UPDATED!! FIRST and SECOND DAY!!

This is the first day! Tomorrow I get bus pics!

(Updated 9/1/06: Updated the show to include the second day pics! David is loving school! Have to get him to do the thumb dance for you!)



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OMG!!!! I'M GOING TO MISS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This sucks a little but I'll be okay later....

I HAVE A DEPOSITION AT 10:00 TOMORROW MORNING!!!!!

You are thinking, "So what?"

I HAVE to leave for downtown Baltimore by like 7:45, 8:00 at the latest...

DAVID DOESN'T GET ON THE BUS UNTIL 8:19!!!!!!!!

My office manager tried so hard to find something for me that wouldn't start until at least 11:00 so that I could be here, but her hands were tied. She is giving me Friday off in exchange... so I'll have to get all the good "Getting on the Bus" footage on the 2nd day of school. Not as monumental as a FIRST, but it will be close enough. I'll be able to get him ready though and make him pose out in front of the house in his backpack though! he he he I'll post those tomorrow afternoon!

In the meantime....

DAVID STARTS SCHOOL TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ACK!!!!!!!!

I want to thank those of you who keep putting up with my mental disturbance this week and even offer me some comfort! Love you all! I'll try not to go crazy like this too often. Wait a minute...who am I kidding?? I'm always crazy like this!

*hugs*

Okay, I admit it, I caved!

And joined in on the slide show making fun at www.rockyou.com

Enjoy!


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Keep your bottom on the bottom...

You have no idea how ready I was to burst into tears today as David and I sat side by side on a school bus hearing about the rules and getting ready for a sample ride. Luckily, after we got off the bus, I got to talking with another mom in our classroom, and she was ready to cry too!

Here is my big boy holding his school T-shirt!


We met David's teacher, where we did a few activities, got lots of paperwork, and looked around at all the wonderful things to do in class.

Next we took a short ride around the block on the bus, where we also learned Rule #1: "Keep your bottom on the bottom and your back on the back". David won't reapeat it with me though!

After the bus ride, we returned to the multi-purpose room where David got a T-shirt to wear for T-shirt day, and a snack. We got to know one of his classmates a little better there too.

He starts on Thursday! Yep, gets on a big yellow bus and no longer needs his mommy!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

I have lots of other things to blog about from the past week or so...be back soon!

8-25 Random Acts of Cuteness...

While at McDonald's in Maclean, VA:

Sammy: (Opening up her Sausage McMuffin with Egg) "Mommy!!! I've got an EGGBURGER!"
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At Harbor Freight:

Tired Sammy: Mommy my legs are tired!
Me: Just hang in there, we are only getting one thing.
Sammy: (trying to crawl under my shirt)
Me: What are you doing??!!!
Sammy: (in a frustrated tone) I'm going back in your tummy so I don't have to walk!
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Sometimes I don't always want to share something I'm drinking or eating with the kids (because I'm terribly unhealthy!) and so I use the word "caca" now and then. If you are not familiar, "caca" is kind of Mexican slang for poop.

David: Mommy, what's in that cup?
Me: Nothing
David: What's it taste like?
Me: Like Caca!
David: Mmmm, I like Caca!!!!!!! Caca tastes good! Can I have some?

Next time I should say it tastes like carrots.
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David: (Let's out a burp) Excuse me! Did you feel the burp, Baby?
Sam: Yes!

The Document Drama...

Friday I had received paperwork from David's school. In bold writing it said, "Birth Certificate - Any student who is registered and has not yet shown their birth certificate should bring the certficate. Note: Birth certificate must be presented before the first day or the child will not be permitted to attend school until proof of age is shown."

Well as of Friday, I was still waiting to receive a certified copy from California!!! Panic set in, and I even contemplated paying $50 to a service out there that could rush it, or ask my mom to drive four hours down to the Recorder's office to pick it up herself, being that only a parent, grandparent, or a court-ordered guardian can obtain it!

Boy was I relieved when I got home yesterday and that pretty blue certificate was in my mailbox! Whew!!! David almost had to miss T-shirt day!!

Only EIGHT more days, and I'm insane already!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you hear me??? EIGHT DAYS!!!!!
HELP!

Countdown to Heart Break...

Yep, folks....it's that time. Time to watch me fall apart. Let me count it down for you though....

10 Days until David goes to kindergarten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then our lives will change forever! With it comes evening meetings with teachers and schedules and assignments and my little boy growing up and finding himself. I'll have to get this boy to bed at a regular time and give him baths on a regular basis and plan out what he's wearing and try not to get angry when other little kids are mean to him and smile when he brings his first girlfriend home and...and...and... and.... breathe?

In a way it's fantastic...and in another way.... it's having to let go of a little piece of myself. I used to think this would be no big deal... but as the day approaches, it's really affecting me. I find myself looking at him and seeing someone new looking back. He's so full of excitement and wonder.

I have lots of things I want to blog about, but the deadlines are hanging over my head that I'm trying to meet, and it's been slow because I just don't feel good today. I'll be back soon with some stuff. Sorry to be melancholy and boring today!

**hugs**

Stop the world!!!!!! (I need to catch up!)

Why do I always feel like everything is going 1000 miles an hour, and I can barely hang on?

I just wish I could clap my hands and time would stop... I could take my time to catch up on something, and then go right back to the second I left off! If I could have a super power, that's what it would be!

On Sunday I had a plan for the week...and it totally got out of my control! I took a job on Tuesday, and they said they wanted it today, Wednesday...okay...no big deal... not a big wrinkle in my plan...but then I get a call... a job I took last week needs to be in by Friday morning!!! But I was working on the one I took before that one, which is now late! YIKES! Then there is the big bead show...which I knew about a year in advance, but have not made any beads for except what I showed. Oh well, at least I will get to hang out with good friends.

Do you ever feel like time is just beating you down?

Just testing an idea...

I was just wondering if I had the capability to make animation. Here I just did a little test to see if I understood the concept in relation to my software resources. So incredibly simple, but I thought I would share it with you anyway. Maybe some day I will have some grand production! (Maybe even featuring Ms. Jade vs. Invisible Pickle!) ha ha ha

(I know...I should be doing other things besides this!)



Yes, that was incredibly short, wasn't it! It took me 23 jpeg files though! ha ha ha

8-13 Random Acts of Cuteness

Driving home from a trip to Old Navy and Office Depot:
Samantha: "Hey! Whatchoo doin', Punk??!!"

(What made that really funny is that nobody in our house ever uses the word "punk", so I have no idea where she got that from!)

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Exchange in the car, at least the boy knows his grammar:

Kids: (making some random noise very loudly)
Me: (Yelling over my shoulder) You guys behave back there!
David: But I am BEING-have!

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In the clearance section of Old Navy

David: Oh, these clothes are for little girls!
Me: Yes, they are.
(moving to another rack)
David: And those are for hot mommies!

15 minutes later at the register David and Samantha start chanting:
"HOT MOMMY! HOT MOMMY! HOT MOMMY!"

Me: Okay....let's get out of here now!

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Have a good week everybody!

McFriends

She's gorgeous and she makes me smile! She's thousands of miles away, but still spends time chatting with me and I feel like I'm sitting right in her living room laughing it up! When we're together, I'm never afraid to be myself. She's generous and sweet and talented! Check out her shop at Etsy for some beautiful handmade cards! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5521

Thanks for sending me this picture, "Duckie"! You're the best, and I'm so glad we're friends!

Love ya!

(picture by R. Kirihara)

Gift Shop Updates!

Just a note that I have updated my CafePress shop.

The update includes one new design for the Susquehanna Sizzlers, and two new updated versions of my Hot Turtle and York Fair Squash pictures. Thanks to my Graphire, I have had some fun giving some old designs new looks! If you are interested, drop by and see what's new! www.cafepress.com/steno

A Year Without Fire...

Hard to believe, but I FINALLY got to light my torch and make some beads! My poor little torch has been cold and silent for a year! The last time I really made beads (not counting when Kelly came over for some tips or my visit to Maryanne a couple weeks ago when she let me play with her torch) was last summer before the last Gem Miner's Jubilee! Well now Gem Miner's is next weekend, and last weekend I finally got to melt some glass!

My glass rods were so dusty, and I sat there for a while staring at it all, not sure of what to do...but as soon as I heard the woooosh of the flame and picked up a shiny rod of glass...it was like I had never stopped making beads! I sure miss this! I need to sneak in a few more sessions before the show so I actually have something to try to sell! Maybe Sunday.

In the meantime... here are the few little beads I made. Not much, but they are kind of large and took some time. The two hearts don't count though as they were demo beads I made at Gem Miner's last time and never annealed until now. So now they are properly de-stressed and I thought I'd throw them in this picture anyway because I like them!

Part II...

Here is the second portion of my dedication to my grandma. They feature mostly old pictures of my grandma and grandpa and my grandmother's parents. Thanks for watching!

Dedication to My Grandma...

Before my grandma's birthday party this past June, I made a special slide show for her. Since it was too big to upload to You Tube in one piece, here is just the first part of it... I'll put the rest up soon. The song featured is Laura Pausini's "Viveme". The pictures span from my birth to present day... but since my mom wasn't the best historian, there is a big chunk of my life missing since I don't have a whole lot of pictures with my grandma at that time. My memories though are more vivid than any picture can express.

My Night to Remember...

Okay! I finally got over some computer issues and can make this post now!!!

Friday night was WONDERFUL! No, FANTASTIC!!!!

We were stuck in traffic for a while, but luckily arrived just in time! We were not in our seats for very long when the show got started, and Laura was first! Tears came to my eyes when she emerged on stage. The feeling was really indescribable! I just know that it was the result of years and years of emotion... As if you took the past 11 years...and every emotion I experienced from then to now and hit me with them all at once! I felt happiness, sadness, love, loss, confusion, inspiration, and enlightenment all at the same time!

I mean, I know I've tried to express this before...but I really can't stop saying this... Laura Pausini has literally been a part of my daily life since 1995! So many events...both good and bad...have occurred with her voice in the background, so many miles driven...thousands and thousands of miles in a few different vehicles with her voice filling the inside and leading the way. Every song of hers evokes certain memories....many of which can have me crying on the floor like a baby. So to hear her voice as loud as life and see her dancing around and speaking to the crowd...I just couldn't be more emotional! I wanted to rush the stage and just tell her everything I have wanted to tell her all these years. Yet she remained out of reach and untouchable.... and my dreams of getting invited to sing with her on stage will always remain a fantasy. (Of course! Like that would ever happen!) Still I imagine this grand conversation with her, and then her testing my devotion with a pop quiz of songs....her starting off a note, and me stepping right in there not missing a single word...and then we would laugh and hug ...she would then know just how important she is to me.

Anyway...though I know it's a terrible sin to record anything at a concert...the quality of this clip and it's length is really nothing anyone should be concerned about as far as the black market goes...and I really just wanted to share a tidbit of Laura performing my favorite song of the moment. It's title is "Viveme", and this is the Spanish version. I used this song for my grandmother's birthday DVD, which I will try to upload too.





Our seats were pretty good, but I still had to zoom way out with my camera to capture any sort of decent picture... Here is the best one I could get of her:



And happy me with my Laura Pausini Tour T-shirt!

"I CAN'T PRETEND ANYMORE..."

"That I am not affected, I'm not moved...I can't lie to myself that I'm not always thinking of you..."


CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED??!!!???? I'M GOING TO SEE LAURA PAUSINI TONIGHT IN CONCERT IN D.C.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Though there is plenty of music that I really like... such as Jewel, Marilyn Manson, and quite a few assorted artists... there is NO ONE...I repeat NO ONE that I adore more than LAURA PAUSINI!!!!

I fell in love with her back in Italian class at UCLA when the wonderful Flavio Frontini walked into class with a radio. He wanted us to hear a song. Soon the room was filled with a sweet melody and Laura's lovely voice singing, "La Solitudine"... "Marco se ne andato e non ritorno piu..." I had no idea who Marco was, but I thought his father was a bastard for taking him away from her, leaving her cold and lonely!!! MARCO!!!!! Come back!!!!

That was when she was just a tender 19 years old. Born in 1974, she is just months older than I am...so at this time in my life, here was a girl my age just starting her career, and I was miles and miles away crying to her songs.

I have followed every album, and know the words to pretty much every song. Many make me cry, many fill me up with energy. Not a day goes by that her voice doesn't take over my car... pumping and thumping in my heart... she has been there for every tear of joy or sorrow I have shed. Every song reminds me of a certain time in my life. Some of it bittersweet...and all of it joyful. I'm so excited to get this opportunity to see her on stage. The tour is with two other "Latin" artists...so her songs will probably be in the less familiar Spanish version rather than the Italian I am used to, but the energy and melody will all be the same, and I can't wait!!!!!!! www.laurapausini.com

Random Acts of Cuteness...

2:00 p.m.

David comes running around the corner holding a half-eaten chicken drumstick from Royal Farms:

"LOOK AT MY CHICKEN! LOOK AT MY CHICKEN! IT'S ALMOST NAKED!!"

Especially for "sillyduckie"

Hey, girl! Here's your Bag Hag in training!

Random Giggle

I was pulling out of the bank behind this vehicle:




First I said in my head, "Kiss Pee-Pee? OKAY! Let's advertise your bedroom habits to everyone!" Then I noticed his/her Pepe Le Pew sticker on the back window. Sorry, unknown motorist, but thanks for the laugh!

"Sunny day...sweeping the clouds away..."

The summer is almost over, and we received a letter in the mail reminding us that our Sesame Place passports are only fun if we use them! How funny that they would send that! You think they would keep quiet and just let slackers like us watch the season go by...but maybe they know we will spend a lot of money on food! ha ha ha

Anyway...we squeezed in a day at Sesame Place, and here are some highlights:

First we have Ernie's Water Works. If you remember the story from two years ago... Samantha was just two years old on our first visit to Ernie's Water Works. My mom was with us, and during a conversation between her and Keith, Ms. Samantha - with bare feet and a little pink hula girl bathing suit - wandered away and managed to get herself almost as far as the front gate of the park! Panic set in for several minutes, but I found her bouncing on a staff members lap and holding a crayon in the "Lost Parent Center". That episode haunted me for weeks! All I could think about was, "What if we never found her that day?" Anyway...two years later, it's a faint memory, and Samantha promises not to do that again ever! We'll see!





Then onto Little Bird Rapids:

We plan to make a couple more visits before the season is over so that we won't get another strange letter!