 out of 14 auctions SOLD!!! YIPEE!!! I kinda "split" this auction cycle up... had all my fabric auctions (I broke down and started deciding which fabric to sell... KNOWING I would never be able to sew it ALL up on a timely fashion) end EARLIER today... and all my "Boutique" items end later this evening... seemed to work out well...

Strangly enough though... I had a pretty high number of questions concerning "Combined Shipping" (which I happily "do" and state that in my auctions)... I really don't mind questions... but it does get irritating when the answer is plainly stated in the auction...

Anyway... not a bad cycle... and one step closer to my GOAL!!!

HAPPY eBAYING!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

ANOTHER weekend come and gone... in the blink of an eye (it surely seems)...

Friday dawned chilly and cloudy... after enjoying temps in the mid 70*s and sunny skies earlier in the week it was quite a change! I made a Wallies run after dropping Lilley-Kate off at school... watched a couple of shows that I had TiVod earlier in the week... and staightened up the house a bit (can I just say I REALLY HATE cleaning bathrooms!!!)... once Lilley-Kate was home we did the usual evening routine... it was Michael's "night" to fix dinner... he fixed Veggie Thin Crust Pizza (from Pizza Hut)... YUMMY!!!

Saturday it rained and was just YUCKY outside most of the day... Michael went up to school to bring home some of Nick's stuff before the semester ends (on Thursday)... Lilley-Kate and I had a "Pajama Day"... and colored and played "school"... Lilley-Kate chose Spaghetti and Bread for dinner (her favorite meal)... Michael painted a wall in the Living Room (in preperation for our newest "resident")... I kinda vegged out on the couch Saturday Night and watched 48 Hours Mysteries...

Sunday we finally started seeing some sunshine although the temps were still a bit "chilly"... Michael was up early... he had to go pick up the U-Haul (to bring our newest "resident" home)... I chatted with my sister in the morning... got the Living Room "ready"... and Lilley-Kate and I headed over to "The Hardts" for lunch and a playdate... Michael and Mr. Hardt spent the afternoon moving in our "new to us" PIANO!!!! A "surprise" for Lilley-Kate (she won't start "formal" lessons until NEXT year)... WE had a funfilled afternoon at the Hardts... Michael did some yardwork in the evening...

My auctions end tomorrow night... and so far I'm doing pretty good!!! I decided to go ahead and auction off some of my fabric... knowing that I will probably NOT be able to sew it all up in a timely manner!!!

Hope EVERYONE had a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Making It Work...

One of the "drawbacks" to Michael having FREAKISHLY LARGE ear canals is that his "earbud" on his iPod won't stay in his ear... so being a FIRM BELEIVER in the "power" of DUCT TAPE... THIS was his solution... THANK GOD none of the neighbors were out when he was mowing the lawn!!!

A Tribute for a Friend...

Please visit a blog that has been set up for a fellow eBay Designer... She recently lost her husband suddenly and the "Boutique Community" is planning a nice tribute to her and her family in the form of a Boutique Launch... Thank you!

WE LOVE MUD!

Here's MY QUESTION...

NOT why you would leave your 15 YO "celebrity" daughter at a photo shoot... (although I DO BELIEVE you were there the ENTIRE TIME)

NOT how you couldn't have KNOWN what the picture would "look like"... (sitting with a sheet draped in FRONT of you while you are curled over your knees... a pretty good indication)

NOT what were your "management team/parents" thinking when they "allowed" you to even be "posed" in that manner... (although I'm thinking DOLLAR SIGNS had a lot to do with not being able to say "NO" to Annie)

MY QUESTION IS THIS: WHAT interest does VANITY FAIR have in a 15 YO GIRL?

Long Awaited Visitors...

A couple of weeks ago we purchased a window feeder (at Lilley-Kate's insistance) and have had it up at the kitchen window... PATIENTLY (or TRYING to be patient) waiting for a feathered visitor... we noticed that the food was decreasing... but had not been able to glimpse any birds actually AT the feeder... EVERY DAY Lilley-Kate would ask when I picked her up at school "Mommy... Have any birds visited"... and I would say "No... not today... but they will soon"... well... TODAY we had a visitor!!!... and I was actually able to catch a few shots of them! Lilley-Kate is in school presently... oh how I WISH she had been here... but she'll be THRILLED that I was able to snap some shots! Hope everyone is having a WONDERFUL day!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

What a BEAUTIFUL weekend we had weather-wise!!! Sunny... MILD...
just what we ALL needed in these parts!

Friday afternoon Michael surprised Lilley-Kate and picked her up from school... after getting home Michael did some yard work and Lilley-Kate and I played outside... Friday evening Michael and I watched "The Graduate" on DVD (I had never seen the whole thing in one sitting)

Saturday dawned SUNNY and MILD... Michael took the opportunity to burn some yard debris (we are fortunate that our backyard is in the ajoining township which allows burning)... I spent the morning sewing... Lilley-Kate alternated between being outside with Michael and inside watching me sew... we made a Saturday evening run to Wallies... Lilley-Kate needed a new bike helmet...

Sunday I went to our local PRIME outlets with my friend Mrs. Hardt... why is it when you have money to spend you never see anything to buy??? THAT was my trip to the outlets... although I did come home with a FABULOUS NEW NIGHTGOWN for Lilley-Kate! WE went to a local dept. store this evening... they were having an ADDITIONAL 20% off today... and we picked up Michael 2 pairs of FLAT FRONT Dockers and some BLACK business casual shoes (now that he doesn't wear a uniform every day... he's needing some work attire)... We treated Lilley_Kate to PERKINS for dinner... I watched the BB9 Finale... Watched Celebrity Fit Club Boot Camp finale... and will be heading up to bed shortly

Hope EVERYONE had a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Enough to Make You Cry...

Two days ago Premium was selling for $3.75 a gallon... it's enough to make you cry!!!

We Have A WINNER!!!...

How EXCITING!!! Lilley-Kate's poster took 2nd Place in the Dance Poster contest at her Dance School! It was fun to see all the other entries... and see how other dancers had interpreted the theme of the contest "What Dance Means To Me..."... Lilley-Kate won a 2nd Place ribbon and her poster will be displayed at the recital in June!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Lilley-Kate and I looked forward to this weekend with each passing day last week! "Daddy" was due home on SATURDAY after 3 weeks away... something "new" for Lilley-Kate... having Daddy gone for an extended period of time... but we kept busy... and the time went fast... and Daddy arrived FRIDAY evening (surprising Lilley-Kate one day early!)

We had a WONDERFUL weather day on Friday... Lilley-Kate had a reading program at school in the afternoon... after school Lilley-Kate and I headed up to pick up Nick and his girlfriend Samantha at school... "finals" are approaching and they both wanted a "relaxing" weekend away from school before starting their study schedule... we arrived home about 1/2 hour before Michael's SURPRISE arrival home... Lilley-Kate was beside herself with excitment wehn she saw "Daddy" at the door (and proudly showed him our "Back Home" signs we made him)... we enjoyed take-out HOT CHEESIE PIZZA and then Nick and Samantha spent the evening watching "slasher" movies in the Family Room (too scarey for me!!!)

Saturday morning was casual... I made sweet potatoe pancakes and sausage for everyone... the weather was BEAUTIFUL... so Michael and Lilley-Kate played outside (and Michael got started on some much needed yardwork)... Lilley-Kate practiced riding her bike some more... and we "played" basketball... I made a Wallies run (to pick up some snacks for Nick to take back to school)... got laundry done... and a bit on sewing... Nick and Samantha went into the city... Lilley-Kate decided we should have Spaghetti and Garlic Bread for dinner... YUMMY!!! It started raining late evening and we got quite a bit of rain overnight

Today everyone slept in... Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast... Nick and Samantha got ready to head back to school... I colored my hair (WOOOooo... and it NEEDED IT BAD!!!)... Michael and Lilley-Kate took Nick and Samantha back to school and stopped at McDonald's for lunch... I stayed hoome and caught up on soe TiVo shows... and did a bit of sewing... The weather wasn't as nice today... cloudy and quite q bit cooler... by the time Michael and Lilley-Kate got home mid-afternoon the weather had improved a bit... Michael mowed the lawn and put down WEED and FEED... Lilley-Kate played outside and then on the computer a bit...We had Chicken Pot Pie (at Michael's request) for dinner... watched Big Brother 9... and Michael is watching some Alaska Adventure show now...

No school tomorrow for Lilley-Kate... :o)

Hope EVERYONE had a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Wondering...

If SOMETIMES... there is just no "making" it right...

If SOMETIMES... too much "water" has gone under the bridge...

If SOMETIMES... the harder we "strive" for forgiveness... the farther it is away...

If SOMETIMES... we lose "sight" of WHERE the road began...

If SOMETIMES... it's the "walls" in which you live that REALLY COUNT...

If SOMETIMES... "giving up" isn't the best option...

If SOMETIMES... LOVE IS CONDITIONAL...

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Another weekend... WHEW... time is FLYING by! Seems Spring has decided it's not quite ready yet to settle in... our weekend has been CHILLY and DAMP...

I haven't been feeling that great... for a while... I'm not the kind of person to "run off" to the doctor over every ache and pain... but... the aches and pains I have been feeling are starting to concern me... so I have decided to make an appointment... being a nurse... and knowing some of the things my "symptoms" COULD indicate has made me a bit nervous... we will see...

Friday was a quiet evening... I got some laundry started... read with Lilley-Kate (she has become quite the reader)... we played "MEMORY"...

Saturday was a slow start... the weather was CHILLY and WINDY... we made a run to Wallies... stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for a little treat... colored in the evening and watched The Secret of Nimh... one of my favorite movies

Today was pajama day... LOL... I finished up the laundry and we made puppets... LOTS of puppets... I got some sewing done... started a towel order... and made "Hot Cheesie Pizza" for dinner... I'll be watching BB9

Another week down... ONE to go!!!

Hope EVERYONE had a GREAT weekend!

Money Making Monday...

Another successful auction cycle!!! 100% SOLD!!!... I have been sewing up simple sets (getting some of my fabric used up) of twirl skirts and tops and lounge sets... One step closer to my goal!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Well... time to prepare for the upcoming week... After picking up Lilley-Kate from school on Friday we went to pick up Nick so he could spend the weekend home (and of course he needed some laundry done... LOL)...

Saturday had a slow start... Lilley-Kate and I colored... I sewed a bit... made a run to Wallies (Nick needed some snacky stuff for school too)

Sunday morning I spoke to my sister on the phone... we took Nick back to school... stopped and had lunch at McDonalds... when we got home we spent some time outside and Lilley-Kate practiced riding her new bike (that she got for Christmas) and we played frisbee... then later worked on a Dance Poster (it's for a contest for National Dance Month)... Lilley-Kate picked out the pictures... wrote the captions... and decorated the poster with stickers... we watched a short Maisy Movie and ate pancakes... then off to bed!

One down... two to go!!!

Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Who LOVES Fruit Salad???...

IF you do... or have a little one who does... go check out my DEAR FRIEND Jenn... she has some ADORABLE things listed!!!

Fruit Salad Collection

SERIOUSLY???...

Am I the ONLY one who DOESN'T think GEORGE CLOONEY is HOT????

A Fun Field-Trip...

Yesterday Lilley-Kate had a Field-Trip in school... Everyone went to see Horton Hears a Who at our local movie theater...

It was a cute movie... the kids had a great time!!!

We BOOKED IT...

The BOOK IT Program ended this month... Lilley-Kate earned all 6 Reading Award Certificates... they are/were redeemable for a Personal Pan Pizza a PIZZA HUT (we have only redeemed one... I think I'll save the rest to put in her scrapbook)... at the beginning of the school year when the program started WE read the books to Lilley-Kate... but by the last 2 months of the program SHE was reading books to us!!!

Lilley-Kate LOVES to read... Both my husband and I love to read... and Lilley-Kate's big brother Nick is a VORACIOUS reader

I'm glad that we have "passed on" the love of reading books to BOTH our kids!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

Well... EXCITING NEWS... the SUN was SHINING both Saturday AND TODAY!!! Although the temps were still a bit on the CHILLY side... it was WONDERFUL to see the sun!!!

Saturday Michael and Lilley-Kate ran up to school to take Nick some "necessities"... and took Nick and a couple of his friends out to lunch... I stayed behind and got some sewing done... Spent a BIT of time outside with Michael and Lilley-Kate in the afternoon... just walking around the yard seeing if ANYTHING was peeking up out of the soil yet... I made Michael's favorite Chicken PotPie for dinner...

Today was a RELAXING day... not doing much... Lilley-Kate and I spent most of the day in our pajamas... we colored and read some books... watched LEGEND on video (one of Michael's FAVORITE movies)...

Lilley-Kate has been asking almost daily for a kitten... I finally said to her "Draw me a picture of what you would want your kitten to look like"... so she disappears and a bit later comes to me with a drawing of "Me and my kitten"...

LOTS to do this coming week... let's hope the SUN continues to SHINE!!!

Hope EVERYONE had a nice weekend!!!

TAG... I'm IT...

Well... JENN has tagged me for 7 random things about myself... so here goes:

1. I do not like CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES...
2. In my "younger years" I was NOT a "morning person"... but have since become one in my "later years" (UGH... that makes me sound REALLY OLD doesn't it?)
3. I started "going gray" at 15 years old
4. BIRDS freak me out
5. I have a bit of an "obsession" with HAND LOTION
6. I don't have a middle name
7. I would rather "talk" about "you"... then about myself

WHEW... THAT isn't as easy as it seems! LOL... THANKS JENN!!! :o) OK... I'm going to invite anyone who wants to to "play along"... so TAG... whoever you are... YOU'RE IT!!!

Practice, Practice, Practice...

One of Lilley-Kate's FAVORITE weekly activities is her
Ballet/Tap class... she is constantly "flitting" around the house... twirling, turning and tapping...

With the Recital quickly approaching (in June)... the girls have been practicing the Recital Routine... this year they will be TAPPING (to the Jackson 5s "ABC")... and usually twice a week we will pop in the CD... Lilley-Kate will done her tap shoes... and practice the routine...

Well... she was SO EXCITED last week... she got the "class ribbon" for "BEST ROUTINE" (the teacher said Lilley-Kate had the routine "memorized" about 85% so far without having to be prompted)

I was able to quickly snap her picture when we got home... before she donned her tap shoes and started practicing again!!!