Discovery made after being tagged

It's 11:00 p.m. I'm wwwaaayyyy behind on my blogging. I've just finished making three calendars (including one for myself!!), so I've decided to put off sleep a bit to post a "real" post.

Cassie was kind enough to tag me last week. I was very excited...always wanted to be tagged...had never been tagged. Then, I started thinking of what I could write. I thought...and thought...and thought. I thought about it while I was crafting. I thought about it in the shower. I thought about it on our 2 1/2 hour ride to La Grande and then again on the way home. Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that I am BORING!!! But, I'll be a trooper and try to come up with something. Here goes...

The rules are as follows:
1. link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. tag 7 people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I'm a worrier. I worry about everything. I know...it's pointless. Just last week, Bob and I were talking about my car. I had mentioned that I didn't want to drive it somewhere and asked if we could take his car. He asked why. I told him that nothing had gone wrong with it lately, so it was probably due for car trouble. Talk about asking for trouble!

2. I'm a speed bump! Just ask Bob. In my prior life, I adjusted both auto and property claims for an insurance company. While working there, I became very aware of how important your driving record and how much damage a speeding ticket can do. I was also made very aware of how dangerous excessive speed is. So, in order to "help" my husband avoid getting a ticket (he had two when we got married and we paid $300 a month for car insurance!), I ask as his personal speed bump or talking speedometer. Yep, he loves it! The only bad side to this is, if I ever got a ticket for speeding, I'd have to find someplace else to live. I'd never hear the end of it!

3. I'm a shy person. People don't believe me, but it's true. Believe me.

4. I'm not very good at playing. I used to be. When I babysat in high school and college, I was down on the floor with the kids building towers and helping to knock them down. Now, when I'm down on the floor, it just gives me another perspective of the room. From down here, I can see the toys and dust hiding under the couch, the gunk gathering under the chair, etc. I'm working on it, though. Now, since Emma loves to clean so much, I just tell her to go grab the duster or the broom and she takes care of it for me. :)

5. I miss friends and family that I can't see often, but I'm terrible at keeping in touch! All of those homemade cards? They sit in the box as examples, just in case I want to make another just like in the future. Yep, I've heard of digital cameras...even have one and usually take photos of my cards to use for this very reason. But still, they sit. And e-mail? I've got over 250 sitting in there waiting for me to either answer (friends) or delete (junk!). So, if you're either friend or family and you haven't heard from me, bear with me! The card box is getting too full, so I might actually convince myself to send some out (or just buy a new box!).

6. Mmmm...what else? I'm a stacker. When I scrapbook, even if I have a 6-foot table all of myself, I'll sit in the middle of it and stack my papers on top of my scissors, my adhesive on top of my paper, my stamps on top of my adhesive, and then more paper on top of that. My kitchen island is almost always halfway covered with stacks of paper from the mail or from the kids' school. Bob just went to bed, and he's going to have to remove the stacks from the bed. Guess that's one less stack I'll have to deal with tonight!

7. A couple of months, we were at a potluck for our two volleyball teams. The question came up of something we had stolen in the past. My answer was pretty lame, but I'll share it here because I'm finally to number 7!! When I was little, my mom used to keep Coffee Nibs in her purse. In case you aren't familiar with these (not sure they are still made), they are hard coffee flavored candies coated in chocolate. Now, I knew that I love chocolate, but I had never tried coffee. One day, I snuck into Mom's purse and took one. I shoved it in my pocket and ran outside as fast as I could. I hit behind the giant maple tree in the front yard and guiltily opened the wrapper. "Mmmmm...that's yummy. This was all worth it! Oh...my...gosh (insert Valley Girl here), what is this terrible taste! Oh, I'm gonna be sick! This is disgusting!" So, my one and only experience with theft left me with a terrible taste in my mouth (excuse the pun) and terrible guilt. Just last year (approximately 25 years later), I confessed to Mom. She just might have thought I was a little weird!!!

Whew, I made it! Nothing earthshattering, but a couple of things about me. I don't think that I have 7 people that haven't been recently tagged, so I'll do a few. Jenny, Diana, Lorri, and Amy, you're it, if you have the time!

Recital Frock Give-A-Way

Recital Frock Give-A-Way

This would be so sweet on Emmalee!

Slacker!

I just received an e-mail from a dear friend from the west coast asking me to please update my blog. I'd love to! I've been tagged (thanks, Cassie!), we spent Thanksgiving in La Grande and I have a few more craft pics to post. However, sadly, this is all I have time for right now. The list of things that I need to accomplish by this weekend is staggering, and I seem to keep adding to it! I've promised Emma and myself a day of going nowhere today and a little fun inbetween all of the chores. As soon as I'm finished, I'll post. Thanks!

Tonight's projects...

Camo, Dinosaurs, and Thomas...boys' version of the small recovered composition books.

Princess and toadstools with hedgehogs and owls...girls' version of recovered composition books.

Bookmarks made with the left-over scraps.

Loving the view...

I sneak into her room, knowing that she's still asleep. I know I have to wake her (just about time to pick up big brother from school), but I wait and watch just a few minutes. Complete peace and contentment, spending quiet time with a few friends...

I almost deleted this one, but look at those expressive eyes!

I love how Emma puts everything into her kisses. She grabs your face, holds it still and zeroes in on the target.

Spending a little time with her Barbies.

I love the mess...all of the brushes together, the shoes, the tiny clothes and accessories.

A Case of Crafter's ADHD!

This is the pile of supplies I have sitting on my crafting table. It's a collection of unfinished products that will, hopefully, be turned into something that someone will love. It's my attempt to do an almost-completely-homemade Christmas. It sits there and calls to me as I'm cleaning or paying bills. It wants to me to come play with it!

How can one resist this collection of beautiful Stampin' Up paper? It wants to become scrapbooks, cards and any other little crafty thing I can think of.

And, of, the fabric. It can't wait to be cut apart and then sewn back together into a functional item. JoAnn's isn't my favorite for fabric, but they've started a Heidi Grace line (bottom two fabrics) and several others that are awesome!

Can't wait to show the final products from each of these. Right now, I've got a case of crafter's ADHD. I can't decide which project to start first, so I jump from project to project...enjoying every minute of it.

Off to create! Happy day to all...

One of the mysteries of life...solved!

Photo taken March 2008

Think back to all of the times you've turned to your significant other and asked, "How does this look?" "Does this look o.k.?" Or the infamous, "Does this make me look fat?" Now think about the poor guy...is there ever a right answer? Can you imagine the stress the poor guy is under?! Today, Emma came up with a way around this lose-lose situation.

Amy was kind enough to watch Emma while I went to the DMV to get my driver's license and car license. (Yep...more nice people in this wonderful state!) Emma and Wyatt played dress-up. Once Emma was dressed in her finery, she asked Wyatt, "Wyatt, do I look pretty or prettier?" What a great question! There's no wrong answer because, either way, you still look pretty! Give the guy a break and give it a try!

I say "A boom chica boom"

Today's post from here made me think of our trip to the grocery store this morning. Last year, Ryan's teacher was wonderful! That's her with Emma in June of this year. (The photos of her and Ryan together are on our old computer, which brought up the black screen of death one day). She was not much taller than some of the kids and had a very quiet voice. But, oh, from the very first day, she was amazing. I'd sit out in the pod area and work on projects and the classroom was so quite. She was somehow able to have so much fun with the kids, but still encourage them to work in a controlled environment. Anyway, one day the three 1st-grade classes were meeting in the pod to practice their songs together. The other teachers were leading until it came to "Boom Chica Boom." They asked Miss C to come up and lead the kids. I'd never seen her do this or heard the song, so I stopped working and watched. It was priceless. She started by wiping off her lipstick. I wasn't sure where it was going. She turned a little red as she's a bit shy. Then, in a strong sure voice she led them in the song. She'd say "I say a boom chica-boom" and the kids would repeat it back to her with oh so much feeling. Then, it was "I say a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chica boom." (Believe me, it'll get stuck in your head!). Then she said it like she was underwater (ah, that explains the lipstick coming off as she had to scrunch up her face with her hands). It was hilarious to watch! I love it when someone is willing to put their personal comfort aside to help a child have a good time.

Where's this story going? I thought I mentioned the trip to the grocery store this morning?! So, Emma and I were at Fred Meyers picking up a few things. She was (very carefully and as safely as possible) standing on the end of the cart while I steered (very slowly and carefully) down the aisles. For some reason that song came into my head. I started to sing it out loud and immediately Emma joined in. It was so much fun! We went about our shopping singing "Chica Boom" in nice soft voices but with the biggest smiles on our faces.

Thanks, Miss C! You are missed...

Dear Lucas,

Last night as I was working in the office, Emma sat beside me and "wrote" a letter to her best friend (now 350 miles away). I stopped what I was doing and typed as she spoke...

Dear Lucas: You're the best friend I've ever had in my life. You don't know where to come to see me. I'll keep my house good and make sure no monsters are in my house. Don't worry. I'm still here for you. I know that you would like to be over here. I know because dear Lucas is what I best need. What I need is you...I do. Lucas loves me a whole lot and I love him a lot. -Emma

You can't always change the situation...

Photo taken this summer in La Grande

...but you can always change your attitude!

Growing up, and still today, this was one of my dad's favorite lines. He used to say it to me all the time! I cringe as I think back and remember the daggers that would shoot out of my eyes when I'd hear it. Because, really, who wants to hear that?!

I love my family very much, but they were driving me bonkers last night. Ryan waited until we were two feet from his bed before telling me that he was hungry. Emma decided that she was thirsty. I had one on each side of me and this is what bounced back and forth in my brain (don't forget to add the whine when you read this...) "I'm hungry!!" I'm thirsty!!" "I'm hungry!!" "I'm thirsty!!" Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!! That's what I wanted to say. The frustration must have been evident because, once they were in bed, I heard Emma call from her room, "Mommy, are you upset with Ryan?" "Yes, Emma, I'm frustrated with him" "Mommy, that's not a nice word, and it shouldn't be said in our house!" Thanks, dear three-year-old daughter.

So, they went to bed (without a snack and just a tiny sip of water) and seemed to survive quite nicely until morning. Meanwhile, I went downstairs and finished cleaning the kitchen, folded and put away the laundry, washed another load, matched Bob's shirts for the next day, etc. I muttered inside my head as I worked...I have a great knack for that, which just makes my mood just that much more lovely. Oh, what a way to end a day.

Tonight, after the kids were freshly bathed and smelling wonderfully (especially Ryan; he used 1/2 a bottle of shampoo!), we sat together in the rocking chair to read. Emma picked out two books and Ryan grabbed book 12 of "The Secret of Droon" series. We read Emma's first...one about what to do when a monster yells at you and another about a princess that lives in a pigsty. Once those were done, Emma snuggled a bit closer and we started on chapter 5 of Droon. By the end of chapter 5, I heard the tell-tale sound that means Emma is asleep...the slurp as her thumb starts to slip out of her mouth and she tries to get it back in. Ryan and I decided to keep reading....and reading...and reading...by the time we reached chapter 9, we decided that we might as well finish the book.

Sitting there, all snuggled in with the smell of clean, one child asleep and the other enthralled with the power of a story, I was so content. Forgotten were the times that day that they had frustrated me, the times that I had to tell them more than once to do something...remembered were the times they each turned to me and told me they loved me, the spontaneous hugs, the feel of that tiny hand in mine as we walked to pick up Ryan, the way that they both still fit in my lap (although one side gets a bit more squished than the other). As we put Emma in bed and Ryan asked for a snack (yep, right before bed again), the situation was the same. But, the attitude was different. Life's too short for a child's last thoughts before sleep to be of a "frustrated"mommy. They need to be of peace and love.