Irish ingenuity

What is he doing you might ask??

He is "stitching up" the patio furniture with wire ties.

Yup. You heard me.

The funny thing is. We have already done this once. Those wire ties disintigrated in the sun. So we are doing it again. These are black UV protected and will NOT break down! Happy day! You should have seen how happy he was to see that it was the wire ties and not the mesh that was broken.

---insert laughter of several family members here---

We got this patio set in 1991. Yup. That would be 15 years ago. We have gotten 15 years use out of a pvc and mesh patio set that we got at the end of the season clearance sale at Bradlee's for $100. That won't be enough for my irish hubby. Wire ties, some oxy-clean and the power washer, and we have a whole new patio set! I AM soooo going to go get new cushions. They have had it and hey a girl can only compromise so much!

I could get irritated. But hey. His pinched pennies have saved us money to spend on other nice things, such as the two new trees we just put in! As I said, marriage is compromise. I'll pinch a few pennies to continue to take beach vacations and work part-time. So I will wire tie and power wash my patio furniture because it makes my husband happy. With new cushions, it will look new. And I have to admit. It looks pretty darn good! But shhhhhh - we won't tell him I think so!

New Wheels??

Maybe.
These could be my new wheels.
I have long ago stopped arguing with Jim about this replacing the car every two years.
The miles I put on one in a year, is a ton with my job. Blah blah blah...so this is one point I choose not to argue anymore. See what I mean about wisdom coming with the years of being married? There are just somethings you give in on. This is one of them. I did however do a little cheer when JIm decided that the small SUV was just not what we are looking for! Yeah. I tried to tell him but he wouldnt' listen til he has sat in one himself. We just travel far too much for this to be that to be our primary car. A second car, sure, but we only have one.

Anyway....
This is the Ford Freestyle. Ford's version of a SUV - minivan cross over. We will get the front wheel drive model rather than the All Wheel Drive. Gains us some mileage savings. 6 passenger seating, since we would get the split second seat. Fold down third row. V6 but with some sort of new transmission "thingy" (teehee) that saves gas by figuring out exactly how many RPM's the car requires for maximal performance at any given time. You don't feel it shift at all because it doesnt' really. Very odd sensation. I was almost willing it to shift when I was driving it.

The better gas mileage speaks to the penny pincher in me.

The cool sleek look speaks to the more "sports car" side of me that is tired of the mini van persona. The kids love the four doors. But yet, more room and comfort than the affordable more gas effecient SUV's.

The safety features, according to the research I have read, rival Volvo and is based on a lot of Volvo principles. There are collapsable tubes in the front end to absorb impact. Side impact beams and roof reinforcement. All Vovlo inspired.
This speaks to the mom who worries about accidents in me.

A wee bit more than the cost of a van, but better resale. Now, all that is left to do is the dreaded "Jim research" - which means basically he spends hours and hours researching comparible models (Chrystler Pacifica, which we can't afford and does not have as much room) reviews etc, and then the show down. The part I despise. So we'll see if it ever happens in my lifetime,
but this MAY be my next car?truck? van? what is it?

If it were up to the kids, we would have brought it home today! It has what is called "tiered" seating, meaning each row is a bit higher than the one in front. Think stadium seating. So that they could see out the front window from the third row. Also minimized car sickness! Always a plus!

I got to thinking on the way home - what would I drive if sensibility and cost were not a part of my decision?? Say - just a car for work that would speak of my personality only??
A lime green VW beetle...then I would get magnetic daisies for the sides! Hey, a girl can have a bit of fun can't she?

Happy Anniversary to Us

Man.

15 years.

That is a long time.

Did these two have any idea what the next 15 years would hold for them? If I could go back and tell them anything what would it be?

Probably - Just enjoy the ride! Don't take yourselves too seriously, and it is only going to get better.
This is one of my favorite wedding pictures.
15 years. 20 if you count the 5 years we were together before the wedding. More than half my life. And he still can make me smile at the sight of him and make my heart skipping a beat. Just today, I was driving home, and happened to spot him waiting to pull out of the dairy. Just the sight of the truck made me smile. There was no way to stop it. And to see him sitting behind the wheel smiling and waving back at me, made my heart skip a beat. Gushy I know. But hey. Life is good.

My anniversary gift from J. 20 "european" style roses. What ever that means! For the first year we met, every month on the 27th, Jim would give me roses. The number for the number of months we were together. One month - one rose. Two months - two roses. You get the idea. The roses of course have tapered off, as you can expect with kids, mortgages and other necessitites taking front row. But this year, I got 20. One for every year we have known each other.

This is my gift to him. I FINALLY got all of our proofs (except the reception) into an album. It brought tears to his eyes, and he said to me, Is this going to make me cry? I love it. It was a gift to myself as well. I am quite proud of it. I kept the scheme the same throught out. Chatterbox prints and Bazill. Machine stitching, ribbon and lots of Primas throughout as well.





And this is Jim trying hard not to get his picture taken on our anniversary! A lot less hair that the other guy. But I think his heart is bigger, and we are much closer. It is out of focus, but I love this picture. He has an honest to goodness smile, not a posed "cheesy" face.
And the best part? He's all mine.
Yup. I am one lucky girl. I drew the long straw. I know we are a rarity. And thank good ness for that. The last 15 years have been far from a cake walk. But I can honestly say, I wouldn't trade them for the world. We both agreed, the last ten have been the best of all. With maturity comes wisdom. Wisdom those two youngins up there only wish they had. Wisdom brings a whole new level of contentment and happiness.

5 reasons We Love Mom

I had to work on a mini album for a class at memory lane, pa. A mom and me class for kids to work on a project with their mom. Since May is Mother's Day month, I tried to make some sort of mom theme. Mom never usually GETS an album. She is usually the one MAKING the gifts. So this one became 5 Reasons I/We Love Mom. I am sort of pleased with the results. I re-used a tag idea that I had used in another journal. The idea is that the mom and child can work on the book in class. Then the child could take the album home and finish the journalling with another family member's help. Well, I worked on my sample, got a the pictures together etc (realized how hard it was to find pictures of me WITH the kids, and even fewer of Jim with them - have to remedy that situation...anyway I digress). Then I handed the book to the kids, had them read the intro and told them to write what they think. Then, I got to read it when they were finished. Here are the results......

Kaite
1. I love her because of how she loves us so much.
2. She is really fun to play with.
3. Because she makes great food.
4. She is always there to support me.
5. She helps me along the way.
Chris
1.I love how she keeps promises.
2.She is really fun.
3.She is energetic.
4.She is awsome (this one is upside down)
5.She helps us.

*sniff*tears* They do remember something besides me telling them what to do all the time and correcting them! Thank goodness!! Sometimes I worry they will only remember the "ogre" me that has to get them moving and out the door every morning, and their homework done at night. I do try to keep an element of fun in our days and we are always active. Guess that is where Chris gets the impression I am energetic. Thanks dude! Funny that my pickiest eater thinks I make great food!

I think this is going to be a great gift for mom. I hope a few take advantage of the class. Every now and then us moms need a bit of a smile and validation that we are doing ok.

In reading The Big Picture Scrapbooking....I was reminded there was a section where the author interviewed her kids on what they thought she did for a living, her favorites(food, color ) etc. She was quite surprised at how accurate her children could be. I may try this . It is nice to get their point of view every now and then. I know for a fact they know more about me than Jim does! Afterall, I do spend oodles more time with them. I think I will do this as a gift album for Jim for Father's Day.

Why I love my husband

Why do I love my husband?

Fifteen years we'll be married come Thursday. Know each other for 20 years! We got married five years to the day we met.
Wow.

He may drive me crazy. But I do love him.

Why?

Is he the most romantic man on earth? No.

Is he built like Fabio? No. But I think he is pretty hot.

Can he be really frustrating? yup.

But - he TRIES. He tries hard. And sometimes that is more important than anything.

He tries to be funny and make me laugh. Yesterday afternoon....

J: Three days to D-day.

Me: What?

J: Three days to D-day.

Me: What the heck is D-Day?

J: D-day we met!! (and he starts laughing hysterically!)

See, he tries.

He loves my hobby and tries to support me.

I got the new Zyron Personal Die Cutter Sunday. It is computerized, so of course he was very interested. I made the mistake of telling him that it isn't the best on the market. This drove him crazy. He wants me to have the best. How sweet is that? Even though we can never afford it. I tried to explain to him that this is cost effective and good enough for what I want to use it for and the amount I will use it. But what did he do last night? He spent a long time on the computer researching the machine, the reviews, other machines. All he told me was that he was looking for "your anniversary present"..(which is three days away I remind him..true to Jim style).....how did I find out what he was really doing? He left the sticky note that he was using to take notes on the laptop. God bless him - he does TRY to surprise me. Another reason I love him. He tries to surprise me with nights out and forgets to tell the baby sitter that I don't know what is going on....He tries. This is how he shows me he loves me. I am sure I will never have the better machine, but knowing that he took the time to try matters to me.

He'll never be perfect. I'll never be perfect. But we both try our best.

Maybe that is the secret to 15 relatively most of the time happy years. We both try. We never stop trying. A happy marriage is not going to just float along. we value each other. We value our relationship enough to give it effort nearly on a daily basis. It is the little every day things that matter. Jim may often fall short as I do, but we try. And I think that really matters and may be what makes or breaks us.

Yup. Love him. Can't help it.

Men.

They just think so differently.

Jim has been reading and keeping up with the blog. Surprised me actually.

But his comment last night.

J:Did you write about Charlie Brown's?

A:Yup - why?

J:I just thought if I was reading blogs it might be nice to get some restaurant reviews and good places to eat. I would appreciate that.

It's all about the food. Always about the food.

Men.

A "little" Inspiration

Who could have known an inspiring start to my day could come from something so little.

As is the usual way in spring, I was awaken grumbling at 4:30 am by the birds singing.

Quite a few of them, in the tree outside our window.

So I get up. grumble. close the window. back to bed.

Not five minutes later, I hear the first rumblings of a thunderstorm coming.

Loud. I am talking a LOUD storm. brought Kaite into our bed it was that loud. Chris as usual, slept right through it. The rain started to pour and the lightening was cracking too.

So as I lay there, cursing to myself about not being able to get back to sleep now.

Then, what do I hear?

Between each crack of thunder?

One bird.

Singing his little heart out.

Loud as can be.

Almost like he was trying to out do the storm.

Isn't that what we should all try to do? Sing through the storm? Sing louder than the storm? That little bird was just trying to tell us all that everything was still ok, and was going to be ok. So my challenge to myself and anyone who bothers to read this. Sing through the next storm in your life. Sing louder than the storm. Maybe someone will hear you and be inspired. Just like that little bird did for me this morning. We'll all come out of the storm a little happier and a none the worse for the wear.

Ah, Dog ownership

Most times a joy.

Sometimes a headache.

Right now, Zoey has been throwing up a lot. Not fun.

AND, decided to do THIS yesterday while I was in the shower.

Yup. That is the wall under the window by her bed.

Funny thing is. Neither kid sitting the room saw or heard anything until I called them to come upstairs. Ah, the power of the tv.

We have no idea what made her want to do it. But she sat and chewed the wall. Dead center. Enough to be past the paper and pulp to the chalk. Not a corner. She has only chewed the wood trim one other time, after we had kenneled her for a week.

Well. She won't be chewing this spot again. It is covered with cayanne pepper. She took one sniff yesterday and stayed away. She remembers the pepper on the wood trim. It took her two licks of that to realize she didn't want to do it again. It was funny to watch though. She licked it. Jumped back. Barked at the trim. But, then went right back and tried again! Intelligence at it's best!

So, yeterday goes into the "not so much fun" catagory of pet ownership. Believe me, Jim was NOT happy.

My m ind is blank

Amazing huh??

Never before seen.

I have nothing to write about.

Well, tons of boring, every day, run of the mill stuff.

I sometimes find though if I start talking about one thing. Other stuff starts spilling out.

I did get a new scrapping toy last night. With a coupon. Is there any other way?? I bought the Zyron Personal Cutter. "Computerized" font and cutting machine. Can't wait to play.

But I think a nap sounds good right about now.

We did try a new restaurant last night, and very unlike our usual luck, it was good! Charlie Brown's Steakhouse at the Berkshire Mall. Highly recommend it! I did get my chuckle for the day. We had a young "healthy" male speciman for a waiter. Sweet guy too. Right before he took our order, he stood off to the side of the table, was playing around with is apron, and and doing this hula hoop type move with his hips. I could help it when I saw him out of the corner of my eye, I had to look and chuckle! when he caught me catching him, he laughed and said his apron was twisted and he was trying to straighten it out. I told him I wasn't sure if we were given entertainment with our meal. Thankfully, he found that funny!

See, stuff does start to come out.

Myth Busters. Kaite's new favorite show. That and Animal Cops. She wants to be either when she grows up. Myth Busters is at least stimulating to the brain. It is rather interesting to see what they do and the things they disprove. And they always tell you not to do this at home!

Lost art

Hanging laundry is a lost art.
In our development, of 90+ houses, there are maybe three houses with "wash lines". There are many developments that don't even permit them. They seem to have become a white trash trailer park symbol. Gee, we hang our laundry because we can't afford to run the dryer.

I wouldn't trade mine for anything in the world.

Is there any site that evokes more memories of childhood than laundry hanging on the line? I can remember trailing along behind my mom and grandmother when they hung the laundry. Yes, I was white trash. So what?
Is there anything better than the yummy smell of a bed freshly made with fresh air dried sheets?
No dryer sheet could ever come close.
Know why it is a lost art? It takes time. Precious time. You have to slow down to do it. It takes longer than simply throwing the wash from the washer into a dryer. It takes time to air dry. It takes time to remove them from the line. Of course society doesn't have that time anymore.
One of the reasons I enjoy it so much? It takes time. Forces me to slow down. I thoroughly enjoy standing out there taking in the sunshine. The birds are singing. The breeze is blowing. So much more enjoyable than my tiny laundry room void of non-lint filled air. When I hang the laundry, I am out there alone with my thoughts. No interupptions. No distraction. So for a few minutes, I can savor the aloneness, before I come back into the house and the commotion of my family.
Yeah, I know I am abnormal. Just as I hang all the clothes on the line by family member so when I remove them to fold they go into neat little piles...but we won't get into that! I will write my Oprah-ism of society lecture tomorrow when I write about The Sweet Spot book. I know society tells me I should want more than laundry lines and flowers out of life. But right now I am pretty content with what I have. How dare I?


Had to share this picture. These are the flowers my mother-in-law gave me for Easter. We went to the nursery Sunday and picked them out. She took some home too. They are called osteopernum. Or as we have been refering to them, the osteoporosis flowers! Teehee. I thought it was just the therapist in me that thought of that right away, but everyone has said it! It is hard to tell in the picture but they are a gorgeous yellow color with purple around the center. They close up in the evening, then open again in the morning. The only disappointing thing is that they are annual. So will not be back next year. Why I have never seen them before I will never know. Maybe I just assumed they were gerberas and walked on by.
*sigh Been doing that a lot lately.

Hope

I spent some time alone with a friend tonight.

A friend who is really dealing with some crap in her life that no one should have to deal with. Seems that one thing keeps piling on top of another and when good things start to happen something negative just seems to come along behind.

I was glad to be able to distract her for short time and do something that did not have to do with obligations, stress or work. Thankfully God created girlfriend relationships to help with that. The fact that there isn't more to do to help kills me, but that is life right?

But I spent the time driving home alone to really wrestle with the unfairness of it all.

Hope?
The theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help.
Archaic. Trust; confidence.

Where do we find it? How do we hold on to it? Why is it so easy for some to be faithful even in the face of challenges, while others struggle?

Wish I had the answers. But for now one verse keepe resurfacing in my head.

'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.'Romans 8:27-29
I have to have faith in this. If I didn't and I even for a moment thought that all of the stuff that happens to us is purely random or something we bring on ourselves, I would sit in a corner most likely sucking my thumb and crying. Somewhere somehow whether we ultimately understand or know the reason, everything we experience has a purpose. I personally believe to teach us something, or use us to teach someone else something. Most times we never know who we impacted, or how. Occasionally God lets us in on the story.

'but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.'Isaiah 40:30-32

I guess that is how we keep going. The Lord does give us the strength we need, and only as much as He knows we can handle. There are just some days that I have to wish He didn't think my friends and I were strong.

How is it possible?

How is it possible that yesterday could have been even better than Saturday?

I almost can't even put it all into words.

Truly, nothing special.

Honest.

Just Easter.

A beautiful day.

Family.

Relaxing.

We all had such a fabulous day! And weekend for that matter. How or why it was any more special than any other I have no idea. All I know is that it was!

I have to take a picture of the hanging basket my mother-in-law bought for me (Thanks again Neena!) It is gorgeous! Makes me so happy. And how is it possible that I took hardly any pictures! Took this one Sat nite.

The day ended with our now traditional night time egg hunt with the kids, and their cousins. We started this last year, as the daytime -egg -hunt- plastic -eggs- in -the - grass isn't too challenging for them any longer.My sister and I stood on the deck watching them have the best time running around with thier flashlights hunting for the eggs Nathan and Jim had very seriously hidden. We lamanted about how we are not ready to have this all be done for them. The kids are all getting older. Nathan is 15, not really interested this year in coloring eggs. He decided to help hide them tonight rather than hunt. He will pretty much take any oppotunity he can to help Jim. I know each age begins a new stage of fun with them, but I am so not ready to give up egg hunts, the easter bunny, frilly dresses, and all those other childhood things.Thankfully, I at least have the youngest of the bunch so we will be the last to give it all up. I can see how some people just continue to have more babies. But can assure you, I don't miss it that much.

I suppose we are entering a new stage as parents. We aren't the young parents with toddlers any longer. We are now heading toward parenting teenagers, and all the challenges that comes with it. I am not sure I am ready to be that "older mom". I am certainly not ready to be too serious,which will never happen. I am not ready to be m'am. Even though I know that that wet behind the ears store clerk is only showing respect to his elders. Maybe I wasn't lamenting the kids growing up as much as I was lamenting my own aging. Maybe a little bit of each. I don't feel older. I don't feel more mature. Not exactly sure what it is supposed to feel like actually. I am trying to remember that all those sleepless nights with a baby in the house, seemed never ending. They are now gone. So, now when we are busy and harried on a saturday morning fitting it all in, I remind myself, that some day it will be over also, and I will have that "precious" time alone, and will most likely hate it and be bored to tears! Right now I have happy healthy active children. What more could I want?

But still. I can take my moment as a mom and mourn for their babyhood, and anticipate what is yet to come. In the meantime, totally enjoy each day as it is, for what it is, and nothing more or less.

*sigh*

Today was one of those days that just makes a mom sigh.

Neena and Pappa are here visiting which is always very nice.


Nothing truly earth shattering. Just a little of this and that.

We colored eggs last night and I had to share these pictures. In a rare showing of spontaneous humor, Jim made an egg earring out of one of the kids eggs and the dipper. *chuckle* The other picture is Jim's parent's with the kids.

The kids had their bowling party to end the season. Their team came in first place in our little league. Kaite also got a trophy for highest girls average. Christopher also got one for high boys series (this is compared to their averages). So we came home hauling FOUR trophies! What a high!

Kaite and I went and had Mother-Daughter dance practice this afternoon. We are doing a simple routine to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. To which most of the girls replied, Cyndi who? The instructer has further dated us mom's with pony steps and the swim. But it really is a lot of fun. Other than the challenge of spending an entire hour trying NOT to look in a floor to ceiling and wall to wall mirror. *hint* Keep your eyes in the instructor. I love that Kaite and I are getting the time to hang out together with tennis and with dance. We chat all the way to and from practice.

Once we got home. We diddled around the yard. Help Neena make some pies. Made some cookies for Easter dinner tomorrow. Mowed the grass. Pulled some weeds.

Christopher spent the better part of the evening, *helping* Daddy make a fire. I think I have to keep an eye on my little "pyro". I must say though he listened to the grown ups VERY well and was very cautious with the paper and fire. We sat and enjoyed the fruit of his labor for quite sometime. No smore though. Mommy used the crackers to make a cheesecake for Daddy yesterday. OOpss.......*note to self..we need graham crackers*

Now we are curled up in front of Chicken Little.

See.
Nothing earth shattering.
Yet.
*sigh*
Not enough people take the time to stop and enjoy the every day.

My goofy kids

My Goofy Kids.

They were upstairs playing this afternoon and came running down. "Mommy look!" This is usually good or bad. I turn around and this is what I see. These are Magentix. Apparently, when Kaite was trying to get two together, flipped one up and it stuck to her brace. She immediately added a few more! Christopher, of course, being the boy that he is, made vampire teeth. There is never a dull moment around here!Neena and Pappa are visiting which is creating a lot of excitement. We colored Easter eggs, and are now going through the tons of candy that Neena brought! The $20 she gave them in their cards is already spent mentally. I am so proud of them this week. They earned an increase in their allowance. So they may be goofy, but hey, they are mine! The apples don't fall far from the tree!! Oh a side note : I brought out the Family Album I am working on for a memory lane, pa design project. I wanted to show my mother-in-law. Jim made me smile when he said, "Hey I was going to go get that and show her!". He wanted to show off my project! How sweet. He is redeeming himself.