The party's over...

After leading a life of leisure for the past two years it is now time to go back to the real world of full-time employment.

Yes, I have a new job and who knew starting over would be so hard or intimidating or nerve wracking.  When you have been employed by the same employer for a long period of time you know all the rules.  You know your boundaries, what you can do what you can't and how far you can push.  A new employer - all of those things you knew before not so much anymore.  Don't get me wrong I think I am going to enjoy the job and the challenge and it is something I think I can do well but still - scared, ambivalent and kind of sorry the party is over - but everyone knows no one promised life would be a party. 

Hey, here's a thought - maybe being part of the real world again will give me something to write about - heaven knows that has been lacking - so here's hoping :-)

Now get back to work - I know I am...

TTFN

Oh and since it has been so long since I have posted here are some pictures from the apple orchard and Halloween.  I'll get caught up one of these days.

I'm not ready for this...

FALL.  It's on the way.  The temps don't reflect the change of season yet but I know it is coming and we all know that does NOT make me happy.  Give me summer.  I want summer.  I need summer.  Please don't leave me summer. 

Fine, it's going to happen, fall is going to make an appearance but I DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE IT.

A sure sign the season is almost upon us is the start of school on Monday.  The girls headed to the classroom and were a little more reluctant and a little less excited than that first day of school in Kindergarten.  Where did the last five years go?  I don't know about you but I am not five years older (and winter is not coming ---- it's all about denial :-)) 

Here are the pictures. 

Lauren 1st day of Kindergarten

Sydney first day of Kindergarten

Lauren & Syd - first day of 4th Grade.

 



Alex doesn't start his fall schedule until Tuesday but soon everyone will be back to the schedule.

The secret room...

I would love to create a secret room in our house. A room only accessible by me and those I invite.  There would be a complicated lock and secret code just to insure there are no invaders.  The room would function as a bathroom.  A pristine bathroom, no toothpaste in the sink or on the counter or splattered against the mirror.  The toilet paper would always be replaced and the towels would be nicely folded and not thrown in a heap on the counter or floor (the water free floor).  All my makeup would be pretty and none of my lipstick would have smushed ends.  There would be no Barbies hanging out in the bathtub and the shampoo bottle would be right where I left it. 

This magic, private room would also contain all the items that I can never seem to find when I need them because they have been "borrowed" and sometimes replaced - but never where they belong.  These items would include good scissors (you know the kind - the ones that actually cut something other than paper), scotch tape, a round hair brush, a toothbrush (don't ask), Diet Coke, Ritz crackers, a laptop, paper, pen, a black Sharpie and my iPhone.  Oh and most importantly, the room would be sound proof.  No sound in - no sound out.  Not one "mom" able to penetrate my fortress.  Yep, some day I'm going to have a secret room.

Wanna come over and play?

TTFN...

50 years in the same canoe...

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday (their actual wedding date by the way).  Our family gathered in the BIG city on Thursday for a long weekend of fun and frolic and no crabby.  It went pretty well.  Okay, fine, I may have had a moment or two of crabby but I kept it pretty contained - just keep in mind it was a lot of family time and IKEA :-) 

During the next four days we ate, we drank and were merry.  Friday we spent the day on a BIG lake and although I used sunscreen I walked away with a BIG sunburn.  I'm talking glow in the dark, it's getting hot in here, I'm going to look like the tanning mom when this thing fades to tan, sunburn.  It's a little better today but still not pretty.  I'd say I am old enough to know better but I did think I was knowing better and used sunscreen.  No AD Sunscreen - NO GOOD!!! 

Other than that sunburn thing It was a fun weekend and I think my parents enjoyed the family time and really after 50 years they deserved to be celebrated - 50 years - with the same person - no one thrown from the canoe.  I think that is quite an accomplishment and testimony to love, perseverance and working it out!  Congratulations m & d (although as I was looking at the pictures from the weekend I noticed I have pictures of my mom and I have pictures of my dad but I don't have any pictures of them together - but I promise they were there - together - really, trust me :-) - I'm not making this up).

TTFN... Go celebrate love and marriage and enjoy the pictures...

The captain (my dad) and co-captain Lauren, she took her job very seriously. 

.

I could tell Sydney and my nephew Nicholas were having a very deep conversation on the beach so I took this picture.  It turns out she wanted to know what he was looking for in a girlfriend and was quizzing him on all the important things like what his favorite color is, what foods he likes to eat, what he likes to do on a date, what kind of skin he likes, etc.  She concluded her friend Gabriella would be a perfect match - of course Gabriella is only 9 and Nick is 20 but what's a little age difference.  I'm sure Gabriella's parents would be thrilled with the match. 

But the best part of that deep conversation was this:

Syd - I think I should bury you in the sand.
Nick - I don't think I would like that.
Syd - Well then I'll start with your mouth.

No one said the girl wasn't smart :-)

Sydney in her element enjoying the water, sun and wind.  And those sparkles on the water - I was informed those were the fish taking pictures of her. 

Mom, Jordan and Nick hamming it up.

I'll take this one!

I'm back...

at least for today.  I found out a few things about our little yellow winged visitor since the last time we talked.  It is a Goldfinch, which I knew but now I know I knew for sure, (say that three times fast) and it is not a Ms. Birdie it is a Mr. Birdie.  The reason he is pecking at our windows is because he picked our house for his "territory" and when he sees his reflection in the window he thinks he is another male Goldfinch competing for his territory so he is pecking at himself thinking he is someone else.  Oh my gosh that sounds like my life some days!  But he seems to have departed.  He was here last week but I have not seen him at all this week - maybe he finally found Ms. Birdie and they are off living happily ever after in some lofty tree.  It sounds like a nice story anyway.

Big happenings with the girls.  They went to Girl scout camp (it was hot and buggy but they had fun anyway),  This week Syd got braces and Lauren got an expander.  Lauren is having the harder time - the expander is tearing up her tongue and there is nothing you can do about that other than to just let it heal.  I'll be glad when this phase is over.  Oh and just to round things out Alex had the flu.  Yep, it has been all fun and games in the Crabby House.

I was going to write something else but I don't remember what it was now.  I'm sure it was earth-shattering whatever it was.  I really really really am going to write on a more regular basis but there has not been much to say.  I'll work on that but just to give you an idea of how things are going - this sums up the excitement level of my days

TTFN...

Oh and Lauren thinks she has found her "car" ummmm I think not!

Zippity Doo Dah

last night I was setting in the dining room and I kept hearing this tapping, like pebbles against the window.  At first I couldn't figure out where it was coming from but then I saw a small bird setting on the windowsill pecking at my window.  Once the cat noticed the game was on - seriously, Daisy would wait patiently, Ms. Bird would come pecking, Daisy would pounce and Ms. Bird would flit away just to return and start the game again a few minutes later.  It was very entertaining and interesting.  I've never seen a bird return again and again.  Maybe there was a tasty bug on the window.  I mentioned the visitor to the HotY and kids and they informed me that Ms. Birdie has been around doing the same thing for a couple of days now.  And this afternoon I looked out the window and there she was - just sitting on the windowsill.  I would like to think the blue bird of happiness was roosting right outside my very own front door but alas the bird is yellow...  The yellow bird of ambivalence???

TTFN...

Let the summer begin...

The last of the school year activities have concluded - HOORAY! 

Spring concert - check
Last day of school - check
Graduation parties - check
Cheer camp - check
Last soccer game - check
Dance recital - check

Bring on the sleeping in, the hazy and lazy, the sprinkler and swimming pool.  The long nights and endless days.  Bring on the ice cream truck!  Oh wait, that's not my life that's my kids life - oh well at least I can observe from the sidelines. Summer - it's my favorite.  Haven't I been telling you this for the past 5 years???

Dance pictures.  Enjoy. 

TTFN... and yes their ears do stick out when their hair is slicked to their heads.  Did you notice they have the same ears.  Guess they must be sisters.

Rollerblades, Ripsticks and new bikes - oh my...

I guess you could say it was a very active birthday for the girlies. 


 
We have already experienced a ripstick wipe out.  Skinned knee, skinned hands and a skinned chin.  Of course the world ended and life as we know it halted for 10 minutes while Lauren wailed and contemplated her injuries making sure to cry harder each time a new scrap was found.  She takes getting hurt very seriously.  Luckily all is well and she was able to get up and get ready for school with no complaints. 

Syd on the other hand was full of complaints about getting ready for school.  Sometimes it is hard to believe these two are sisters - their personalities are so different.

The last day of school is on Friday and will conclude with the traditional all-school mass.  I told the girls I wasn't sure I would attend because I know I will cry and I don't want to cry.  They both insisted I attend and Syd proclaimed it the annual mom's crying mass.  Maybe all the build-up and dread will short-circuit the tears - I can always hope.

Just rambling today.  I'm going to try to get back in the swing of this blogging stuff and maybe find something entertaining to write about - we shall see...

TTFN...

Only two words...

Donald Driver...

Did you see Donald Driver on Dancing with the Stars?  Oh my.  I'm impressed.  That man can MOVE!  WOW.  He could give My Mario a run for his money and that's saying a lot!!!  Next time I'm in Green Bay I'm knocking on that man's door - they'll be dancin' in the streets!

Okay so maybe it was a little more than two words but I just couldn't help myself.

TTFN...

Well, it's about time....

Did you see it?  Did you see Castle tonight.  It's about darn time Beckett and Castle got together.  Of course all the angst will be over now and the show will go downhill (ala Moonlighting) but I know I for one was tired of the waiting.  Oh and as long as we're talking about TV I have been switching off between The Voice (I'm not a tatoo kind of girl but I can make an exception for Adam Levine) and DWTS.  Tonight DWTS won and I'm glad it did.  I like a good dancing duo or trio:-)

Okay that's it.  Back to your regularly scheduled life.

TTFN...

Who knows what could happen while I've been away...

I came back to post a blog tonight and blogger has totally changed.  Holy Bananas, I didn't know I'd have a learning curve to deal with although I think I'll take my usual approach and jump right in and see what works.  Here's to nothing, you'll see this post or you won't :-)

I'm going to try to blog more often again. 

Tonight Syd told me she wanted to learn to do the laundry so into the laundry room we went.  Doing wash with Syd is very entertaining as there was much commentary not the least of which was learning what each stain on her shirt was while doing the pre-treating.  What can I say she has a memory like her mom.

That's it for tonight.  I said I was going to blog more often I did not say how long it would be nor the interest level but anything is a start.

TTFN... 

It's all about the egg hunt...

My kids had been anticipating the annual egg hunt at my parent's house for weeks before Easter.  When the big day arrived they could barely contain their excitement.  But not only did we not take any egg hunt pictures we didn't come home with any candy.  We accidently left it behind when we left late Sunday afternoon.   Let's just way it's been a long week...

Pictures of the kids in their Easter best - well except for the bunny ears - that wasn't exactly part of the church clothes.  AND it's been awhile since I've posted kid pictures - right???  I haven't updated in so long even I don't remember what I did last. 

Alex, Syd & Lauren with their cousins Jordan and Austin

I have no idea what month it is...

seriously, my natural clock is so screwed up because of the weather we have been experiencing in my part of the country.  Last year I didn't think winter would ever end.  I felt like Mother Nature had a personal vendetta against me.  She must have been feeling pretty crummy about that as the weather has been unusual and phenomenal for the past 8 days, maybe more, I've lost count.  For example today, March 19 it is in the 70's the windows are open, the breeze is blowing and it is GLORIOUS.  It has been 80 degrees for the last couple of days.  Not that we don't have a nice day in March every so often but this has been sustained nice temps.  What in the world is going on?  Is the world ending?  Is global warming for real?  Is Mother Nature trying to kiss up?  I have no idea but I like it.  Oh and if you think I'm confused you should hear the birds.  I have never heard so much tweeting and peeping and hoot hoot hooting.  It's crazy.  It's like a Dr. Seuss book come to like with all the happy noisy creatures around.  I can't wait for those furry, fuzzy trees to show up like they have in The Lorax. 

So enough about the weather - but really it makes me happy. 

I had a very nice birthday followed by a nice week.  The kids made me special gifts from their hearts and we enjoyed birthday cake and Outback on Saturday.  I think that makes it a celebration.  Last Monday I also spent the day in the big city with my friend Roxann visiting old friends and catching up.  It was good - very good - but it makes me miss those friends even more.  We did have a bit of a problem getting out of our friend Malia's cul du sac with the navigation system leading us to deserted and non-existent roads, empty cul du sacs and the children of the corn (it's a long story and really if we hadn't been laughing so hard we might have ended up on the right path sooner and not run into those scary kids one more time - , after 10:00 p.m., in the dark, sitting in the middle of an empty, undeveloped cul du sac, two kids in hoodies, faces covered - I was scared.  Admit it, it would have scared you.

TTFN... and remember those GPS systems don't always know what they are talking about.

It's that time of year...

I suppose I should contact Babs (aka Barbie, sister of Skipper, Friend of Midge, on again off again love interest of Ken, loved by millions, can't keep a job yet has multiple dream houses - you know the girl) about our big day which is right around the corner.  While I've got her on the phone I will be asking her for the secret fountain of youth she seems to have found.  Have you seen her?  Her skin is FLAWLESS.  I don't know, someone mentioned it might be plastic, but she doesn't looked lifted and tucked to me.  Anyway, I digress, sharing the day with Barbie the doll is my claim to fame so I like to throw it out there now and then because really I don't think I can even come up with six degrees of Kevin Bacon.  I'm a small town Iowa girl at heart what can I say (and NO I have not been to the Field of Dreams nor have I ever lived on a farm - I'm a city mouse).

Soooo the b-day is around the corner.  I feel like I have aged a lot in the past year.  Maybe it is time to admit I'm not 25 - but you already knew that - right? 

Okay, I've got a call to make.  If I get that secret to looking like Barbie I'll be sure to pass it on - you've stuck with me this far it is the least I can do.

TTFN...

Okay, so...

I'm kind of thinking of shutting down this blog.  I know I've said this before but really I just don't know.  As you can tell I have not had much to say lately and I think blogs are kind of going to the way-side.  I'm not sure what to do.  I like to write but sometimes I think I should just leave it in a journal.  I'll think about it more tomorrow.

So I'm in the middle of watching the Grammy's.  Yes, it is really tragic that Whitney Houston has died (I kind of feel like some of my youth died too) and Jennifer Hudson was fabulous but the performance that really tugged at my heartstrings - Glen Campbell (why yes I do know all the words to Rhinestone Cowboy.  I KNOW.  Who would have guessed.  But hearing him sing) made me remember my life as a little girl.  There are two shows I remember my parents watching - The Glen Campbell Show and the, oh shoot I can't think of his name now, the guy from England.  Tom Jones - so glad I got it I'd hate to have been up all night trying to remember his name.  Anyway, I remember my parents watching both of those shows (I think my mom may have had a little crush on both of them - I remember my dad having sideburns for awhile - I'm just saying...).  So Glen tugged at my heartstrings which made me want to hear more and that took me to YouTube of course and there I found that Wichita Lineman song.  I like that song, I forgot I liked it.  (I'm listening to James Taylor sing it right now - good but not as good as Glen Campbell).  So there you go.  Another secret revealed - Glen Campbell and Tom Jones make me remember being a little girl in our craftsman bungalow with the little telephone cubby, sun porch and flower painted bathtub (it was the 70's you know).  

TTFN...

Hello It's Me...

I know it's been a long long while.  Nothing's going on and everything is fine.  I just can't think of anything to say.  (feel free to hum along if you knowthe song...).

Yep, it's been awhile.  Nothing's happened and everything has happened - isn't that life.  Let's see if I can remember the highlights of the last couple of months over the next few days. 

Christmas was good.  Santa got an A in everyone's book. 

That's it for today.  What can I say - there has been nothing going on and everything going on...

TTFN

So let's discuss...

Who is watching The Bachelor?  Who thinks it is the most pathetic, psychotic Bachelor yet?  I mean skiing the streets of San Francisco - really?  For those of you who may not have witnessed this train wreck Benny Boy took all his little bachelor bunnies loaded down with ski equipment up a hill in San Francisco.  Once at the top of the hill the found an artificial snow filled ski run.  Really?  Yes really, but that is not the best (worst) part - soon Ben's Bunnies were stripping down to their bikinis and leg warmers.  REALLY?  YES REALLY!   I was embarrassed for them just watching.  Seriously, it was so sad and pathetic I'm tempted to stop watching.  And I'm not a big Ben fan either so I have no idea why I am watching.  I guess I just don't want to take a chance I might miss something like downhill skiing in the streets of San Francisco.  Oh Lord...

TTFN.

It's been awhile...

sorry, life has gotten in the way.  And really tonight I don't have a lot to say so I'll just leave you with some pictures of my Glitter Me! creations used by a client at two different events.  Thanks to Ronie for the pictures.  Seriously, I keep telling you all I meet the nicest people.  I love fabulous clients!