Thought...

One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats... Iris Murdoch

Let's DANCE!!!

Well... another recital under our belts... Lilley-Kate did a GREAT JOB! She stayed on her "mark" and kept a constant smile... ALL the kids did a wonderful job!




Her BALLET rountine "Someday My Prince Will Come" (Ashley Tisdale from HSM) was first... Lilley-Kate is second from the left in the front row)... right at the end of the routine she spotted my Mother in the front row... as soon as she came off stage she said to me "Mommy, I saw Grandma and she waved at me!"

Her TAP routine came second... "Ladies Choice" (Zac Efron in the movie HAIRSPRAY)... it was SUPER CUTE... It was a bit harder for Lilley-Kate to keep her eyes in the audience since she had spotted my Mother earlier... LOL

In between routines we kept the girls busy downstairs with costume changes, coloring, and snack... Lilley-Kate LOVED walking around and seein the other costumes and they had a monitor set up so we could watch the recital (and the chaperones could keep track of the routine line up) LIVE! (We ordered the DVD too... so we'll be able to watch it OVER and OVER!)

Our Dance Studio "splits the recital... the Younger Dancers "first"... then a 30 minute intermission and then the "older dancers"... the YDs are able to leave after the frist half (which is nice!) so we were out of the auditorium by 4:30pm

No dancing through the Summer (at least not in a studio setting)... although I DO wish they would offer "CAMPS" for the kids... but we'll be ready for registration in August!!!

GREAT JOB Lilley-Kate!!! YOU are our DANCING PRINCESS!!!

Molly... Monty... and Puffy

It seems we have been "overtaken" with little visitors... they have burrowed under our neighbors patio... there are several "holes" in the mulch... and it's been fun watching them scurry in and out... back and forth...

I have been waiting with camera at the ready to see if I could get a quick shot of ANY of them... Lilley-Kate has sat still (for 20 minutes yesterday evening) waiting... and waiting for them to peek out... as soon as she sees one they are IMMEDIATELY given a name...

This is MOLLY...


This is MONTY... (at first he was DELMONTY... LOL... but she shortened it to just MONTY)


And THIS is PUFFY... we caught "him" (I definitely think it's a "HE"... what GIRL would be caught with her cheeks crammed full of food like that in "public"???) spending quite a bit of time at our neighbors birdfeeder the other evening... making the evening birds that visit quite angry since "PUFFY" ate all the birdseed!!!

The neighbor mentioned filling the holes... I'm guessing they don't think Molly, Monty, and Puffy are quite as cute as WE think they are!!!

Lilley-Kate said to the neighbor "Well... tell the chipmunks my Dad said they can come live in our woodpile if you don't like them living at your house"... LOL...

Onward and Upward...

Yesterday was the LAST DAY of school... Our FIRST-GRADER is now a SECOND-GRADER (WHERE did the time go???)... The kids had a fun last day... a movie and popcorn... autographing yearbooks... visiting their second grade classes...

Lilley-Kate LOVED her teacher Mrs. Pfeiffer... next year will be her last year teaching (she will retire in 2010 with 35 years of teaching!!!)... We felt VERY FORTUNATE to have been in her class! (Funny little something... Mrs. Pfeiffer's DAUGHTER was Lilley-Kate's Pre-School teacher!)


Lilley-Kate is VERY EXCITED about SECOND-GRADE... her classroom will be UPSTAIRS next year (that's a "biggie" among the kids)... we'll work during the Summer on Reading Comprehension, Telling Time (on an ANALOG CLOCK) and MONEY...

Each class had a little "Award" Program before being dismissed... Lilley-Kate got the EXCELLENT WORK, ATTENDANCE and BEAUTIFUL HANDWRITING Awards...

Congrats Lilley-Kate for a GREAT year in FIRST GRADE!!! We are SO PROUD of you!!!

HOW Do I Learn???...

How do I learn to ACCEPT the fact that "The RULES" really DON'T apply to everyone???

How do I learn to be "ALRIGHT" with "Rule BREAKERS"???

How do I become "OK" with the idea that MOST PEOPLE subscribe to the attage "Rules ARE Made to be BROKEN"???

How... HOW... do you teach your child to FOLLOW THE RULES (which SHOULD be the RIGHT thing to do) when it seems that EVERYONE ELSE doesn't???

Carnival Fun...

The PTA in Lilley-Kate's school has an End of Year CARNIVAL for all the students... games... bouncy thingies (WHAT exactly are they called??? Not sure but the kids LOVED them!)... there were 16 "stations" to visit... Lilley-Kate and her classmates had a great day! Not sure if they were more excited about the carnival... or the DRESS DOWN (no uniform) day!


Lilley-Kate tried the "Strong Man Test"... she DID ring the bell once... LOL... that mallet was HEAVY (of course all the parents gave it a go when we were setting up the carnival)...

This had to be the kids FAVORITE station... one of 5 "bouncy thingies"... but the only one that had a GIANT SLIDE at the end...

A game of beanbag toss...

And more bouncy fun... (the teachers were SUPER SMART and only let 5 kids at a time into the bouncys)

What's a CARNIVAL without a temporary tattoo? Lilley-Kate picked a "Rock n Roll" Rose...

The weather was iffy all day... peeks of sun and periods of clouds... it DID sprinkle a bit but thankfully the kids were inside having PIZZA for lunch!!!

It was a fun day for the kids and a nice way to celebrate the end of a great school year!

Daddy's Girl...

Do What Works...

I have ALWAYS been a "List Maker"... in a way I find it oddly "soothing" to have a list... follow it... and be able to mark off "Things to Do" as "Done"...


We are geared up for full "RECITAL MODE" which starts FRIDAY... goes through the weekend... and every evening next week leading up to Recital Day on June 14th... soooooooo...

To calm my "manic mind" (I am frantic that I will forget a practice, prescribed dress for said practice, TIME... or God forbid LOCATION) I am currently using my kitchen cabinets as constant reminders... planning to remove the reminders as they are accomplished... (nothing "new"... I did this last year too and it kept us ON TIME and ON TASK for recital prep)

Hey... it may not be "pretty"... but it works... for me anyway!

Party Hats and Portraits...

WOW... what a GREAT WEEKEND... the weather was PERFECT... ABSOLUTELY PERFECT... we enjoyed being outside and even had our first dinner on the new patio!!!


In honor of the Holiday Weekend... Lilley-Kate decided to make "party hats" for some of her little "softie" animals... Each animal had a different "theme" to their hat... and she tucked them all over the house Saturday evening... I asked her who THIS "softie" was suppose to be... She said "Mom... he's the GENERAL because he has a STAR on his hat!"... LOL... I should've KNOWN that... right?

I was VERY HAPPY with Lilley-Kate's RECITAL PORTRAITS/PROOFS this year... NOW the trick is to pick a "winner" and get the order placed... if I don't dilly too much and place the order in the next couple of days the portraits could POSSIBLY be back BY RECITAL... I just have to pick my favorites!!! CHOICES CHOICES!!!

REMEMBERING....

Those who HAVE served... and made the ultimate sacrifice... those who ARE SERVING and spend every second of every minute of every hour of every day keeping us ALL safe...

THANK YOU!!!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!! Please take the time today to remember those who have served... and are serving in our military forces!

SORRY...

DANG... I had Lilley-Kate's Spring Concert outfit all ready... the concert is TOMORROW EVENING... got the 411 home from school yesterday about the event... "required dress"... SCHOOL UNIFORM!!! WHAT??? *sigh*... well... we'll go with that...

Nick is home from school for the Summer... he and Lilley-Kate have been having a daily evening game of SORRY... it was a FAV of Nick's when he was little... and Lilley-Kate LOVES playing it!

TAP PORTRAITS this evening...

Our weather is forecasted to be SUPERB the rest of the week... THAT makes me VERY HAPPY!

Getting Things Done...

WHEW... just a minute to catch my breath!!! These end of year "to dos" are coming FAST!!!

BALLET PORTRAITS done today... Lilley-Kate did FABULOUSLY!!!... and her hair turned out SUPER CUTE and only took me about 20 minutes to do!!! I'm developing a keen love affair with "clip on hair"... LOL

Teachers Gifts... Ready... well... the LIST of WHO and WHAT is ready

RECITAL SCHEDULES are posted and organized (I THINK)... :o)

TAP PORTRAITS SCHEDULED... Tuesday the 19th at 5:00 PM

SPRING CONCERT Outfit... Picked out and READY!

Tonight is PROM in our area... so a LOT of the "big kids" are spiffed up and we've seen quite a few limos... THANKFULLY it is a BEAUTIFUL day here today!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

I hope EVERYONE has a really FABULOUS DAY!!!

RECITAL PREP- BALLET

BALLET 7- RECITAL ROUTINE... "Someday My Prince Will Come"...

Walk to spots
Tendu quick 4R, 1 Side, Passe, 1st
Tendu quick 4L, 1 Side Passe, 1st

Glissade R, Passe R
Glissade L, Passe L
Arabesque R, Sutenu turns R, Plie
Arabesque L, Sutenu turns L, Plie

Balance R, L, R, L
Plie, Releve
Blow Kiss R, L
Echappe- 2 Slow
Reach R, L- Hand on Heart

Princess walk to spot
Chasse around the world (1 way)
Chasse around the world (other way)
Chenne Out
Chenne In
Heart sway, R, L, R, L
Dip and Reach R
Dip and Reach L
Borre turn (high V arms)

Princess walk to spot

Balance R, L, R, L
Plie, Releve
Reach up R, L Reach Down R, L
Echappe 2
REach R, L
Dip R, L
Borre turn

Ballet walk off stage


We are "Full Steam Ahead" in Recital Prep... Lilley-Kate won "Best Routine" ribbon this past week in class (other ribbons include Best Smile, Best Posture, Best Stylin', Best Ballerina)... she was VERY excited as BEST ROUTINE INCLUDED verbally reciting the routine to the teacher... She's already told me NEXT WEEK she wants to get the "BEST SMILE" Ribbon... LOL...

I have "surrendered" and started letting Lilley-Kate TAPE things to her bedroom door... it is QUICKLY becoming her FAVORITE thing to do now!!!

Scattered Thoughts and a CELEBRITY VISIT...

WHEW... lots of thoughts running "willie nillie" through my mind...

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY... we haven't seen the SUN in 7 DAYS!!!

Get hairnet to cover BUN for recital...

Get CARAMEL tights for recital...

SEW SEW SEW (Keep your EYE on the PRIZE)...

Will Nick get lucky and snag a SUMMER JOB???...

Call the tree guy and get an estimate...

Wish I was more of an adventurer...

One of the MOMS at "pick up" had some SUPER CUTE SHOES... gotta find out WHERE she got 'em...

LOVE the SINGLE SERVES of BEN & JERRY'S...

Death is just part of the CIRCLE OF LIFE...

Gotta get end of Year Teacher's Gifts...

Not falling for the "pot stirrers" tactics... I'm done playing the game

I'm glad Lilley-Kate's sunflowers sprouted...

I LOVE walking around LOWES...

Dinner wasn't very good tonight (tried to "pimp up" the pancakes too much)

WOOHOO... .58 cents a GALLON in FUEL PERKS!!!

WOOHOO... 10% off in FOOD PERKS

Laminant floors NEXT (or a WALL OVEN)...



Lilley-Kate has developed a recent "obsession" with HANNAH MONTANA ... I'm HOPING it doesn't last long... That is "Hannah playing a guitar" up top there... just in case you DIDN'T know... LOL

Semi-Conscious with Regis and Kelly...

OK... I'm not much of a DAYTIME TV watcher... Judge Judy and Soaps just don't float my boat (and I would rather spend time reading some FABULOUS BLOGS... LOL)... but today while I was putting away laundry I decided to catch a little bit of LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY... now... I HAVE seen the show before... to me it ranks right up there with THE VIEW and OPRAH (meaning... I can stomach about 5 minutes MAX of it before I seriously want to THROW UP)... today was just EMBARRASSING...

REGIS... REGIS REGIS REGIS... it's time to "punch your ticket" "BIG DADDY"... when you can't remember a guests name (OR call them by the WRONG NAME)... the movie they are there to promote... the character they play (or the one YOU thought they played)... the name of their CD... it's time to go... honestly... I mean KELLY can't continue to play "cutesie" and "cover" for your blunders... I mean ZACHARY QUINTO said it best "What would you do WITHOUT HER?"

He Said... SHE SAID...

He said to her . . . I don't know why you wear a bra; you've got nothing to put in it. SHE said to him . . . You wear pants don't you?
He said to her..... Shall we try swapping positions tonight? SHE said... That's a good idea - you stand by the ironing board while I sit on the sofa and fart.
He said to her... What have you been doing with all the grocery money I gave you? SHE said to him . ......Turn sideways and look in the mirror!
He said to her...... Why don't women blink during foreplay? SHE said to him ... . They don't have time
He said to her... How many men does it take to change a roll of toilet paper? SHE said to him ... I don't know; it has never happened.
He said to her... Why is it difficult to find men who are sensitive, caring and Good- looking? SHE said to him . . . They already have boyfriends.
He said to her....What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night? SHE said. . . A widow.
He said to her. .. . Why are married women heavier than single women? SHE said to him . . . Single women come home, see what's in the fridge and go to bed. Married women come home, see what's in bed and go to the fridge.

REMEMBER...

Your CLOTHES "speak" even before you do...

AND...

ALWAYS check out the "rear view" in a mirror BEFORE leaving the house!!!

PONDERISMS...

· I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural
causes.

· There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

· Life is sexually transmitted.

· Healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

· The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

· Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

· Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

· Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

· All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

· In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

· How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

· Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things and drink whatever comes out?'


· If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

· Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?


· If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

· If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

· Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

· Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

· Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

· Do you ever wonder why you gave me your email address?

Marked OFF "THE LIST"...

Michael worked VERY VERY HARD this past weekend... and got a MAJOR project marked off our "Spring/Summer" To Do List... we now have a NEW PATIO!!! THe old patio was BLUE STONE... and had seen better days... THIS patio is 25x11 (a tad bigger than the old) and is tumbled brick set with fine sand...


So from Friday afternoon until 2:00 Sunday afternoon was spent leveling... setting... leveling again (THAT was the toughest part according to Michael)... and filling... OH... and the FUNNEST part (again according to Michael) was getting to use....

THIS... a TAMPER!!! He really enjoyed this... and MAY have "tampered" a bit too much in a couple of places (causing another leveling to occur... LOL)... What is it with MEN and rented toys???

We'll be picking up some patio furniture (I found some at LOWES that coordinates with my estate sale find) adding the FIRE PIT (an early Mother's Day present) and enjoying MANY Summer nights out back!!!

Thank you sweetie for doing such a GREAT JOB!!! :o)

OUCH...

Well... warmer (MUCH WARMER) weather has arrived... we made it to 82* yesterday!!!

And I enjoyed the day outside while Michael worked on our new patio...

I think I enjoyed it TOO MUCH...



OUCH!!! Don't worry... EVERYONE ELSE was SLATHERED with sunscreen... !!!

Wanna WIN Somethin'????...

Hurry on over to my DEAR FRIEND JENN'S blog... she's having a little giveaway (OK... not SO LITTLE)... and while your visiting JENN'S BLOG... browse around... her BLOG is FABULOUS!

Go Figure...

Well... this RECENT bout of WET WEATHER has done NOTHING to IMPROVE my attitude... YEP... I'm IRRITATED... as usual...

I just don't understand... WHEN you sign your child up for an activity (DANCE, sports, music, art) shouldn't you REALIZE that there ARE going to be ADDED EXPENSES incurred??? Shouldn't you BUDGET for and ANTICIPATE (because you KNOW there are RECITALS, TOURNAMENTS, SHOWS, WORKSHOPS, CAMPS) those added expenses... so WHEN they (the added expenses) come up, you're not whining because you don't have the money? And don't even get me started on MULTIPLE activities... I REALIZE that not everyone can afford to do EVERYTHING (and WE don't)... but DON'T "do EVERYTHING" if you can't AFFORD to...

Sorry if I sound insensitive... but at least I'm being honest...

Or am I being STAUNCH??? My latest (ongoing) "crush" is on The BEALES of GREY GARDENS... did anyone see the HBO special with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange on Saturday??? FABULOUS!!! It made me dig out my DVDS and spend Sunday watching them TWO TIMES IN A ROW!!! Lilley-Kate had been walking around with a scarf tied on her head and saying "MUTHA DARLING" and "FATHA DEAR" and marching around like Little Edie...

Well... the sun won't be out tomorrow... as we are expecting rain ALL WEEK... but the weekend is suppose to be FABULOUS...

I Was HOPING...

That a "New 'Do" would bring on a new "attitude"... not quite...


Although I think I LOST 10 lbs. AFTER getting a good "choppin'"...

*sigh*... NOW I need a DYE JOB...

Thank you...

Susan Boyle... for reminding us to NEVER judge a book by its' cover...

And for putting that teenage smile on Simon's face!

Traveling... Against the Grain

LAST week I realized something SHOCKING... EASTER was a week EARLIER than I THOUGHT it was!!! So I have been scrambling (ok... actually probably dragging my feet) this whole week to "catch up" and be ready to "hit the road" tomorrow morning... the best laid plans...


I DID decorate my "all season tree" at the end of March... put out a couple of Easter decorations (thinking I was "on the ball")... I'm totally happy with how my tree turned out... I LOVE the tree topper (eggs bought at Hobby Lobby for .99 each)... and of course the POMPOM GARLAND that I originally saw HERE added to the whimsey of the whole thing...

I just couldn't let Easter "whiz by" without at least ATTEMPTING an Easter craft... yea... attempting would be the operative word... when I saw THESE on retromama I KNEW I wanted to try them... TOTALLY CUTE... so I did... spent Tuesday carefully cutting and sewing... ending up with 6 "round" eggs... Hmmmmmmmmm... THEN I ready PEGGY'S BLOG and saw that SHE made the EGGS... and they LOOKED LIKE EGGS... and realized I had not read the DIRECTIONS carefully... am thinking (actually more than thinking) I skipped over the whole "grain direction" thing... and THAT is why I have 6 "balls" instead of EGGS... *sigh* Lately... that has been the story of my life... not being "on the grain"...

So... we are off to "The Old Dominion" to celebrate Easter with my family... as "unprepared" as I am (feel)...

I hope EVERYONE has a WONDERFUL EASTER!!! Is it MONDAY yet????

Magazines and Mud...

I LOVE Decorating magazines... especially one's that practice "budget friendly" ideas... after visiting some VERY INSPIRATIONAL blogs I KNEW I'd have to pick up the latest issue of THIS magazine... and as PROMISED (by reviews of fellow bloggers) I was NOT disappointed!!! I think SEEING THIS project on WHAT'S NEW? has totally inspired me!


LOTS of fun Springy/Easter crafts in Blogland too!!! THESE are definitely on my TO DO LIST (for next year)... they'd be SUPER CUTE with ribbon hangers and hung along a mantel or on an all season tree!!! (Although I DID pick up the SUPER CUTE SHABBY cake stand in that post on my latest trip to TARGET!!!)

Two days of dry weather allowed Michael (with the "help" of Lilley-Kate) to square off and grade the ground for our new patio out back... My "Math Major" of a husband (yes... he DOES hold a Mathematics Major) "mismeasured" the area when ordering the bricks and had to call the place to order 60 more... so once the LimeStone is delivered things will start moving towards completeing THAT project... YIPEE!!!

We enjoyed a "nice" weather weekend... but seem to have "slipped back" into the old habit of CLOUDY, WINDY and COLD today... we're expecting SNOW overnight... WHERE is SPRING???

TWO Steps Forward...

Quite a few months ago THESE steps were removed and reset one by one (oh the joys of an "old home")...

Now Michael (realizing that his "Winter To Do" list has been sorely ignored) has begun to tackle the stripping of each step... he's been doing good... moving FORWARD 2 steps a night... using a razor blade to scrap off the varnish and then sandpaper to smooth the wood... revealing BEAUTIFUL OAK underneath...

Once ALL the steps are stripped... and sanded... he'll caulk any "gaps"... and then RESTAIN and VARNISH the steps... paint the risers and bottom half of the stairs and be able to check off a "Winter To Do" project!!! YIPEE!!!

I thought it would be "fun" (and rather unexpected) to either paint or stencil the risers 1-14 (the number of steps on the staircase)... we'll see though.. I've seen similar projects on other blogs and LOVED the results... I think it would add a touch of "whimsey" to an otherwise "boring" passageway (how exciting can a staircase be???)...

MY part of this project was to remove all the old carpeting/padding and tack strips on a whim (OK... not REALLY a whim... more like a "last stand")... when Michael was on a business trip... I guess I'm considered the "destructor" and Michael is considered the "REstructor"...

In keeping with the "theme" of this post... we had been experiencing some rather "Spring"like weather in these parts over the last few days... enjoying the "warmer" (low-mid 50*s) weather... and woke up to a heavy "dusting" of snow and 20* temps this morning...

As long as "we" (ok... Michael to be more specific) keeps moving FORWARD in the project progress I know (the REAL) Spring can't be too far off!

WHAT???...

OK... so I pick up this SUPER CUTE skirt pattern today at JoAnns... I favor a very specific TYPE of skirt... a bit A-line... with a little swing at the hemline... VERY FIGURE FRIENDLY... I get home and look (more closely) at the sizing measurements on the back of the pattern envelope... and about have a MAJOR STROKE...


HERE are my HONEST TO GOD measurements (and according to ANTM and TYRA BANKS I AM considered to be PLUS SIZE)

HEIGHT 5' 4"
WEIGHT 135-138
WAIST 33" (I have a bit of a "pooch")
HIPS 41" (OK... and I carry a little "pocket full of sunshine" too)
I TYPICALLY wear anywhere from an 8-12 (in MISSES) on the bottom (depending on CUT, manufacturer and TOM)

So... according to THIS pattern... it won't fit me??? SERIOUSLY???

Memories...

AAAAAAhhhhhhh... SALTINES... I'm sure for a lot of us these brings back memories...

Slathered with peanut butter and "fluff" (the marshmallow kind)... or peanut butter and jelly... crushed up in a bowl of chicken noodle soup... the eternal cure for a rumblie tumblie... or the dreaded "morning sickness"...

I couldn't resist buying these at the grocery store when I saw them in MINIATURE... and reliving some fond memories!

CAUTION... be CAREFUL eating things in miniature... before I even realized it HALF the box was gone!!!... I wonder if miniature size means miniature calories???

I SPY... and I'm TRYING...

A turtle... a mailbox... a feather... a flute... a horseshoe, beetle and basket of fruit; Seven pinecones... an apron and key... A turtle, a swing... and the letter B...

I SPY signs of Spring... greener grass... warmer temps and "longer" days... crocus', daffodils and tulips... Fat robins visiting our birdfeeders and new tenants moving in under the front eave...

I SPY a "stinkie" attitude... that I have been DESPERATELY trying to shake... hopefully as Spring moves in to STAY... my current mood will MOVE OUT!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!! :o)

I was ONCE...

considered "cool"... a DEAR FRIEND had come to visit... and upon seeing my "old ride" in the driveway exclaimed "OH... People who drive THOSE are cool and don't even have to be TOLD"... Hmmmmmmmm... REEEEEEEEALLLLY??? Well... THAT "old ride" is going to sit in our driveway now FOREVER... because on THAT DAY... for ONCE... I was "coooooooool" (and apparently didn't even know it!)


I don't aspire to be cool much anymore... not that I wouldn't WANT to be again... for just a moment... maybe THESE will help a bit? Although I was informed by a VERY KNOWLEDGABLE 7 year old that they DIDN'T make me look COOL... they made me look "SPARKLIE"

Damn...

YES!!! Yes I heard you "calling me" from the 2nd shelf of the pantry... but I THOUGHT if I pretended I didn't hear you... you'd stop... but... you didn't... OK... maybe you DID stop calling me and I was just IMAGINING I was continuing to hear you calling... Yea... let's go with that scenario...

DAMN YOU!!!! DAMN YOU CHEESIE GOOD PUFF'N CORN! WHY WHY WHY do you have to taste SO GOOD?

String... Strang... Strung...

I always LOVE visiting other blogs... LOTS of neat people doing SUPER NEAT and CRAFTY things... I have had THIS particular craft (from Artsy-Crafty Babe) saved to my favorites since around Christmas... and have spent the last few nights completing it...

I bought the PomPoms at the Dollar Store (I bought 10 bags)... and used COTTON CROCHET THREAD (I didn't have any upholstry thread around)... I used 6 bags of PomPoms and ended up with about 18'-20' worth of garland... it'll go on my "All Season Tree" during Spring/Easter... SUPER EASY (although I DID jab myself a couple of times with the needle... OUCH!)... and it gives me something productive to do while watching television in the evenings... I have plans to make MORE garlands in different color combos...

Thanks to everyone out there who inspires me!!! :o)

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss...

Today Lilley-Kate's school hosted a "Birthday Celebration" for Dr. Seuss (part of the Read Across America program)... it was an afternoon of everything "Suess"... The kids all sported "The Cat's Hat"...

And were served "green eggs and ham" (a bit TOO GREEN for about 98% of the kids... I think the lunch ladies went a bit too "seussie" with the food coloring!)...

We spent part of the event reading a Dr. Seuss book together... Lilley-Kate's favorite is "Fox in Socks" (Although I am NOT a "Seuss" fan... my favorite is Sam I Am)...

It was a fun afternoon... seeing the "Cat's Hats"... the GREEN eggs and ham... and spending time together READING (something we do OFTEN in our home)...