It's a Cupcake Hat!

Once again, a lovely giveaway from Pamela Topping Photography! The Pom Pom Hat, it's a cupcake! Leah would love this! Go enter to win for yourself!

I LOVE Giveaways..especially when for Photography products!

Pamela Topping Photography blog is having an INCREDIBLE giveway for Black Friday this week!
Amazing choices. Check out here Camera Love Neclace too! I <3 it! Gonna get me one soon!

Super Duper Deals!

So, I got this voucher/gift certificate in the mail for $25 with no minimum purchase necessary for Mini Boden. I have ordered random items in past, a t-shirt that was interesting, a pair of pants on clearance, a sundress...but never a large order by any means, so this really surprised me. I mean, Mini Boden just giving away $25? Its just unheard of!
One thing I fell in love with this fall was the Jersey Lined Cargo Camo Skate pants with elasticized waistline, rough & tough, perfect for my Boy. I ordered a pair with a % off in early fall, and he has by far loved them as well, the most out of all his pants. They are incredibly warm, and I swear they are made of magical fabric being that they withstand a tremendous beating!
My first instinct then when I received this voucher was to get the Boy another pair of these amazingly tough MiniBoden Lined Skate Pants . They retail for $46. Shipping is $10. But, with a quick service number from the recent catalog for 25% off + free ship, and THEN the deduction of the $25 voucher, I paid a mere $9.50!
Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Mini Boden! My Boy will now have the Peat Camoflauge & Airforce Camoflauge!

Simplicity Patterns - Simplicity Craft Pattern

Simplicity Patterns - Simplicity Craft Pattern
So, the kids are so in love with the felt cake I made yesterday, I have had requests from family to make one for thier kids! I love that! Above is a link to the pattern I used,it is Simplicity 2445. I got it on sale during the $1 Simplicity pattern sale 5/$5, max 10 patterns, and you can bet I bought 10!
I have been using the leftover felt remnants from making halloween costumes, and today I was able to cut out the needed pattern pieces for 4 cakes, and 5 cupcakes with whip cream topping. These are by far the funnest sewing craft I have done in awhile!
I plan to get Drew involved this evening, and Lulu is my stuffer! It's a family affair!

Who doesn't love Chocolate Cake?

Especially one that is mess, bake, fat, & sugar free! Again today, Lulu & I made some felt goodies! She stuffed & I sewed. She is so excited to add this to her kitchen collection! It has renewed her interest in play baking. It is so easy to do, and I love how interested it is making her in sewing. I definitely want to pass on my passion and knowledge for sewing to atleast one of my daughters, and I am thinking it will be Lulu that ends up recieving it!

The Peace never lasts for long...

I had such a peaceful morning. I took it slow, did some housework, browsed online for more information regarding the trip to Seattle, got some chili cooking in the crock pot, picked up Leah from kindergarten, and we came home to finish some chores, then we dug out a pattern to make some felt cupcakes.
I had everything already that we needed in the craft supplies, Lulu loves cupcakes in any shape or form, so it was really fun including her in the making, even though she couldn't sew, she stuffed the cupcake for me as I made the 'whipped cream'.

It turned out really cute, although, I see the flaws, and next time will make some adjustments to the pattern. We got the pattern at the $1 simplicity pattern sale @ Joann's Fabrics last weekend. I was able to grab 10 great patterns for costumes, dresses, skirts, felt food, and organizers for the kids rooms. I love to sew.

However, as the day progressed, and the other 3 kids arrived home from school, my peaceful day turned sour. The P.D.Q. decided to hit the Boy on his shoulder with the remote control because he had stuck his tongue out at her as he walked by the couch. I swatted her one, sent her to her room, cooincidentally the Boy and Lulu went to thier rooms to play and shortly thereafter I hear a scream from Lulu & the Boy had hit her for some ridiculous reason I cannot recall, Mommy Memory loss. All I do know is, I will not allow them to hit eachother! I 'pank, and I will never stop. If they are risking their safety, or just being plain mean, and nasty, disobeying me, they get a good 'pank. And, he knew it was coming, he took it like a Man, which kinda made me a little more angry, seeing him hide the tears. I mean, I wonder if he felt it?
Then, my slow cooked chili dinner, nice hot fresh from the oven cornbread...was turned away by all 4 kids. I thought it tasted great, a wonderful winters eve meal. But, all they ate was the cornbread. Bleh on them! The Boy did mention that it would've been a great meal for his friend that plays football because it had a lot of protein the beans and meat! That's my Handsome!
The evening ended better with swim lessons for small ones, and a quick trip to ColdStone for a free sample treat as a reward for trying thier hardest. Lulu has dramatically improved in the water with only the promise of icecream ;)

Monsters in my Heater Vent

The Boy has recently become terribly frightened by any noise that he hears in his room @ bedtime. He has a night light, but he still insists the bathroom light be left on too. I refuse to do this.
About 10 minutes after I put him to bed, he is back up running down the hall to my bedroom begging to stay up or sleep with Mom & Dad. I have taken the vent off the heater to show him that nothing is there. I have explained that when the heater kicks on it will create a noise, but he still insists that there is a monster in there trying to get out & get him!
So, the last two nights, we put him to bed around 8:30, and by 10:30pm we have checked on him only to find that he somehow escaped to his sisters room & is already fast asleep. The first night he was even crafty enough to strategically place the pillows just right to make it appear as if he were still in his own bed. Smart little guy!
I just don't know what to do. He has no reason to be scared. It's all in his imagination. I have never had any of the girls continue to be scared past the age of 4 or 5. Lulu goes to bed so easily. This Boy is making me crazy @ bedtime!

Sweet 16 in Seattle?

My Big Girl is turning 16 next June & I am planning a road trip for her & I to Seattle. I have always wanted to go there, and rather than spend hundreds on a ridiculous sweet 16 party, I thought it would be great to get her out of town and to a place she might not see otherwise at the age of 16.
I have some ideas of what we may do, and see, but I am really not sure what all there is to see & do.
I found this great site... Thing to See and Do in Seattle . It has many great places to go with prices and description, as well as a link to the site for the attraction. My main concern is finding a decently priced hotel though. I want to give her a memorable experience. I am planning on it only being her & I, possibly another friend or two, Grandma maybe. Not sure. But, I want to be able to have fun & be spontaneous with my Big Girl! She is growing up so fast!
Almost Sweet Sixteen...I can't believe it!

The New Preteen Drama Queen

Drew is 10. She is an amazing girl. I love her very much. She is a tomboy. She is an incredible soccer player. She is very intelligent. She is a successful student & loved by her teachers, always. Never gets in trouble at school, which is a huge difference from my last Preteen Drama Queen. However, she is 10. She is nearing the teen years rapidly. I now give her the title of Preteen Drama Queen, because she has earned it recently.
Hormones are at thier peak. I am very sure that she will be meeting "Auntie Flow" very soon. I am also very sure that she will be the twin to Kara, from Dan in Real Life when it comes to expressing herself in these preteen/teen years to come. I think I am gonna have my hands full.
She has always been pretty intense. At the age of 2, she threw 'exorcist'-like tantrums over taking a nap. At the age of 4, she balled her head off when we told her she was getting another baby brother/sister. At the age of 5, she would cry a river over my putting pretty ponytails in her hair, missing the bus over pleading for me to take them out. She lacks the ability to calm herself down.
I blame D. I blame D because...when Drew was a baby, D worked all dayshifts. I had to sleep on the couch with her, always holding her, to keep her quiet so he could sleep. I was never able to let her cry it out, for fear of waking D. He is a BEAR. I think this directly relates to her personality/behaviour. She never learned to calm herself, I always ran to pick her up quickly and calm her. I really hate myself for that.
Drew is a great kid, though. She doesn't really get into trouble. She is busy with soccer, friends, and she loves to make things. I just don't usually have to get on to her. Until the past few weeks. She was grounded for a week recently.
All of my kids are very rarely in trouble at this point. It's been very comforting to know that they get it, they are all old enough to know better. It's nice not having a troublesome toddler running around anymore. But, honestly, a preteen drama queen is so much more stressfull for me than a toddler.
I just can't stand the pleading, dramatic fits, and crying over not getting to play with a friend after just spending a couple hours with another friend. The constant need to be with a friend, or doing/going. The constant bickering with her little brother. The yelling at her little sister for coming in her room. The tears roll instant, the fits are like a 2 yo. It just makes me wanna cringe & hide, but I have to stand up firm & unwavering. I have to be strong. Be consistent. Be a mind reader. Be one step ahead.
It really doesn't get easier as they get older. It gets much harder. I would have to say 10 is the worst for a girl. It's an inbetween, an awkward stage. The verge of puberty, middle school. The desire for increased independence from Mom & Dad. The NEED to be with a friend every minute of every day. The demands to do only what they want to do, with no regard for anyone else. It's a very self-centered state that she is in right now, and it's so hard to deal with on a daily basis. I want to lock her up and throw away the key for atleast 2 years.

Why can't she BE like she LOOKS in this picture I found. Calm, collected...


Lord, Help Me. I fear I may harm this girl in her preteen years.

Lost & Found

I have to share this. It's not everyday you recover and long lost or stolen item. Especially in todays world. Especially an electronic item. Especially an Ipod stolen @ school.
My Big Girl had a horrible run with ipods the past 2 years. In 2008 she asked for a yellow ipod for christmas. It was a big deal for her. I gave in and 'Santa' granted her wish. She loved it! But, it kept breaking, and freezing. So, she had it replaced with a new one under the 1 year warrantee, paying $40 shipping. When she got that one, she might have had it for a couple weeks before it was engulfed in hairspray that had leaked out in her purse, frying the new Ipod. 2 Ipods=History...
At this point, I forced her to earn the money herself if she ever wanted another. About that time, the newest 5th generation with video Ipod was released. So, ofcourse, being a teen, she wanted video on her new Ipod! She babysat, and saved the money to buy it. She special ordered it in metallic yellow, with the engraving on the back of:
'Take a look at yourself
and make a change"
...and after having recieved it, she programmed in the lock code 1958...Michael Jackson's birth year. She's an MJ freak. However, these clues were magical!
I was browsing craigslist for used Ipods,(Drew wants one for xmas, but she's not too responsible, so we figured used was a better option for her)when I found a listing for an 8gb gold Ipod nano, simple title. I took a look.

Gosh.Golly.Gee. It sure looked a lot like my Girls Ipod. I ran thru the description match, and decided I would email and ask the boy selling this Ipod, what does the engraving say? He never responded by morning, so with pressure from D & My Dad, I called the police station to see if I could even get them to help me out. It's been months since her Ipod was stolen.
They took my report seriously, took my detailed description of the engraving, lock code, the boy's name, cell #, etc...and went to the school, confiscated the Ipod from him with the Boy admitting only that he FOUND IT ON THE FLOOR IN THE HALL. Stating it MUST have fallen out of my Big Girl's Purse. However, he is still being charged with theft of personal property. That'll teach him. Don't mess with me & mine!

Orange Rocks!

I am entering this picture for the I Heart Faces contest-Orange theme this week, because I just love the look on her face, the power in her kick, and the motion of the orange ball flying away! Her Team was undeafeated this fall season.

2nd opinion

Lulu has had 2 vision screening tests this fall. Once with her vaccination appt. @ the doctors office, and once @ school. Both have shown that she has 20/30 vision on the left, and 20/40 vision on the right. I am not sure what to think abt this, but the Dr. suggested I have her looked at by an Opthamologist with the first test results. I chose to hold off to see what the school vision screening would show.
I have web searched to find any further information, or suggestions. I suppose also looking for something that tells me that these numbers don't matter. But, I keep finding information that leads to having Lulu see the eye doc.
This makes me sad. I don't want my Sweet Little Lulu to have to wear glasses!
She reads all the time, has never had any trouble in school, or with her eyes. She never complains of her eye bugging her, or a headache. She is very successful with her school work, and reading. I am confused.
It's my responsibility to make sure she is cared for properly, medically. But, I am so hesitant to take her to the Opthamologist. I don't want to jump the gun, maybe waiting for 1st grades eye screen would be better? Hmmm...

That's MY Rule & I'm stickin' to it!

Drew is grounded. She received this judgement tuesday evening after a short bout of defiance. That's not the only thing that earned her a week of house arrest. It was also a few other things leading up to that night over 2 weeks time.
Strike 1: I found an apple in the bathroom garbage. A whole, new, shiny, red apple. An apple I had just bought 2 days before @ a rate of 1.79/dozen. I mean, this apple was GIGANTIC. I had place it in her lunch box the prior day. So, when she got home from school I asked her about it. She said it was too big, and she couldn't finish it, so she threw it away. I had to giggle. Why? Well, cuz it was a lie. The apple had no sign of being bitten, no bruises, no punctured skin. I inspected this apple thorougly, you see, to try to understand it's purpose for being in the garbage at all. So, we revisited my rule about NOT throwing away food that you can't finish, it must be brought home and replaced to the fridge, or saved for the next days lunch.
Strike 2: D had given her $10 to take to a post Soccer Pizza Party. She paid for some pizza, games, drink...she was supposed to return the change to D. He asked her for it, she said it was in her jeans, a total of $2, and would get it out the following day. D worked, so after school, I asked her abt the $. She denied having change. I reminded her that she had told her Dad that there was indeed $2 change, so WHERE DID IT GO? She ho-hummed around for a bit, before she finally admitted that she used it to buy drinks at school. But, that doesn't make sense cuz I send cold lunch and always pack a drink. So, after further probing, she finally admitted that she actually paid a charge for drinks she purchased cuz she didn't like the drinks I send. Hmmmm, this was reminding me of the apple. She was throwing away drinks to get a different one at school.
Strike 3,4...5: Incessant, persistent, aggressive behaviour toward her Brother & I. Raging hormones in a pre-teen body, presenting themselves in a demon-like state.

So, the last straw was blatant defiance toward me, in front of her Grandparents.
I grounded her for a week, you see, simply to ensure it included a weekend. A weekend that included a very much awaited Birthday Party Sleepover she had been invited to. An event that she screamed thru dramatic sobs & streaming tears was 'SUPPOSED TO BE THE BESTEST PARTY EVER!' So, you see, I knew THIS was the time to stick to my word. Her tantrum lasted a few hours. It was pitiful. Disgusting. But, necessary to endure. Necessary to follow thru & not give in to the noise & distrubance for MY sanity sake.
Yesterday was the party. I arrived home from grocery shopping to a re-newed dramatization of her NEED to go to this party. I held strong. Maintained the punishment. She sobbed for about an hour, pleading that if I let her go, she would be good forever. Statements like this make me smile & giggle under my breath, so pathetic. I wasn't giving in. NO. See, if I gave in at this point, then next time, it will be even worse & she will not have learned a thing! This is my job. To make her miserable. I simply told her, "I didn't get what I want (respect, obedience, truth)...so, you don't get what YOU want (a fabulous sleepover party, friends, cake...)"
Today, she is much more obedient. It definitely tested me, but it has taught her.

Sugar Snaps

Give me a little SUN, one Little Lulu, and a few balloons...

Rainbows & Balloons

Today is such an amazingly beautiful day! I love it. The sun shining ever so brightly thru all the windows, reminding me that I haven't dusted in awhile...
The reflections of this big, beautiful sunshine randomly placed tiny rainbows on my walls and kitchen flooring. Little Lulu noticed right away and ran around counting them. Ofcourse, my scientific little Man had to ask why they were there, and so we had a quick lesson in prisms/reflection of light before running of to school this morning.
You just never know what a day may bring.;)
These blue skies are filling my mind with happy thoughts, and big ideas. A few of those ideas include: a huge, colorful balloon bouquet, a camera, and a huge field of green. A park. A picnic...the ocean & sand.
I just feel like smiling today. With pink lipstick on.

Decisions

Now the Mother of all school age children, I find that things are busier than ever. I remember thinking, "Once they all get into school, it won't be so crazy, it will calm down." But, rather, the complete opposite.
Life has become so hectic, confusing. I have my own desires to do things now, and am struggling with the decision of either following thru with it, or stacking it on that shelf, like many other things I have in the past, to keep my focus on the children, keep up, on top of, be aware, alert...for them, about them, concerning them.
I love being a Mother. But, I need to explore other parts of Me that I have submerged for the past 15 years. Emotions, needs, desires, interests. Do I try to explore? Or submit.
I wanted to try out for Roller Derby after seeing an amazing Derby Bout just before Halloween. I loved it! I love to Roller Skate. So, I went to the new skater day. I did my best to learn a few tricks, but during a relay at the end, lost my balance, and fell directly on my rear end on concrete flooring. I was so humiliated. A feeling I despise. A feeling I don't feel. Ever. Confidence lost. Fear intruded. I just got out of therapy last spring...wth am I thinking? was all I could tell myself over and over and over in my head. It was a real mind f*ck. Do I continue, cuz I really, really want to, or stop, be 'safe'. Don't take the risk, for the risk is not mine to take? I'm so confused.