2010

I have been Slothing through 2010 so far. I am enjoying it..just not fired up crazy trying to reorganize life like so many people I talk to are...I probably should be because I have piles of laundry and closets to clean!

We brought in the New Year with our traditional fancy table and silly food...only this year we didn't get all dressed up in our fancy shmancy clothes....we chose pj's. It was just as much fun!! Who needs Times Square???

The Ladies and their drinks...

We had some good laughs. Like when Lily asked my mom when she got her "middle boob"...that was a classic!! I laughed so hard I almost didn't make it into the New Year. She was referring to the bump you get when your sweatshirt is zipped up all the way. It was really funny and very out of the blue. I still am laughing thinking about it.

We danced in 2010 with some fun music, but I realized that I didn't even see the ball drop, I was taking all the pictures? OH Well...

The Worm...

And she is down.....

But only for a minute....

A small toe boo-boo that required a picture be taken...

And then we rang in the New Year with some sparkling Cider and lots of love....hope the rest of the year is just as much fun!

Lazy Days...and Bubbles

I have SO enjoyed the past few days since Christmas...and am SO happy that these are the days we have just before sending off 2009. We have slept in late (to a whopping 8:30AM), spent quality time with family members, crafted, created and eaten! I have even taken the time to start a book I wanted to read...It has been NICE.... I even got asked to sit down and play baby-dolls. That might have been the greatest moment of 2009 for me...

Comfort foods have added to our bliss this week...I made the BEST Mac-N-Cheese last night and we devoured it....it was delicious - and simple...My husband made a delicious Roasted chicken tonight and that was devoured too....No pictures because we all ate it so fast we didn't have anything to take a picture of! These are not unusual meals for us, but for some reason they just tasted so much better with the relaxed energy of our house.


I stood and watched in awe and contentment as my youngest jumped up and down for what seemed like an eternity over bubbles....lots and lots of bubbles. Each and every one that came out of the little machine made her more excited than the last. I just stood there cooking dinner, smiling from ear to ear. It was one of those moments when the little voice inside tells you to slow down and pay attention. .....it also told me to grab my camera so I could remember it when my memory fails me.....







Tomorrow we close out 2009...I can't believe we are wrapping up another year!?!

Time with my girls

Weekends are not what they used to be around here, not quite as slow paced anymore. This past Sunday I made a break in our hectic times and just sat on the back porch with the girls going through bags and boxes of buttons that I have collected along the way. I had pulled out a few of my fancier buttons last week for a girlfriends birthday present and had been itching to dig into them since then.

When I was a little girl my grandmother would let me go through her buttons while she sewed. She had the most beautiful buttons! Her favorite Uncle was a tailor and had the most amazing collection of buttons. He passed it on to her and she passed her love of buttons on to me!

I never thought when I was a little girl that I would be able to pass along my love of buttons to my little girls and yet I think that I have without even planning on it. The same way my grandmother passed it on to me.

I also discovered that this separated dish made a great organizing box for my buttons! We were working on filling it up when I took the pictures....there are three large bags under the table we are working on.

Complete Indulgence

I am not a selfish person...


Sometimes I just need to take a break in the midst of the chaos I call my life....


This evening was one of those times...


No full dinner for the family....a frozen starter and fruit slices for the kids.....







And for me....



A slice of Brie with walnuts and dried yummies, a few crackers and a new found favorite French white table wine.

Served to myself on the back deck, on a cute little antique plate, a beautiful piece of pewter cookware received as a wedding gift and my ultimate favorite....a footed antique jelly glass filled with that wonderful white wine.

OK....back to the reality of life.....

Time Warp

I am living in a time warp...and not the cool fun kind where you get to dress in fun period clothing! The kind where Life and everything else takes place~ moves so fast you wonder when did that happen??? ~ The kind where your "baby" turns 13 and you have no idea where the time went????

My beautiful daughter turned 13! I can't believe it!! 13....how does that happen???? Where did that time go??? This was the hardest birthday for me, I didn't get all weird about my 25th, 30th, or 35th birthday! But, my baby turning 13...that did it for me! It also reminded me not to take time for granted.....easier said than done! I could go on and on about the reflective thoughts that I have had since this particular birthday but I won't do that to you!

Among other things she is becoming a beautiful Young Lady...so many things to be proud of. She became a member of the National Junior Honor Society. Finished up her school year as an Honor Roll student - all four quarters, and made us SO Proud!



She Played another AWESOME season of softball. Her athletic talent, combined with her work ethic I am hoping will pay off in the form of an athletic scholarship.





Simple things make her very happy, little cake, a few presents, her family and she is a happy girl!





Hopefully it will be a little while before she becomes a total teenager...we are dealing a little with the attitude, but so far that is the only thing surfacing. No Boy craziness, no Fashion craziness...just a little attitude. Or BIG attitude depending on the day. I will take it over any of those other options.

I love you baby!

If I am Lucky

This picture is from my birthday this year, which by far was the best birthday EVER!

I am 35 years old and if I am lucky, I have lived half my life so far. I feel like this half way marker is a great place to be. I have four incredible, beautiful, vivacious children. Each one unique in their own sense, each passionate about their own adventures and each still so in love with their mama that it fills my heart to just where it needs to be each day. I have a husband who adores me and loves me in his very own way. Don't get me wrong... we argue, we bicker, we disagree...we are human but in the end we still love each other.

If I am at my "mid life" portion of my life than I am very privileged! I feel like I finally have allowed myself to be who I really am, and the strength to be who I want to be and not who people think I should be. But also continuing to evolve into myself, and show my children that it is OK to evolve and become what they are meant and want to be. This year (birth year, not calender year) I have found myself content with so much more in life and yet requiring so much less "stuff" in life. I have had the most wonderful - simple holiday celebrations with just my husband and children, and even though I LOVE social settings and friends I have become more introspective and I really like that too!

I think I am having mid-life greatness and not a mid-life crisis. I think people freak out when they get to that halfway portion of life because they realize that they haven't been totally honest to themselves about what they wanted for themselves and for the people they love.

Last night I was knitting, laughing and having some really great girl talk with some friends and we all agreed that even with full plates, being overwhelmed sometimes by the "real" parts of life. You know..the laundry, the "mom, mom, mom......", the homework, dinner and etc. that we are all very lucky to have those things to overwhelm us. While we can't be perfect we can certainly work to be the best for ourselves, just ourselves! Not for someone else's opinion but in our own opinion.

The friends I have, the friends I have lost, the great accomplishments and the big mistakes have brought me here to who I am today and, I would do it all again to be right where I am today.

I like being half way there...means there is a lot more to go!

Reflection brings Knowledge

Yesterday and today were wonderful days of Nothing-ness and Family togetherness. I welcomed a New Year today and realized that this past year even with all of it's struggles and challenges was still one of the best years yet.

This past year I turned 35, and if I am lucky I have lived only half my life. My birthday celebration was the best of simplicity and I think the best that I can remember. I have four beautiful children and even with the bad days I am luckier than some. They all drive me crazy and make me laugh hysterically in the same day. I learned to redefine my meaning of friendship, and I learned that there are many different definitions of perfect. I also learned to be who I am, not who other people and life want me to be. That is sometimes a hard thing to remember when you live in a small town.

My last lesson in 2008....which is one that I forgot somewhere in my adult life. But Thank You to The Princess for reminding me....

It isn't a Party without a Party Hat!!!

We spent the day yesterday hanging out, making different little craft projects, and deciding on our resolutions! We worked on our journals, and we made party hats for our New Year's Celebration. As promised here are some pictures of the finished product.....

Our party hats were on clearance at Michael's for .50 and I think were meant to be Elf hats during Christmas, but they served us well as Party Hats! A little glue, glitter, ribbon and pom-poms...Party Hats all around! The Princess asked everyone who called both yesterday and today if they had a party hat, and encouraged them to come over and see ours!

I also set the table Nice and FANCY, dressed up in our finest....and ate a Silly Non-Fancy dinner. This years choice....take-out Chinese!

I set the table with some Blue and Silver decorations, for some reason in my minds eye Blue, Silver and Black are New Years colors. I used a pair of beautiful blue candlesticks that I bought at an antique store...I love them! A huge hurricane filled with ornaments, and transferred all foods into pretty glass dishes. Food always tastes better when it is served on a pretty table and on pretty dishes!

The kids had a great time dancing around the living room, the ball dropped and New Years kisses all around!!

My resolutions for this year are pretty simple. No major changes...

1. Be more disciplined...menu's, life choices, housework...

2. Create one project per week....relieves stress for me

3. Scrapbook at least one page per week

4. Remember what is important to me

Ohhhh...I also learned that I should never make this face again!! I was told that I looked like a "Crazy" Whoo!!

Tree's, Tree's more Tree's

"You call that a Christmas Tree??? "

A few days ago I was looking through old pictures..still working on the "handmade" Christmas gifts....I was trying to be creative with old photos. I came across quite a few pictures that had our trees in them....and I always thought the trees we had growing up were quite "perfect". However....looking back on them they were a little bit less than perfect. In fact, in the words of The Brain..."why would anyone cut that down...that looks like a bush, not a tree!! What were you guys thinking? Where do you find a tree like that??" But, I loved them. The Bigger the better....it is one of the best parts of my childhood. Going out and getting a tree. HUGE memories associated with that!! Last night I read this post over at C jane and I started laughing so hard thinking about all of our tree stories, that I had tears running down my face!

The Christmas tree has so many memories associated with it. There is ALWAYS a "tree story" in the recall list of holiday moments/memories. I know we have had our fair share!! Growing up, we lived on a big huge farm that was COVERED in trees so we never needed a "tree lot". We would all load ourselves onto the back of my Uncles tractor flat bed and go out into the woods to look for the "perfect" Christmas tree. I have wonderful Norman Rockwell memories of such events. I am not going to lie...there were some "moments" between my uncles over what was really the perfect tree and how was "that" going to be cut down...that wouldn't make it into a Hallmark Movie! Lots of cursing ...anyway...as you can see from the following pictures my idea of "perfect" might have been askew! We always wanted a very Full tree....I believe full is just the cover word for bush! Because truly, does that look like a Christmas tree to you?? A few examples of our "perfect tree".... and you know they always look smaller out there in the woods than in the house.

My mother in front of one of said "trees", she is in red

My grandfather being swallowed by the tree while he decorates...


My mother looking a little "tired" on Christmas morning. I think she is pregnant with me in this picture.

The Beauties first Christmas. Base housing....yuck!

UPDATE: As I am writing this The Brain just walked in and said "are you really going to post that picture?? That is a shrub, not a tree...that is a shrub from the wild!!"...He is mortified!

I loved those BIG FULL Trees!! That post last night coupled with the pictures of long ago reminded me of just how much. I am going to post some of my favorite Tree memories this week. Some of them are hysterical...stay tuned! I am off to look for the picture of our "first" tree as a married couple. I will never forget that one!! My poor husband had NO idea what he was really in store for all those years ago!

Turkey Day & Such

Hope everyone had a GREAT Turkey Day, we had a full house and a full weekend. Just a few pic's to recap!

The Turkey....isn't it pretty!
The Kids table, I somehow forgot that there were going to be 6 kids?? This table was great for four, a little tight with five....forget the sixth!



One of my favorite views of Downtown Annapolis...

The first of many failed attempts to get all 6 kids to look at the camera, smile and look normal all at the same time!!

I would love to have a PINK house! The hubby and I..

One of my favorites....

We share everything...

...including our GERMS!! But not our toys! Being an only child for my entire childhood....my brother wasn't born until I was 13....I don't get the concept of drinking out of someone Else's glass, eating someone elses food, and the nastiest offence....using somebody Else's toothbrush...YUCK!!!

Since the ick seems to be spreading, The Brain is home with tonsils the size of ping-pong balls and The Brawn is doing his best to fend off the germs - he made it without getting the stomach ick that the Princess became possessed with on Monday - I took a moment to soak our toothbrushes. Seems that everyones is fair game?? I actually hide my toothbrush in the cabinet!You'll notice that there are like 9 toothbrushes in there...there are only 6 of us? What's up with that?? Door knobs, walls, car seats and any other flat surfaces got a good scrub on Monday.

This week seemed to be taking on the feeling of a perpetual Monday. I was feeling the tension building from ongoing events of the week, when I heard a song from a one of my favorite people...and decided to change it with my own two hands..... there are so many things that we can't control, but we can control our emotions and reactions to situations. Being pro-active not reactive!


So....

I wrote a letter to someone who is no longer a friend....let her know that I was thinking of her

Wrote a letter to my husband...let him know that I love him even though we don't get 5 minutes together

Let go....can't hold onto situations that I can't control

Said a prayer for a stranger that I have grown to love and admire...

Got a haircut

Did a little window (catalog and Internet) shopping..

....this would sure make my days a little brighter...and I really need these! Pretty Please!!! Every girl needs a pair of silver shoes!!

And then I felt better!!!

And then....Homework and Dinner reared their ugly head!

How does a Pumpkin turn into a Carrot?? A Halloween Word Problem..

The Beauty made Pumpkin Cupcakes for us!!! Aren't they cute!

I am thinking this was done because we didn't ever get around to carving pumpkins...

How does a Pumpkin turn into a Carrot??? It's a word problem so try your best...I was always terrible at these in school!! Remember to read carefully!

What do you get when you add 1 Green squiggly bow as the stem + 1 pair Orange leggings + one orange shirt + Orange fluffy tutu + Brown boots for the dirt??

Give up??

A Cute Little Pumpkin!!!

Now...when you subtract- the Orange Fluffy Tutu but + a little extra dirt on the shirt and leggings....what do you get????

A Scraggly little Carrot!!!!!

After her daddy thought he had won this battle...she escaped and ripped the tutu off! Turning herself into a Carrot!!!

Halloween was so laid back this year....I LOVED IT!!!! I was originally feeling really bad about my lack of Halloween decoration and prep work...but at the end of the night - not so much.....

Our version of Halloween included a day together....no school for anyone (mom's choice....we were originally supposed to head to Philadelphia for a Dr. appt.)....then we went to the Park for a Costume Parade - where we had a Winner among us!!! "The Brains" took Judges Choice!!! Look below and you will see why!!

The Brains was dressed as a girl and was hysterical.....took Judges Choice!! Whoo-hoo!! You go babe!!

The Beauty = Penny from "Hairspray"

The Brawn = a Giant with his Fairy Friend

I had to share this picture of The Brawn's girl friend - that is "girl" "friend"...two words.... not "girlfriend" in case anyone was confused....I was asked to make that very clear.....she was a fish tank! LOVED IT!! Too Cute....and HOME MADE! She is a cutey to begin with!

Because we no longer Trick-or-Treat and the kids all "made" their costumes out of previous year costume pieces and things we had on hand, we promised them a special TREAT! A Family Date if you will.... We went to dinner at the Japanese Steak house where we all had a great time....except The Princess who COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT after the guy set the grill on fire at the beginning of our meal!

At that moment she requested in her quietest two year old voice ...that "we go home RIGHT NOW!!!!" It was a little funny....it was even funnier when the guy put food on her plate and she told him...."I eat none-a-dis" as she waved her hands over it like she was making a potion!

Look at the smiles and BIG eyes!!!

Fun was had by all....except maybe The Princess....

Check out her face....I'm thinkin' she's thinkin'.... "Seriously?????"

Much of the evening was spent like this....standing up holding The Princess.....AWAY from the table!! But it was still a very good time!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!!!