9.0 volts of Magnificence

I know kids are suppose to be little scientists exploring their surroundings and testing their boundaries. And, you'd think this would be enough for me to be patient with their little experiments: (In the last 48 hours)

If I step on this glass frame with it crack?
How about his mirror?
If I tip over this Jumbo box of Cheerios will they hit the freshly mopped floor?
If I rub this orange marker all over my body, an innocent lamp and my new Snow White doll will anyone notice? (strong resemblence to the Chucky doll)

And, that is why I'd like to send a shout out to Black & Decker. My love for my 9.0 volt Handheld Dustbuster has reached new depths this week. And, while wer'e at it, how about a shout out to Mr. Clean's attractively packaged poison, The Magic Eraser.

"Check out the Majesty"
-Strong Bad

If the shoe fits... Buy it in every color.

I love you pieces and back!

It's so important in life to have a person or two that really 'get' you. Someone who understands where your coming from, even if they don't agree and is always rooting for you on the side lines. My mom has been on this team for as long as I can remember. Tonight as I was laying here in bed I couldn't stop thinking about just how much I appreciate her.

I love that she knows where I'm headed, before I finish my sentence or how I feel by the way I say 'Hello'. I love that I can tell her all my sorrows and fears and when I'm my worst self, she's still pulling for me.

When I was little, it was no secret that I thought the sun rose and set by her. It was no secret, because there at the top of each paper, in my 3rd grade hand, it read "I love mom" with a multitude of little floating hearts. My mom said she wasn't sure if she should feel flattered or a little embarrassed for fear the teacher would think she had taught me to do this.

I guess I'm not really sure where this late night post is going, except to say, Thanks to my mom for remembering my love affair with Red Vines each time she comes to visit. For being someone I can count on to leave me a billizion or more phone messages reminding me I'm dear. For not letting me off the phone before she tells me just 'how' much she loves me, Jess, Kyanne, Bridgey and Fin and for things like, secretly calling me every year since I left home to remind me of family birthdays and sending Mothers Day cards in the mail.

There's so many things I love and appreciate about my mom it would take up all the cyber space to tell. So, I'll just suffice to say:
Thanks Mom, for still taking time out to listen, understand, and 'get me'. For being so patient with your adult daughter who so often needs humbling and guidance, that you should win an award. Love you to pieces and back!

Confessions of a CIA want to be...

Jess and I had our last night of "Alien" as we've affectionately termed it. Projected on our wall with an annoying little nail smack in the middle, we said our forlorn "good-bye's" to Agents Bristow, Vaughn, Flickmen, Weiss and of course the 'good', bad guys Sloan and Sargk. Depression sets in even as I blog this. We have introduce many friends to Alias, and many have reported side effects of restless sleep, dreams of talking watches, deadly lip balms, an array of covert ops, and/or thoughts of "taking" down innocent bystanders. I, myself have experienced all of these side effects the funniest by far being the time I was getting out of my Cabrio in our Huntington Beach ally behind our house. A suspicious stranger was approaching my car, and my first thoughts were how to "take him out" when I quickly remembered I only became a yellow belt in 4th grade due to my instructors sympathies.
*Here's to our Alias watching buddies: Nick & Keshia/ Brandon & Hetal/ Our Mom's & Dad's Good Times. Good Times.

Scrapbooking: An old hobby REVisted

So, I got so tired of scrapbooking a few years ago. It just seemed so overwhelming. All the papers, ribbons, tapes, glues, tools, organizers, brads, eyelets, stickers, plastics, and on and on. And, if that wasn't overwhelming enough, lets throw in, I don't know... about 600 unscrapped photos, and 100s of untold stories. It was too much work and not enough fun, so I decided to hang up my decorative scissors.
But then I met Cathy Z. Well, technically I read her book, kind of like meeting her. Anyhow, there was this great chapter called, "Permission Granted". It said things like, "Permission granted to scrap non chronologically, to put most photos in a boring photo album and only scrap the ones you love, permission granted to throw away photos, permission granted to scrapbook in whatever form is fun to you." Now why I couldn't just give myself permission to do these things years ago....who knows.
But, when I read this, the stress and neg feelings I previously associated with 80 cent paper and acid free glue sticks, vanished. Not only did I decide I would only scrapbook a few photos, ones that I loved for one reason or another, but I would no longer focus on how cute the page was or even the photo. Instead I now focus on the stories I have to tell. Sometimes it's just a random story about one of the kids and I just pick any photo, other times it's just something in the background like a piece of furniture that's special to me.
Scrapbooking to me is now all about remembering our family, life, odd moments, experiences, what we love, what we don't, funny quirky things, and anything else I feel so inclined to write about. I love it. It's so wide open, so creative.

Journaling Ideas:
Add a verbatim conversation, a list of favorite things, a to do list from your planner, a letter from your mom, a comparison chart, family daily schedule, why you love your Hoover x22, emails, pet peaves, how to's,what I know at..., recipe for.., things you might hear around our home, ect.) Be creative and let others get to know you through your photos and *your writing about real, ordinary, Life.

In the words of a small child: "Ky-nan"

Undressing a Store Mannequin & pointing between the biceps: "Baby's Milk!"

Doing bills, I sighed and said to myself, "awhh...we need money."
Kyanne so sweetly said, "It's okay mom, I better go buy you money."

Kyanne: "What does the cow say?"
Mom: "Moo"
Kyanne: "What does the cat say?"
Mom: :"Meow"
Kyanne: "What does Jesus say?"
Kyanne: "He says, 'Hellllooo- Friend."

Ky quoting 'Nachooo'
"Dad, get me 'strechy pants'."
"Bridge, when you a man..."

Brushing her hair: "Don't brush my bum"
In the words of Papa. "See ya Bee ya!"
in a sqeaky voice"...don touch my tuff mom
or you go corner"

"You Tinker...You Tinker...You Tinker..."

I bumped Ky she said, "It's okay sweetie"
Man, she's cute!

Mommy's Gilmore Watching Buddy

Every night after Bridgey and I put Kyanne to bed, we snuggle up on the couch and watch Gilmore Girls together. It's great. I often miss quite a bit, as he is his happiest self at this hour. It is by far his chattiest time of day. He smiles, giggles, gurgles, and snuggles with his mom. I love this time of day!