A random trip to Taco Bell last week got me thinking. The brood and I needed to waste time between pick up time at the Bigs' school and the start of Girl Scouts. Seeing as I'm already making 2 round trips (VA Beach /Suffolk) every school day til summer vacation, I'm staying in Suffolk in the afternoons when we have scouts in the evenings. I mean c'mon... as it is I'm driving 160 miles per day or 800 miles a week. Well, last Monday, we cleaned up at our old house, did some homework, and then headed to Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat before dropping Julia at Brownies. With Donk in town, I really don't bring all 5 very many places these days.

So, I was reminded of what those days are like by a random comment from a bunch of older ladies passing our table as they left Taco Bell. Now mind you, the kids were behaving very well enjoying their tacos and helping the little ones with their taco sauce and taking them to the restroom. While one of the ladies was cooing at the kids' cuteness, she made a remark that stuck with me... "Is someone having A PARTY?" I'm soo familiar with these types of comments that I quickly retorted, "You should see our house, it's always a party". This sweet woman thought I was entertainig a group of my child's friends. I couldn't POSSIBLY be the lucky Momma to all of them, now could I?!? When Patrick was on his IA in 2009 and on his deployment to Afganistan in 2010, I got comments EVERY SINGLE place I went. Most people were well meaning, even when they make the most callous comments... are they ALL yours?!?... were they planned? well someone has her hands full! are they all YOURS (meaning are some Dad's, some mine, and some "ours?" and some of my personal favorites... are you done?!?... are you crazy?... better you than me... Well, you get the picture.

I know most of the people who made these comments and the like really only intended nothing malicious. They're just curious, and that is totally natural. But, I will never forget the woman in the checkout line at aisle #7 at Wally World who stared at the brood as we waited nicely behind she and her husband while they checked out. When I couldn't take the staring and nervous edging further and further away from us, I exclaimed something like, " Aren't I just the luckiest Momma ever!?" That sure shut her up. With hubby starting workups this month that will continue until he deploys a year from now, I'm sure looking forward to doing my shopping/eating/playing here on base. Those comments, at least the clueless ones will be few and far between because I'll be with my own people. People who get it. People who understand what I'm dealing with and will be happy to support me when I go a little crazysauce from all these darn kids I have!

A little scrapping, not my favorite, but at least I'm getting back to it...


Bye!!

Let the Grappeling Commence

Sitting here at my keyboard watching the remnants of Ida out my windows. She's expected to sit off of our coast for three days. Should make for an interesting Veteran's Day/Birthday Weekend. Still scrappin and loving it more than I should. I am so thankful to have this little hobby that brings me so much joy. It's really hard to wrap my head around just how much of a benefit I get out of cutting up some paper, lots of adhesive, and a few pictures.

Made up some page samples for my LSS. Used some of the American Crafts Craft Fair and did a 2pager (wish you could see it in it's entirety) with the Pink Paislee Enchanted. I think they all turned out pretty well.

Reagan had his first birthday celebration over the weekend. Sam's Club really makes some fun cakes. Gotta love cake AND cupcakes. Meet the Spiderman/Pirate cake...

So, we've been a family of seven again for just over a month now. And, ya know what? I like it. For whatever reason, we've gotten back into our groove rather seamlessly this time around. The fact that Donk hasn't had to get right back to work may have something to do with it. The kids have enjoyed Daddy running them to and from school and activities. And Momma has enjoyed the passing of the grocery shopping and preparing dinner torch. I sound like a real Lady of Leisure, now don't I?!? Patrick did something one day and I remarked to him that I could get used to this, and he just smiled at me. We both knew that wouldn't happen. As I look ahead to the next 2 and a half years, I see a whole lotta me and the cherubs waiting. Waiting for him to come home. Such a glamorous life.

I've got some other scrapping in the works, too. Need Ida to take a break, so I can get some decent shots. Loving the new Sass: Amplify and Monstrosity. Had fun just cuttin that stuff up. Also, just got the Nook and Pantry (from Basic Grey) in too. Such amazing art on these papers. Headed to the scrap store on Friday. I'll be working on my Christmas mini for AAS. I'm using Making Memories newest Mistletoe line and their Vintage Findings. The mini I'm using is Melissa Frances' bingo card one. Too too cute. One of my best friends is leaving me. She's moving to Alabama. We've been friends since we lived here last. I had just one kid then, a baby at that. We'll be scrappin on Friday one last time. grr.

More soon. What are you working on? What product are you just chomping at the bit to get your hands on?

Family of Seven

Not feeling too chatty this eve. My mind is still spinning from the activities of the recent days. After seven loooong months, Patrick and his red truck (seeing this in front of the house really made it real for the kids) are home. We're finding our way as a family of 7, once again. I'm sure by the time we figure it out, he'll be cruising again. Oh well, such is our Navy life. As the Gosselins say, "It May be a Crazy Life, But it's OUR Life". So, so true.

I've finished October's Mosh Posh projects. Those will go up in the Gallery at 10 PM EST. In the meantime, here are September's. The main kit and the add-ons were loaded with Lily Bee and lots of Sassafras. Loove it. There are still some kits available in the store. Just sayin...

***The RAK for some scrappy goodness is still open until tomorrow! you better leave me a comment.... smile

Let it Go

EIGHT DAY TO GO! DH will be home soon! Yippee! I never would have guessed I would have survived seven months apart, but we're in the home stretch now. Been scrappin. Need to journal a couple of these, but had to take advantage of daylight and nap time. I'm perenially 2 years "behind" in my scrapbooks. And, I'm OK with that.

In fact, I just finished up a page I hated, and I just let it go. I've grown a lot in my scrapping in the 8 years since I started. I let the page that I didn't like go and made a different one in ONE DAY!! Something I rarely do all in one sitting.

All of these are from the month the twins spent in the nicu two years ago after their early arrival at 31 weeks.

So Long Summer

It's bitter

sweet...

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Five weeks from tomorrow I will no longer be playing a harried, crazy single momma. Patrick will be home from his ia at Central Command. Somehow, General P will have to do without. I mean, c'mon, we had to do it for seven months. Shortly after his return, I'm sure I'll be begging for him to head out again. You know how they drive you crazy when they come home, sweep the kiddos off their collective feet AND muck up your routine!!

#1 and #2 go back to school in a week. Yep, I'm that mom. The kind who numbers her kids. That will leave me with my mornings to run errands with JUST 2 of the brood in tow. Until then, our evenings are still filled with cheer and ba ball (as Sullivan says) practices. I spend said evenings running between the 2 locales trying to keep up with the new cheers and staying on top of P.J.'s tackling skills AND chasing these two...

Most nights they win. Oh well. Julia tried on three dresses before we headed out the door to her friend's birthday party. Is this really a peek into what life with her as a teenager will be?!?? They do look really cute together though, don't they?

Sassafras Lass was having a Warehouse Sale a couple weeks ago. I snatched up Box B. It's filled with $125 dollars worth of older and newer Sass goodies. All this for $50 plus shipping. I'm in love...

How can anyone not LOVE this stuff? Ahh, bliss. Here's a peek at yet another Sass lovin layout. Love these pix I took of me and our resident pirate on Reagan's fourth birthday. He says this to me daily, repeatedly. "I love you everyday". Thanks for listening...

...

I. CAN. make. it. five. more. weeks.

The End of the World as We Know It

My days just got exponentially longer. Reagan Boy started K4 today at CCA. So cool to see Mrs. Gray again. Reagan is our third to have her as a teacher. I loved watching Reagan take ownership of "his" classroom. He'd always been the baby tagging along at Calvary and now he was the student and all the fun was his to be had. Also fun to see the other 2 enjoying the experience with him.
So, my day starts at 0630 and ends (kid-wise) at 2115 (9:15) when I send P.J. off to dreamland after our evening sports practices. Ugh. But, they're worth it. See...


Here's the cover and the first few pages of the finished miniBook for Mom. Shhh... Off it goes to the post office in the morning. We're finishing up our school supply shopping after that. Be prepared for some lovely Wally World pictures from all that fun. Stay tuned...

Four Plus Four is Half of Sixteen

Well, here we are again, as promised. Here's the rest of that layout I peeked yesterday. Used lots of Amy Butler here and that fabulous pink floral pp is Creative Cafe. I really like the charcoals and pinks here. This is a pix of my sweet and sassy Sophia at 10 days. Getting stronger at the hospital, but still struggling with A's and B's. Finally feeling strong enough myself to scrap some of these not so perfect moments when the twinnies were so new and fragile.

Fast forward two years and here are the twinnies on their cool new rides we gave them for their birthday. Schwinn old school Roadsters. Loved the red one that Patrick found online, but when he scrolled down the page and found the PINK ONE I was sold. Nothing makes me happier than finding 2 matching items with one done in pink. OK, ok, maybe new Sass makes me happier. (wink) Love that as soon as I let the two of them loose, they each ran for their bikes. He to the red one, and she to the pink. Love that.

Tell me this boy won't melt some hearts in a few years...

Something else made me happy this week. Miss Julia followed in her momma's
footsteps 5 years early. She's CHEERING!! AND, she loves it just as much as I did. Here she is at her first practice. If you're wondering what I'm up to it is all Pop Warner, all the time. P.J. to football practice and J. to cheer practice FIVE evenings a week. Sorry for all the screaming this eve. It's been a long one. I love them. I'm just pooped. But, they are happy. All five.

Be still my heart. This one almost takes my breath away.

Will try to grab some pix of my other recent stuff. Thanks for listening. Be back soon.