10,000 & counting...

this blog will cross the 10,000 visitor mark today!!!


btw, the site meter is at the bottom over here ----->

whoo hoo - i'm so excited!!!
i truly appreciate u guys coming back 2 read my ramblings everyday!

& as a thank u, i'm hosting a giveaway!

since the whole cancer schmancer thing is (almost) history, i'm anxious 2 get back 2 blogging about other stuff...

- mostly about my family & our wild adventures -
-of course, TONS of pics -
- but also some cake decorating -
- my opinions on what's going on in the world 2day -
- topics specific 2 autism & special needs children -
- with some other crazy random stuff mixed in -
;0)

so, leave me a comment on this post & tell me...

- what u like about this blog -
- what u don't like about this blog -
- what u'd like 2 see more of on this blog -
- what u'd like 2 see less of on this blog -
- or just say hi -
;0)

come on lurkers - this is ur chance 2 come out & say hi...& family that i know reads, but never comments...come on - i don't bite...hard ;0)


the deadline is noon on monday...i'll then randomly draw a winner from the comments (using random.org) & announce a winner that day

comment any time this weekend...or EVERY DAY this weekend - giving u a total of 4 chances to win!!!
(commenting each day - 2day, 2mor, sun & mon b4 noon - will put ur name in the "hat" 4 times!)

& make sure 2 link ur blog or leave an email address so i know how 2 get in touch with the winner


good luck guys!


oh, & u're wondering what the prize might b?

let's just say...it'll b a "sweet" one!
;0)

Gabrielle's costume...

since i posted a pic of Corinn in her recital costume yesterday, i had 2 follow-up with a pic of Gabby in her's 2day...isn't she the cutest?!

the horse lady...

i took this video last evening, just 2 share what i've sounded like for the past week & 1/2...then i wake up this morning, sounding better than ever! (go figure, right?) well, i'm still a little horse, but no where near as bad as i have been lately - u could probably understand me over the phone now, if u called me! ;0)

& like i mentioned, my neck is healing nicely! the rawness was very uncomfortable & inconvienent, so i'll take the itchy/peeling stuff any day! ;0)

u can even see the bald patch i was telling u about - luckily, it's at the hair line & shouldn't b noticeable when my hair starts growing out


u probably won't hear much more "cancer talk" outta me 4 a while...i meet with my oncologist in 2 weeks & she'll most likely take me off the Coumadin that i've been on 4 about 3 months 2 avoid clotting...then i'll meet with the radiation doc shortly after that - they just want 2 make sure i'm healing nicely from their damage...but like i mentioned b4, i have 2 wait 3 months b4 the PET scan that will show whether or not the cancer is gone

my money is on yes...& u'll b the 1st 2 know!
;0)

oh no, she's at it again!

yep, time 2 brag about my kiddos again!
what mama doesn't enjoy doing that?!

i'm sorry if this bores u - but i know that at least the grandparents enjoy checking this stuff out ;0)

there's gonna b a lot about Jaden this time - he's been on a roll this last month...exploring new mediums in his art work & making major strides at school - i'm totally impressed! here's some recent Jaden drawings (remember, u can click on the image 2 enlarge it)...

this is me - i'm a beautiful praying mantis ;0)
i like that - cause praying mantises have always been a fav of mine & Jaden's!

this is his tree house on Dragon Island...with a volcano behind it

usually, Jaden will only draw with a blue or black pen (or sometimes a pencil if he can't find a pen)...but he's recently shown interest in coloring some of his pics - only with colored pencils tho, no crayons!
this is a pic of dad's dragon, Spuro

& this is my dragon, Cady (kay-dee)...she just laid an egg last night, so i'm sure a drawing of their baby will b coming soon ;0)

& then 2 weeks ago, he came home with some paintings that he created in art class at school...these r his interpretation of the 4 seasons, done in chalk & watercolor

they were all glued down on 2 on long piece of paper, but i felt they were frame worthy - so i pried em off & got these frame boxes for $2 each! don't they look amazing?!

spring...

summer...

fall...

& winter...

can't wait 2 get these up on the wall!

then last week, we got this letter in the mail...

way 2 go Bub!!! i'm seriously busting-at-the-seams-proud!

& lastly, here's a martial arts update...he was paired up with a green belt last night & was quicker at remembering his stuff than the other boy...at one point, the sensei called the green belt out by saying "u gonna let a yellow belt show u up 2day?!" ;0) now, if i could get him 2 remember 2 roll up his sleeves & pants, & get that shirt shut good at practice! ~lol~

of course, the girls make me super proud too!

it's a busy time 4 them right now - the dance recital performances r June 5th & 6th, so they're busy with getting their costumes, having tech & dress rehearsals, getting pictures taken, etc...let's just say i'll b glad when that weekend is over! ;0)

Corinn's class got their costumes last night (Gabby will get her's 2night)...

& here's a recent paper that Corinn brought home from school...can u believe the phonetic spelling of this preK kid?! she's only missing her e's!!!

& now 4 Gabrielle...this girl's artwork almost always consists of several mediums - she likes 2 mix it up...plus she LOVES using scissors & tape! ;0)

then she came home with this yesterday...it's a drawing of some of her favorite snacks...

i LOVE how it's all fruit, with the random chocolate piece thrown in there! ~lol~
(some whole, some cut up - cantaloupes, apples, strawberry, banana, grapes, pear & i think that other pear is supposed 2 b a pineapple)

& here's her acrobatics class practicing their recital routine a couple of weeks ago (there's 1 other girl in the class that was absent that night)

i'm constantly amazed at how talented my kiddos r - Curtis & i love talking about how we picture them 2 b when they're teenagers or adults...or what we think they might b when they grow up...i hope they always enjoy art, music, dancing & living life 2 the fullest!

weekend recap...

thursday night, we discovered that this old birdhouse on the fence between our yard & our neighbor's had some babies in it...we could really only hear them - they were down in the bottom of the house...then i saw a tiny head pop up & caught a pic of it

u could see mama was close by - keeping her eye on us (she's perched on the fence)

friday morning, we came outside 2 load up the truck & take the kiddos 2 school & found that they were on their way out of the house...the babies were ready 2 learn 2 fly!

i took the kiddos 2 school, & came back home 2 find 3 of them on the ground near our patio

it was sweet 2 hear them chirping back & forth 2 each other!

see? there r 2 sitting on the rocks, on either side of the kiddos' cow skull ~lol~

they were hopping along our yard 4 quite some time...u could hear mama nearby & eventually there were 5 babies out of the house, trying 2 fly! i was nervous because of the cats in our neighborhood, but luckily i didn't see any around that morning...after getting these pics & some video, i went 2 the back yard 2 work in my garden...1 of the babies ended up hopping around the house 2 where i was, but later i couldn't find any of them - i'm hoping & praying they all flew away safely!



oh, & here's what the kiddos looked like that morning - they were allowed 2 wear sunglasses & hats 2 school that day

& speaking of my garden, here's what it looked like all finished


i've got cucumbers, squash, tomatoes (big boy & cherry), green & red peppers, onions, lettuce & a few herbs...the trellis at the end will b 4 the cucumbers once they start growing well enuff 2 train the vines 2 grow up it...well, hopefully things will grow well - remember, this is my 1st attempt at gardening! ;0)

friday evening, we decided 2 go to northern VA 2 visit Curtis' folks...we picked the kiddos up from school & surprised em with the trip - they were psyched!

their absolute favorite thing 2 do at Grandma & Grandpa's is blow bubbles off their 11th floor balcony! Grandma always gets em bubble guns 4 when they visit

& Jaden goes straight 4 Grandpa's binoculars 2 check out the view

they also got 2 play Wii 4 the 1st time...Grandpa beat them all in a game of bowling...

but Corinn came in a close 2nd - she was barely even trying too! ;0)

then, we got 2 have ice cream cake 2 celebrate Grandpa's birthday

we had a great time!

saturday, the kiddos had a birthday party 2 attend...the youngest of my good friend's kiddos was turning 2...here's all 3 of her boys

Jaden & Manuel r good friends

Jiomar has the cutest curls!

& NEVER sits still!

he really reminds me a lot of another cutie with curls i know ;0)

my girls had a good time climbing the trees with Jowan & some other girls at the party

& then someone showed up with a puppy! the poor thing was passed around so much - each kiddo had 2 have a turn holding him!

it was soooo hot that day! so on our way home, we decided 2 stop 4 ice cream at our fav local spot!

b4 the party, we had gone 2 walmart 2 pick up a gift 4 Jiomar...while there, Jaden spotted a 5-headed dragon sculpture that he HAD 2 have! he had some money saved up at home, so i told him i'd buy it 4 him & he could pay me back with his money when we got home (it was only $9)...we didn't realize until we got home that the sculpture was actually an incense burner! the coolness factor went waaaay up after i showed him what it could do! ;0)

sunday, we had a wedding reception 2 attend...my brother's wife's mother (Brenda) just married my dad's step-brother (Ken) on the beach in Hawaii (i know, we're keeping it in the family! ~lol~)...since they had a small private wedding in Hawaii, they decided 2 have a reception 4 all the family once they returned...i made these cupcakes 4 the kiddos at the party (someone from their church already jumped at making the cake...so they asked me 2 cover the kiddos)

they're funfetti cake, iced in cream cheese icing...i used a graham cracker/brown sugar mixture 4 the "sand"...& i made all the sea shells from fondant - dusting them with edible dusts 2 make them look realistic

the kiddos had a great time playing


then yesterday, we were hanging out in the house...Corinn & i were watching the Jon & Kate plus 8 marathon (Corinn LOVES that show!)...on 1 episode, Joel starts riding his bike without training wheels...Corinn says "that 4 year old boy doesn't need training wheels?!"...she immediately asked daddy 2 take her's off...sure enuff, Curtis went out with her & didn't even need 2 do any running beside her - she totally took off on her own like she already knew how 2 do it! so he took all 3 kiddos 2 the park 2 get in some more practice...unfortunately, i had 2 stay at home cause the service tech was 2 show up at any time 2 fix my internet connection...but i sent the camera with Curtis & he took a few pics/vids

it's so nice 2 see all 3 riding on their own - no more training wheels!!!

later that evening, we were 2 go over to Nana & Grandpa's 4 a cook-out...unfortunately, it started raining - & since the sprinkles were lingering, we moved everything over 2 my brother's big front porch

we had a bunch of yummy food (& i was actually able 2 eat!) & the kiddos had a blast riding 4-wheelers & playing with CJ's new puppy, Molly


i'm back at work 2day...still pretty horse - especially in the morning - i wake up barely able 2 speak & it loosens up as the day goes on...my throat is still sore, so i'm still taking the Roxicet in order 2 eat - but it's no where near as bad as it was last week!

i hope u guys had a great holiday weekend too! & hey, only 4 more days until the next weekend is here! ;0)