The First Scratcher Winner!

Here is the Frog Hopper picture! It was found three times by sillyduckie! Congratulations, sillyduckie, I have a little frog-related prize for you!


And here is the picture!



I have replaced it with a couple older pictures from my files! Thanks for playing!

9/30 Random Acts of Cuteness

Sammie jumps in bed to snuggle:

Sammie: "Good morning, Mommy."
Me: "Good morning! Awwww, your my sweet little girl!"
Sammie: (Pats my shoulder with her head resting on me) "I like you because I had a booger in my nose."

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David and Sammie sitting on recliner in living room:

Simultaneously: "We're watching NEMO and STITCH!!!"

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Same place on recliner as Disney Channel plays video for new version of "Kiss the Girl" from Little Mermaid

David: "Eewwwww! Don't kiss the girl!!!!!"

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After visiting cat in the living room one morning:

David: "Mommy! When I came in the front room, Stormy was sitting like people!"
(Apparently with her back against the couch)

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I have updated my job spreadsheet and see that I have 12 depositions to get out the door. So this blog will be quiet for a little while. Check in on me on Wednesday for the new Scratcher updates!

Have a good weekend!

Let's change scratcher day to Wednesday!

I thought it was Thursday, but no, it's just Wednesday! So here is the scratcher anyway!

Pictures previously found:
1. "Frozen Lemon Art ala Keith" - Found by sillyduckie
2. "Ashlander Caboose Kids" - Found by Satrina

Any same picture found three times is lucky. The person to find it the third time wins a little prize! I will post the picture here for all to see, and then remove it from the game. I have added some new pictures this week and a surprise. Have fun!


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Blending in...

and perhaps trying to sneak into the Amish community around here?






(click to enlarge)

Bad Boys and the Women that Love Them...

(Click to enlarge)

I'm so fawnd of you!

Or we could also call this, "When Bambina Meets Bambi". LOL!

(Okay, I'm cheesy! I don't care!)

We went to the York Fair yesterday for Pre-School Pals day. The ride arm bands were good until 4:00.... at 3:00 the sky opened up and disappointed hundreds of little kids. :(

We took refuge in the buildings...and later on in the deer feeding area. You can buy a cup of food for them or feed them with a bottle. They are so sweet! Friendly little things, they are soft and have such beautiful eyes with big eyelashes! Of course, they always have two tiny pigs that run around in there too for entertainment!

Here is Sammy with one of the cuties. I'll post more fair pictures soon. Since my camera got wet, I was having trouble with auto focus.

Happy Saturday!



(Click to enlarge)

We like to slide!

Playing at the park across from the Pioneer Tunnel.

Thursday is Scratcher Day!

How about this....every Thursday I'll update this scratcher. You get a random picture each time you scratch! If you'd like, comment on which picture you uncovered and what you think of it. Happy Thursday!

**The 9-14 Scratcher Moved to Wed 9-27**

Today is all about...

Progress
Perspective
Awareness
Comfort
Satisfaction

Today was all about me..
me driving in the car...
(yes, I took pictures of myself driving)
only because I wondered what other drivers saw when they looked over in my lane... did they see just another woman in a minivan? Did they see a professional person on her way to work? Did they see a crazy Mexican singing to Laura Pausini? Today I was realizing that driving to Baltimore is not just an action of transportation... it's my time to think without interruption. It's my time to look around and see what's around me. It's me on my way to another deposition...something I worked very hard to be able to do. I'm finally feeling as though I have some control over some of this craziness. I think I'm starting to live for myself too...


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I also took a picture of myself in the living room for no apparent reason but to be weird. You know what though, I can look at myself again the way I used to.

Enjoy your weekend!!!

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!

Fit to be Tied

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW REBERT FAMILY!

Best Man- Jerry, Emily, Scott, Little Paden, Jennifer, and Me.

July 29, 2006

The union of Scott, Jennifer, Emily and Paden.

I wish you all the best!! It was a lovely wedding, and I'll post more pictures later after I meet some deadlines!

Out of the blue...

Samantha is wrapping herself up in blanket when suddenly the following conversation occurs:

Sam: Mommy! Where'd you get me?
Me: What do you mean where'd I get you?
Sam: Yeah, where'd you get me? At the store?
Me: (smiling) Yes, I got you at the baby store! I saw your cute little face and pretty blue eyes and said, "I want that one!"

about 15 minutes later:

Sam: Where is the baby store, Mommy?
Me: In my tummy!
Sam: Really?
Me: Yep! (then I changed up the story a little bit) I went to the store and saw the packets of baby seeds! I picked the one with your face on it, ate the seed, and you grew in my tummy!
Sam: Wow!
Me: Then when you were big enough, you came out!
Sam: (Looking at her belly, and then puffing it out) My tummy is bigger!
Me: Uh-oh! You don't have a baby in there, do you?
Sam: No, just food!

about 20 minutes later during a scene from the movie "Forget Paris" where they show babies in a nursery at the hospital....

Sam: MOMMY!!! LOOK!!! THE BABY STORE HAS A COMMERCIAL ON THE TV!

She is so cute sometimes!

Shame on you, Mr. Bento!!!

Remember when Satrina posted about bento and how cute some people have been making them??? (Click on "Blahg" in my friend's blog links to the side here ----> ) Well, I bookmarked Cooking Cute so I can occasionally look in on more cute creations...

Well....WTF is this?????? http://mmmbento.livejournal.com/27548.html
NOT CUTE!!!!! NOT CUTE AT ALL!!!
What's with the second picture where we see the cute little chickie egg floating upside down in the noodles????? I'm completely traumatized now!!!!! I don't think I can look at another bento again!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

MY FRIENDS RULE!

Within 48 hours.... Satrina, Maryanne, and Sillyduckie have all given me hugs and perspective and smiles. You are the best! I mean it! Thanks for the encouragement and gentle words. I feel a shift in the universe coming about!

Maryanne...thanks also for explaining a bit more about the cosmos! I wanted to come over to the show either Saturday or Sunday...but somehow things just weren't going right. How was it? I missed you!

Duckie... thanks for listening in chat! That was really helpful to me, and I know I can always trust you!

**Hugs*** and have a nice Sunday evening and a good week!

Day of Change: July 22, 2006

Can I share something with you... the friends I love? You know me...but you probably don't know the secret pain I carry around each day.

There is a light within me that only I could see. It would brightly burn just for me. I could feel it's warmth inside of me. When I felt lost, I would close my eyes, and I could see it... not just a flicker, but a bright glowing flame. I would write in my journal...talking things out with myself within the light of that flame...and I would feel as though I resolved my troubles.

I've been held back for years by many dark thoughts and ideas. They crowd me and squeeze my soul. They whisper terrible words into my ears, and cause me to retreat within myself... luckily though I would find that light and turn back around and march forward.

So many situations in my past...either beyond my control, or created by my own ignorance or poor judgment, brought me to this light, and so many times I managed to weather the storms. I always continued... a little battered... a little jaded...a little wiser sometimes...but safely and renewed.

But I took it for granted. Somewhere along the line, I lost my way. I forgot how to find it. I let myself be influenced by the darkness, and let myself remain lost. I didn't realize that by doing this...not only did that light get neglected, but I have damaged my body without realizing it... letting the bad influences win me over. There have been a few times recently when I have realized something...I punish myself without knowing it.

(This is so hard... but I feel like I need to talk this out beyond myself...to other eyes and ears...or else I may just let myself slip away.)

This is about a few things... about my troubled mind...about my troubled body. I'll keep it short...Promise!

Instead of finding the light within me when I'm stressed or troubled...I have been finding the light of my refrigerator. I mistook its glow for the glow within myself. I thought it would get me through... but I was wrong. I'm sure you all notice it, but I really never did until recently. Since working full time last August, I have gained 40 pounds. It's not like I was in great shape to begin with so that it doesn't make that much difference...It was adding insult to injury. It's my own failure to properly cope with things I found difficult.

I make happy posts here on this blog... not too many complaints or sob stories (I hope!) I try to blog to celebrate the joy I discover around me. Last night was the last straw for me though.

I cried myself home from a night of partying. A night that was supposed to be fun was really a night of terrible pain for me. I hate being in my own body. I would always look in the mirror and see myself...it is an image that never changed...an image like the one in the upper right-hand corner of the picture above...taken only a couple of years ago..a happier version of myself... a more normal sized version of me...but I realized I was blind. I realized finally what I have really become. I have become a doll. A morbid outer shell that really does not depict who I used to see looking back at me in the mirror. I had no idea how serious this was... how miserably unlike myself I've become. Now I no longer see who I used to... I see a disgusting character...a manifestation of my pain.

I tried to find that light... but there is so much fat on the outside of me that I can't reach the light inside. I'm afraid it's gone. I hate this!

I decided though...I'm tired of crying about it. I'm tired of just sitting around with regret and despair. I'm going in deep to find it again and rekindle it. I'm going to free myself of this outer monstrosity that traps me. I want to be me again.

Thanks for listening. I love you guys! Somehow just putting this out there makes me feel like the tomorrow I want isn't just a figment of my imagination...but something I can wrap my arms around this time... no more false beginnings...just true, well-intentioned steps.

I figure that if you know about it... I'm more likely not to fail. Thanks!

Spoke too Soon!

Is friggin' Mercury out of retrograde yet????
(I'll blame it on that for now! Don't want to say it's just my karma)

So Friday I thought would be normal, right.... ha! The cable internet service was out all day into this afternoon (Saturday)...meaning no phone, no internet... nada! Meaning I also couldn't e-mail work in on Friday. As a result of not getting in one job, the firm owner has me "grounded" on Monday. So I get Monday off for bad behavior.

Later Friday evening we had a bachelorette dinner for Jennifer, who is getting married next week. Well, guess what...forgot my stinking camera at home! Then something else extremely humiliating happened to me later that I will not speak of. We had fun, but on the way home, I just wanted to cry and cry.

Then on Route 116.....on my way home at 1:00 a.m. ... (Don't worry, I don't drink alcohol..don't like the taste) I knew I would be passing the site where our cousin Brandy was killed. There is a cross on the side of the road for her. I couldn't stop thinking about what she might be like today and if she would have enjoyed making beads with me. I remember her visiting her aunt across the street from us...she'd always wave. Such a cute girl. She's been gone about three years now almost... I think she would be turning 18 this year. Not sure. Anyway...I passed by her cross very slowly and whispered some words to her.

I hope next week is less freaky.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

My Week in the Twilight Zone...

I am sitting here remembering Maryanne saying something about Mercury in retrograde...and I know that means something freaky...but I'll never proclaim myself to be an astrology expert. In retrospect...my week has been freaky! I know the week isn't over yet... but I plan to stay inside tomorrow!

Crazy Event #1:

Keith came in and announced there was a problem outside for me to take care of...

BAT IN THE POOL!!! ALIVE!

I fished him out with the skimmer and noticed...not only was a bat in our pool...he had a beatle stuck on his eye!




So I used a pen to get the bug off...

and here is batty!




I dumped him off outside our back gate and he kind of "walked" himself away under Keith's trailer. I hope he made it home okay later because it has been impossibly hot this week!

Crazy Event #2:

While visiting my friend Maryanne (her link is Torchsong Studio on my sidebar) in Manheim, a wicked storm came through!

Here is her cute workshop where she makes soaps, beads, jewelry, and manages her business. At Christmastime, it's an enchanted gift shop!




Inside, she let me play on her torch! Man, I haven't made beads in a year! It was so nice to melt some glass. Here is a view out of her window, and a couple pics of Maryanne making a bead:








We stepped outside to view her gourd nursery... little baby gourds climbing a hand-crafted wooden cupola.
This is a "snake" gourd...although Maryanne's sister referred to it a little differently! ha ha ha Of course I was intrigued when I saw it:



Her dog Rudy is gorgeous and ever so sweet!!! Love him!





So what was crazy about this visit? We lost power while I was starting a bead...so a wonky plain white bead went into the kiln...which was off of course because of the power, but oh, well! She invited me in the house to wait the storm out. Suddenly there was a terrible BOOM! CRACK! Lightning struck close to the property -- splitting a tree a few houses down! We about came out of our skins, it was so loud! (She lost some electrical items due to this, which she found out about the next day!) On the way home, a portion of the route was blocked, and I got completely lost! Luckily I made it home after two hours of driving around!

Crazy Event #3:
At the beginning of my visit with Maryanne, the owner of the firm I report for called and asked if I could take a job in Media, PA...about two hours from my house. I agreed, and he was pretty clear that it started at 2:30 p.m. Well, my worksheet came through the e-mail saying 7:00 a.m. start time. I couldn't get a hold of someone to confirm it because her cell phone died that night too!!! So, not wanting to take a chance that 7:00 was right...though highly unlikely, I left the house at 4:30 a.m. to be in Media by 6:30. Well...not only was it really 2:30...but it later got moved back to 3:30! That's okay...I hung around town...but it was way too hot to go to a park or something...so I just loitered at Borders and Michael's and the mall...ho hum...

On the way home...I passed a couple signs for Spread Eagle Village! Another kinky Pennsylvania attraction!



Crazy Event #4:

Came home to see this:



When Thumpers Attack!!! (Going to submit to Stuff on My Cat!)

Maybe Friday will be a little more subdued. He he he

Can't Choose a Title...

First I thought... "Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Chicken!".... Nah!
"A Sticky Chickie"... Nah!
"Tooth Fairy Booty".... Nah!

So here is simply David's gift from the Tooth Fairy...




So why was he a sticky chickie? Well, since he resembles a ball...David was tossing him around like a ball, and he landed on Samantha's waffles... hence, a sticky chickie.

David was very excited in the morning when he woke up and found Chickie Ball under his pillow.

BREAKING NEWS! TOOTH WATCH 2006!

How ironic is this!!???!!! I was writing the previous post today about how stubborn David's second tooth was being...then he came and announced that it came out!!! Woohoo!!!

Here is a picture taken by my beloved friend, Yoko. David is flashing his cute little toofers...his very first! This is one of my all-time favorite pictures of him. Now...those two first little toofers are gone. *sniff* *sniff* My baby is growing up so fast!
(If you think that sounds pathetic...wait until his first day of school next month!)



And here he is today... he wasn't sad...just kind of looks that way. He was actually kind of excited that it finally came out.




And a little video about it all!


Is it just me, or is the audio totally off of the video in this take?? Godzilla Theater!


David wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy. The bear is what the TF brought him last time! Notice his "POTS" sign... that's supposed to be "STOP". That cracks me up all the time!




I guess nobody guessed the right date! Sorry! Thanks for playing along though!

Hydrangea!

Well, I shouldn't take credit for this because I didn't do anything... Nah... I'll take credit for it anyway! Ha! (Only because I picked them out two seasons ago!)

My hydrangea! One of three plants has blooms this year...better than last year where there were none! :(

I'm in love...even though it is just a modest little bloom. I know hydrangea color is determined by the soil's acidity or alkalinity... but how is it that you can get purple/blue AND pink all on the same bush? Tracey, help! You are the Garden Goddess!!!

Anyway...here are my little beauties!