i know there's only been cake posts, & pic posts for a while now...i'm trying to get thru the next month or so, then i'll have a lot more free time on my hands...i recently decided to pull back from cakes a bit...it was really starting to wear me down physically, & horn in on my QT with the fam!
so hang in there...i'm gonna be back blogging again soon...i really do miss it - there are so many time when a topic pops in my head, & i'd love to write about & get ur feedback...i just never seem to be able to find the time to actually do it...soon tho - soon!
i took this pic this morning...school was canceled for today - even tho the snow didn't start until around 8am...the kiddos came out to play in the flakes, before heading off to daycare
the forecast originally said 1-3", but we're already at about 2"...it's supposed to stop this afternoon, but now the forecast says 3-5"...we'll see what we end up with
i bought my girls some last year for Valentine's day...saw it in the store & thought, WOW - i remember that! i hoped my girls would enjoy wearing it as much as i did as a young lady
then today, i totally ran out of my own perfume...so i checked the kiddos' bathroom & discovered the girls still had some Baby Soft left...i figured why not & decided to give it a try...again - after all these years
so today at work, i keep catching a whiff...i'm totally taken back to middle school days...to 8th grade dances when we kept the boys at arms length & made our robotic circles to the music...to getting ready for basketball games with the other cheerleaders...to sleepovers where we stayed up super late making up dance routines, playing with hair & make-up, & talking about the boys we wanted to dance with at arms length ;0)
i decided to Google Baby Soft...wondering just how long it's been around (btw, Love's began in 1969, but Baby Soft was launched in 74)...& i was shocked to see some of the advertising from back in the day!
what the?!?!
i understand that it was a different time...but damn!
this is a video that i took with my phone on my walk with Rocket last evening...there is a MASSIVE amount of black birds that pass through where i live every fall/winter...a constant stream coming from the north, heading south...they sometimes stop to congregate in the nearby fields & trees...this swarm that i caught yesterday was crazy! it's mesmerizing to watch...almost creepy...then u can hear my nearby nut job neighbor shooting off his rifle in the distance...reminds me of Steel Magnolias! ~lol~
i'll admit, the amount of poop on our cars this time of year is insane...but as u can see, the gunfire doesn't phase the birds...they're gonna do what they're gonna do - migrate...the kiddos think it's cool - when they're flying overhead, & you clap loudly, they bolt out in 2 directions...the flock parts in a straight line, right down the middle...again, a very neat thing to watch
yesterday, a friend posted a link to this blog post on his Facebook page...i read it & was unbelievably touched - so proud of "Sarah" & how she stood up for "Boo"...the post has gone viral & this awesome mom was even interviewed on CNN this morning
all i have to say is...THIS is how we all should parent our children!
well guys, i think i need to unplug for a bit...i'm running out of things to talk about here lately, & i just can't seem to find the time to take pics, or write posts...plus, i have a pretty epic cake week coming up...i will be posting a special announcement about that, so stay tuned
but, i'm going to go ahead & take a blogging break for the next week or so...hopefully, i'll be able to recharge, & come back with some fun stuff to share!
until then...here's a little something i'm dancing to today - hope it makes u smile...
we find a lot of interesting creatures around our home...we're in the country, of course - & with the country, comes critters!
last weekend, the girls came inside & we like "you HAVE to come see this spider!!!" they're the real critter hunters...always finding "pets" & crazy bugs to investigate
so i go outside & they direct me to this...
now by that pic alone, you can kinda get an idea of the size of this thing...pretty wicked, huh?!
i love that my kiddos aren't scared of these things...we immediately went to Google (what in the world would i do without it?!?!) & searched for "yellow & black VA spider" & immediately found out what we were looking at...
i'm happy to have this critter around...keeping away those other pesky spiders that like to come in the house...moths, flies, mosquitoes, even bees! the crazy thing is that it says the female will lay over 1,000 eggs inside a papery sac...then die! the babies hatch in the fall, but stay inside the sac thru winter...God sure creates some amazing stuff!!!
i'd much rather have these around than copperheads...yes, yours truly had to kill her very first snake the other week - & it was only about 10ft from the house! Curtis has killed one so far this year too...we'd seen black snakes & garter snakes all summer...happy to have those around...but i hope these cooler temps keep the darn copperheads far, far away!
i can deal with just about anything...even spiders...but poisonous snakes scare the CRAP outta me! luckily, the kiddos haven't come into contact with any yet...& they know to get the hell outta dodge if they do!
you might remember this interesting bean plant that we grew in our garden this year...
Gabrielle brought it home at the end of the school year, last year (1st grade)...it wasn't labeled - she was just told it was a "bean stalk" ;0)
we planted it in our garden, & were very surprised when the beautiful pink/purple vines & flowers appeared! when the flowers fell off, they'd be replaced by these dark purple bean pods...
some of the beans inside the pods would get fat (they were also dark purple), but most pods stayed empty...still not sure what it was, or if it was even edible - i showed the beans to my mom...she wasn't sure either, which surprised me...we didn't exactly have enough to eat anyway, so i just kind of forgot about em...we enjoyed that they helped make our garden pretty, & that seemed like enough
then one day, Ma calls me at work...she'd just spotted the exact same kind of plant - only it was growing up the base of a bird feeder...as some sort of decorative vine
so, i did what i always do when i have questions about something...i turned to Google! ;0) i searched for "decorative bean plant" & got tons of image hits...leading me to the Hyacinth Bean!
not only can you eat these beans, but the leaves too! (not dry seeds tho...u gotta boil em first, or they're actually poisonous) of course, most folks don't grown them for the beans - but as decorative vines...especially along fence & trellises - because they're just so pretty, & grow FAST!
i can actually attest to that - by the time we finally pulled up our garden & cleared everything out, we had these bean vines growing up some of our stalks of corn, winding in & out of the squash, climbing in every direction in the garden - all from one tiny little plant!
so now, our plan is to harvest all the little beans, & plant them along our fence next year...i hope it's nice & full & pretty by the end of next summer! :0)
anyone else have these where u live? or better yet...grown them urself?
they appear to use the cocoon thing sort of like a hermit crab would its shell...they climb around on the trees/bushes with what looks like only 4 front legs...then, if u get too close, they'll pull back inside the cocoon to hide...some of our bushes are covered in them! & they're doing a good job of killing those bushes too...Curt's been knocking them off & my dad's been dusting the property...but there's even some on the side of the house...& i'm just curious as to what they are...anyone know?
ok, if u're friends with me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter, then u already know...& by now, u're probably tired of hearing me talk about it! ~lol~
but i just cannot wait!!!
i totally know how Jaden feels now...u know, when he has some amazing (to him) event coming up...& it's all he can talk about...over & over & over again...he asks me a million times how many more days until...& when i appear frustrated with his constant jabbering, he'll say, "but Ma, i just can't help it! i can't stop thinking about it!!!"
i'm considering this as a BEFORE picture...i've gotta get back on the ball & lose this post-cancer weight! i think i'm probably one of the only people that weighed more after chemo, than before! ~lol~
i don't know if it was me feeling sorry for myself throughout treatment...or if i was making up for lost time once i was no longer sick? & it wasn't just that year of fighting Lymphoma...i already had a decent start on the weight gain when i got the diagnosis (Dec 2008)
regardless - right now, i'm the heaviest i've ever been...& that just makes me sad! :0(
i mean, look at these 2 pics (taken summer of 2007) - i can't believe how much i've changed in just 3 years! yeah, i wasn't skinny minnie then either - but i was healthy & feeling good...& that's where i want to be again!
sooooo, time to do something about it!
i don't have time for, & can't afford, the gym...so i've gotta get motivated enuff to make moves at home...i've already been walking the dog at least a mile (sometimes 2) every morning & evening...but i've gotta step that up - harder, faster, farther
i ordered the Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred like forever ago...& it's still in its wrapper :0( Curt has since borrowed the P90X program from a friend & is obsessed with it! he also has a pretty decent "gym" set up in his workshop at home...& has offered on many occasions to "train" me or train with me if i'd like...so i really have no excuse when it comes to exercise...i just need to make it a priority & find time for ME!
then there's food - my major weakness! i'm an emotional & bored eater...& i just point blank LOVE food! there are also days when i'm on the go from the time i get up, until the kiddos are in bed (& even after)...i'll go all day & then finally realize i haven't eaten anything...& u'd think maybe at that point, i'd sit down & have a healthy meal? nope, i'm usually cleaning up leftovers from the fridge or zapping something convenient in the microwave...& usually pretty late at night - dumb move! so i've gotta get smarter...& take time to make better choices...stick to eating a healthy diet!
also, i have hypothyroidism (thx radiation!)...so that doesn't help any...the doc has finally figured out the right dosage of meds for me...& i'm finally remembering to take em daily ;0) so hopefully that will help me out too
i'm posting this entry as a way for me to be accountable...i plan on posting updates as i begin my journey to being healthy again...i'm not about the poundage - i'm over trying to figure out what a good weight is for this 6 foot, (almost) 31 year old...i just want to be healthy...& fit regular sized clothes again!
so help me out folks! if i don't post for a while about my progress, call me out on it! ask me how i'm doing & how come i haven't been updating...but hopefully, i won't need that - i think i'm finally feeling the push to stop putting this off, & make a change!
so, here goes nothing...
ps. here's another reason y i want to get healthy again & STAY that way...check it out...& sign up for yourself...Choose YOU!!!
i mean, it even asks u if u're sure...like, do u seriously want to mark all 1000+ posts as read? cause u know there's no turning back after that?!
but it must be done...i'm soooo far behind! work is hella busy...& when i'm at home, i'm either working on cakes, or enjoying family time...i mean, it is summer...who wants to be cooped up inside, in front of the computer?
& i guess i'm not the only one...i know my blog traffic & comments have decreased quite a bit here (although, i realize some of the reason for that is my lack of blogging...or the fact that my posts have been quite boring this year...& u know what they say, u've gotta read/comment to get readers/comments)...plus, i've been hearing the same complaint from my friends lately - how their readers are overloaded too
i try to keep up via Facebook & Twitter...& to catch up my fav blogs when i can...that seems sufficient for now...so even tho it hurts to click that button, i try not to feel guilty about it...i know that my bloggy buddies understand...& that i can always play catch up this winter ;0)
thanks to my friend BC at Sincerely, B for posting this to her Facebook page...how unbelievably interesting! especially for those of us with small kiddos - imagining what their futures may hold...things that make ya go hmmmm, right?!
"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music." ~Jimi Hendrix
i'm at a total loss for a blog post today...home life is crazy with Curtis working 2 jobs again (& of course me & my 2 gigs)...work is crazy busy too...& my brain just can't seem to keep it's act together lately - i've been forgetful, spacey...just plain ole out of it these days!
the 1 thing that's always a constant in my life tho?
♥ music! ♥
it never disappoints...it's always what i turn to for a quick pick me up...there's music playing around me & my family at almost every minute of the day - whether it's at home, in the car or even at work (gotta love ear buds!)
so i figured i'd post some music videos for u today...
the first one - the new We Are The World 25...let's please not forget about Haiti! there's still such a long journey ahead for our fallen friends!
next - the Black Eyed Peas newest video...i've had this song as one of the ringback tones in my Verizon jukebox for a while, but i was so hyped to see the video...of course the BEPs never disappoint - it stinkin rocks!
lastly - 1 of my very favorite Matisyahu songs (& i love a LOT of his music!)...it's an older one of his, but this song always gets me pumped & ready to face the world! ;0) (you might recognize one of his newer songs, One Day - the theme song to this year's winter Olympics)
i hope u've had a great week...& i hope u have an even better weekend!!! i'll see u lovelies back here on Monday
it didn't snow this weekend!!! now that's what i'm talking about!
never you mind the foot plus that's still on the ground...forcing my punks to crawl wherever they wanna go play! (that, or possibly lose a boot! ~lol~)
or the conditions in the town where i work...there are massive dirty snow piles that sit on the sides of the streets now - sometimes blocking your view of oncoming traffic...check out how far past the stop sign, & into the street, this one goes!
but u know what? i'm just glad the snow level is going down finally...& NOT accumulating any more! as for forecast for the next few weeks...i'm keeping my fingers crossed! (scattered snow showers here & there, but basically mild winter days - temps in the 40s)
besides getting out & playing in the snow some more, the kiddos enjoyed a chill weekend at home with me...daddy had to work his 2nd job all weekend (he's delivering pizza again - YAY!), so it was just Mama & the rugrats
oh, & Matthew on Saturday! he came over to hang out for the 2nd half of the day & have a sleepover...but mostly, he spent the entire night wresting Jaden to the ground...who didn't mind it so much...actually, i think he rather enjoyed it!
Jaden first asked us for a little brother when he was about 5 (so the girls were 3 & 2)...back then, he didn't get why we couldn't just add another boy to our family - what's the big deal?! but now, he pretty much understands that's just not gonna happen...& he's happy to be able to spend some rough boy time with his little cousin(s) instead
speaking of having someone smaller to play with, Corinn is quite the little Mama these days...always has been really, but she's especially getting into it lately...
she's constantly in Mama mode - caring after her many little ones (she has quite the baby doll collection!)...& i love it! ;0)
of course Sunday was Valentine's Day! Curtis & i never go crazy on any holiday...no matter how cliche it sounds, we really try to remember (& teach the kiddos) that u should show how much u love & appreciate ur family every day! ;0) but it's still fun to get each other little treats...these that i got the kiddos were $1/each - & u'd thought we'd given em diamonds!
we finished up Jaden's science project this weekend too...the due date came & went while the kiddos were out for snow - so i figured we'd better have it ready for when they finally did go back
in 3rd grade, they're studying simple machines & he chose to make a pulley...
the teacher had explained that the class presentation of their project was 1/2 their grade, but that all they really needed to remember to do was tell what type of simple machine it was & what they made it out of...then be able to answer questions about it...we practiced his presentation a few times at home...he was psyched to show everyone what he had created!
last evening (after they'd finally gotten to give their presentations in class), he told me that it went well & that he remembered everything he wanted to say...but he was upset that no one had any questions for him :0( poor thing - most kiddos would hope & pray no one asked anything...but Jaden really wanted the other kiddos to be interested enuff in what he made, to ask questions about it
trying to cheer him up, i started raising my hand & acting silly "oh, oh...i have a question! pick me!" he totally went for it & called on me (giggling)...i asked a few serious questions & a few goofy questions - it definitely lightened the mood & put a smile back on Jaden's face ;0)
Gabby & Corinn's project this weekend were Valentines (which were difficult to do with no name lists...the teachers never had the chance to send em home before all the snow days started...remember, the kiddos hadn't been in school at all in Feb. by this point!)...& a "chicky house"...
the girls spend hours & hours building & playing with little houses for their chicks, rabbits, mice, kitties, whatever imaginary animal their raising at the time...chickies are the most popular - & they always end up begging me to let them have real eggs to play with...they just don't understand why i insist they use plastic ones instead! ~lol~
so Monday rolled around...& we all wondered if the little bit of snow that was due to come that afternoon would mean the kiddos would be out of school again! but the county decided to go for it...they put us on a 2hr delay & started sending the buses out
i was ecstatic...it was President's Day i had a date with the sofa! the house was clean, laundry was almost caught up, the kiddos would be at school & i had nothing to do!!!
i think it must have felt like the 1st day of school all over again for the kiddos too...the girls even dressed alike for the occasion! ~lol~
but wouldn't u know it - around 11am, the snow started to fall...then it started falling harder...next thing u know, the sidewalks & roads started getting slushy - it was time to send the kiddos back home
they dismissed school at 1:30pm that day...meaning the punks were in school for a whole 3hrs! ~lmao~
yesterday was a 2hr delay again, just to play it safe...& they did finish out the rest of the day! today - they finally got a full day in...hallelujah!!! i can't even tell ya where they stand with spring break & getting out for summer...i know we def used up all banked snow days, we've dipped into spring break some...shoot, they're even extending the school day 5 minutes for the rest of the year - saying they'll gain 2 whole days that way! i'm just glad they're back in their normal routines tho...& that life can resume it's regularly scheduled program again!
we had a pretty low key weekend over all...i can't wait 4 spring when i can actually have some exciting stuff to report to u guys again!
tell me what's going on in ur neck of the woods...are u seeing green where u live? i almost forget what grass looks like!
