Another school year - another year closer to 18...

which I am not looking forward to at all - the moving closer to 18 and independence part.  But that is another thought for another day.  My babies started school yesterday and I was sad.  I've talked about my last day of school blues but I'm never sad on the first day of school.  It's fun.  It's exciting. It's a new adventure and a new start.  But this year - I was sad.  Maybe it is because I was able to spend the summer with my kids - I don't know but as much as I enjoyed the freedom of six hours ALONE I was still sad and watching the clock until I could pick them up at the end of the day.  I am continually amazed at the emotionally hard job this mom stuff is...

Here are the pictures. 

TTFN...



My heart just went pitter-patter

I'm sitting here doing my usual computer stuff while the girls are playing games at the kitchen table.  Alex just came home from his summer job and has handed me his communication notebook.  Since Alex's communication skills are limited and we want to keep track of how Alex is doing and encourage good job behavior his job coach adds an entry to the notebook each day he works to let us know how the day went for Alex and if there were any problems.  I am happy to say that most days he gets a good report and earns a peanut butter cup.  Today he is especially proud of his day.  After showing his report to me he just took the notebook to each of the girls so they could read about his wonderful day.  Lauren is reading the note - Alex "helped" her with a hard word or two and now she is lavishing praise on her older brother.  My heart just gave a huge pitter-patter.  Ahhhhh this is why I have kids.  Moments like these.  If nothing else good happens today this morning was enough. 

TTFN... oh and now Alex is having the dog "read" his report she seems slightly uncomfortable and aloof - walking away - all this good news for Alex is making her look really bad with her trash can rummaging, napkin stealing and sock chewing ways.

Why yes, I am in the shower...

the other day while in the shower Alex came bursting through the bathroom door, proudly announcing "mom, phone!".  I had no choice but to grab the phone which he was thrusting into the shower after turning off the water and lowering the volume on the radio.  It was only a local car dealership calling to check on service we had recently had completed on the van.  I am sure the person on the other end was fully aware that I had been in the shower since they had the pleasure of hearing the pounding water and echo of the radio before I realized a phone was being thrown at me :-)  I'm just glad it wasn't a potential employer calling to set-up an interview.  That could have been interesting "yes, I'd love to come in for an interview.  What?  No, really I'm not busy we can set-up something right now just let me grab my shaving gel so I can write done the details.  What?  Why yes I am in the shower - Why do you ask - is it a problem?  I promise to be fully clothed when I come for an interview.  And really, I wish you had called just seconds earlier you could have heard me belting out Lady GaGa's newest tune.  I'm sure you would have enjoyed it."  Yep, it could have been interesting.  I'm almost sorry it didn't happen - almost... 

I obviously have some phone answering etiquette to discuss with Alex (and all the kids really) although he is great with telemarketers :-) 

Oh and just to clarify so no one is making any undue judgements I typically DO NOT like Lady GaGa, her meat dress and weird videos included, but I really like her new song (click here to listen) it's got a great beat and is easy to dance to (where has that phrase been heard before - anyone) seriously I do like it - until it gets played to death of course but right now it's still in the honeymoon phase.

TTFN...

Doggy Dippin'...

My childhood hometown, a small community with an awesome swimming pool, is closing for the season on Sunday.  After the pool closes to the general public they are going to have a "doggy dip" which is essentially a swimming party for dogs before they begin to drain the pool.  I received an invite on Facebook (I mean really, is there any other way to hear information anymore?) and am seriously considering taking Autumn.  I've never been to a Doggy Dip before.  The kids would love it and although my hometown is just over an hour away they have only been there once - the girls were three and Alex was thirteen (my parents don't live there anymore, my grandparents have passed away and most of my relatives are scattered across the country so there hasn't been any urgent reason to visit).  AND it really is an awesome pool so we could go early and the kids could swim and then we could take Autumn in for a refreshing dip.

It sounded good on paper so I mentioned it to my friend Roxann thinking she might want to come along.  She was silent for a moment and then she said "you're going to take your dog to a pool with a lot of other dogs and people - your dog?" she seemed a little puzzled that I was considering it.  Sure she (the dog, not Roxann) gets a little excited around new people and has been known to pee on the floor in her frenzy of jumping, licking, tail wagging, rear wiggling delight but she settles down after three or four hours.  Besides we have taken her to to the dog park - she behaves - most of the time.  How bad could the doggy dip be - she's never been swimming before, there will be several other people and dogs, kids will be walking around with ice cream cones and hot dogs in their hands, I don't see a problem.  Besides, it's a fenced in pool and except for that people and food loving thing I don't think there would be any problems at all, it'll be fun, I'm not stressed at all.

So the HotY and I will discuss the skinny dippin' dog day a little bit more before the final decision is made - but really I think she will be fine, really, just fine, really, trust me, it will be good, really.  Fine, think what you want but I still think it would be fun.

TTFN...

Do you pin?

Have you discovered Pintrest?  At first I didn't get it.  I would see people posting "pins" on Facebook but I just didn't get it.  So what's the deal?  They like that?  They don't like that?  And what the heck IS THAT much less what is a pin?  So I decided to check it out - and I'm hooked.  Pintrest is like those big folders you have that are stuffed with pictures from magazines and idea books and stuff printed out from the computer except without all the mess and storage issues.  And if you aren't one of those people who likes to hang onto things you see and like than you might not understand the allure of Pintrest but for someone like me who is always wanting to remember pretty things it is a gold mine! 

The boards are kind of interesting too in that I think they can tell you a little about the person who created them.  If you were to look at my boards you would think that I like cooking while wearing a lot of diamond rings and stiletto heels while shopping for expensive clothes on the Internet surrounded by pretty flowers and making gorgeous cards to send to all the people in my life :-)  It might be true it might not - you decide :-

If you are on Pintrest let me know and I can start following you or follow me and we'll find each other.  It's like Internet shopping for kindred spirits.

TTFN... happy pinning!

I'm sorry...

So in rereading my more recent posts (yes, I reread, I always try to read what I've written as if I were someone other than myself) I have noticed I have done A LOT of complaining lately about just about everything and for that I apologize.  I do not want to be known as that crabby girl who never had anything nice to say about anything and I'm feeling dangerously close to resembling that comment.  Sooooo, here's to a week of no complaining.  And really right now the sky is blue, a breeze is blowing, the house is quiet, the dog is sleeping and all is well.  I hope you have a complaint free day too and if you notice THE "tone" creeping into my posts again please tell me - really!


TTFN...

I'm such a lucky girl!!

And that was said WITHOUT sarcasm - seriously. 

In my little Glitter Me! business I have had the pleasure of meeting so many nice people.  Really, I have not had a bad apple in the whole bushel (dang it now you just know I'm going to get someone with an attitude to match J-Lo - just wait and see).  But anyway, now that I have tempted fate and walked around my house knocking on every piece of wood I own I'll move on with my little story.  I have had the pleasure of meeting so many nice people, new moms, grandmas, brides, especially the brides.  And have I mentioned they have all been peaches?  How has that happened?  I mean I watch Say Yes to the Dress and some of those brides - NOT NICE!  Maybe only nice brides are drawn to glittery goodness???  And you know I love to hear all about their big days because I love weddings.  LOVE THEM!  Sooooo, I recently had the privilege of working with an especially nice bride, Kristen, who was good enough to share her lovely pre-wedding pictures, some of which included the banners I had made for her.  And guess what - I'm going to share them with you - I'm so nice like that :-)  Here we go, without further ado (and yes I have the bride's permission to share - I'm nice and considerate :-)).

Kristen and Matthew

Aren't those pictures awesome?  They were taken by her brother.  Here is a link to his blog showing more pictures of the cute couple.  ATD Productions.   

Okay done now.  I know how all this rainbow and sunshine stuff can be annoying :-)

TTFN...

I was wrong...

or technically the HotY was wrong because really, isn't it always the male who is wrong?  At least that is how it works in my world :-) 

Anyway, I do have some pictures from Alex's party.  Not the least of which is the infamous "hot air balloon" centerpiece.  All the pictures were taken after the main event so it looks a little worse for the wear but you get the gist - and get to see our luxurious garage (ha). 

Oh and Michelle look at that picture board on the far left - you are on there - told you!

TTFN...