Pumpkin Painting

We haven't had time made time to carve pumpkins this year. But then today I decided I had to stop at that lame, overpriced pumpkin patch (a tent with a chain link fence around it on the corner) a pick up a few pumpkins. I needed to paint some pumpkins.

I know, it's totally last minute. But that's how I roll.

I planned on painting the first one in bright rainbow stripes. But then I ended up picking out fall colors instead. It looked pretty awful when I finished the first coat of paint. The 2nd coat helped, but was sooooo boring. I just started doodling all over those stripes, and ended up with something tribal looking.

 

 

 

I know. I'm so trendy!

So, the 2nd pumpkin was supposed to be polka dots. But that's been done a few times before. 

I decided to gesso it in thick globs. Then I added spray inks and India Ink drops.

It was a hot mess. So I poured more gesso over the top and let it drip down the sides of the pumpkin.

Now I was happy. I know it looks weird, but I like it.

Hope you enjoyed. Have a Happy Halloween.

And don't eat all the good candy out of your kid's stashes when they go to bed. Leave them a couple of good ones!

Oh baby!

Hello everyone.

Today I wanted to talk about that baby that is joining our family in May 2013. I have mentioned it a few times, but I feel like I need to share more. I want to remember my feelings right from the beginning.

I'm going to have a grand baby.

There. I said it. Or typed it. Whatever.

Trevor and Chelsea are pregnant.

I am so surprised by the different emotions that I feel over this little one.

I'm shocked. I'm upset. I'm excited. I'm worried. I'm scared.

Shocked. Yes. Even though I knew it could happen. But still, when those words came tumbling out of my son's mouth it was like all the air got sucked out of my lungs. And I knew. I knew the night before when we all met up for family dinner. And I knew the moment my son said he needed to talk to me. And yet, I was shocked.

Upset. This is not the best time for them. They need time to grow up. They need to figure out who they are and what they want for themselves before they have to shift their focus to a little one. They are so young. And yet, they are really not that much younger than Mark and I when we had Trevor.

Excited. This one confuses me, because it feels wrong to be excited. But that's crazy! Why should I not feel excited. I know in my heart I will be crazy in love with my grand baby. And one of my initial thoughts was "when can we take the baby to Disneyland?" Crazy!

Worried. Back to Trevor and Chelsea and how ready they are for this adventure. Will they have enough money? Will their relationship be strong enough to weather the tough times ahead? But really, isn't that a concern for every couple?

Scared. I find this emotion to be the oddest one. What if something goes wrong? What if Trev and Chelsea break up? What if I don't get to see the baby enough? I'm one of those people who play the "What if" game way too much. This is something I need to work on.

Anyone have any advice? Words to share?

Oh yeah. Almost forgot. I'm completely against taking the name Grandma. It makes me feel too old. And I want something a little more unique. I'm leaning toward Ya Ya (Greek for Grandma), but my family thinks that is a stupid name. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Did I mention that when I saw that ultrasound picture I cried. Bawled. And fell in love.

Yes, I did.

Trev

Spring 2010

Today is my oldest son's birthday. My first born.

Today he is 20. And I just don't know how that can be!

I still remember so clearly bringing him home from the hospital and setting him in the middle of the floor in his carrier and Mark and I saying "What do we do with him now???"

We like to call him the guinea pig child. As in, we don't know what we're  doing as parents so let's try this and see how it works. Not so much. OK, let's try this. And this. Or this.

I have a secret to confess. I may have been a bit strict with that first one. Wanting to protect him and help him make the right choices and grow into an awesome adult. I have since learned that I needed to lighten up a bit. And Trev hates that. It's not fair. He had so many more rules and consequences. And I apologize for that, my son. I just didn't know what I was doing. But it all came from a place of love.

So happy birthday baby. Enjoy your day. And know that we are proud of who you have become. Even if your life is different than the one we imagined all those years ago. We know it is your life and your choices. And we think you are an awesome adult!

We love you!

Sunday Inspirations

Source

Sometimes I need to remember that no one is perfect. Not my husband.  Not even me.

Anyone else need to be reminded of this?

Give your special someone a hug and let it go (whatever your "it" is).

Now go enjoy your Sunday.


Friday Wrap (InstaFriday)

Is it just me, or are the weeks just flying by? Here it is, Friday again. Time to share my week with the blogging world. Join the party by clicking on the button at the end of the post.

 

 

1.  Love my purple burst of color in the front yard. Sadly, these are all gone, just 4 days later.

 

 

2.  My two puppies. Just chillin. Behaving fairly well lately. No eating holes in the walls. Yeah!

 

3.  I hinted the other day about a new member of the family coming next May. That would be my grand baby. Now, I'm having trouble adjusting to the fact that I'm going to be a grandmother (or Ya Ya, or whatever else I pick for a name), but when I saw this stuffed zebra in the store, it had to be my first baby present. It is so cute, and the momma loves zebras. See. I had to buy it.

4.  Working on a new morning hangout. I mean, really, how many days in a row can I drink Starbucks? But I love going out to get away from the distractions of home when I'm trying to write blog posts. So, the new hangouts must have WiFi, and must have something yummy to drink, and splitting breakfast with my dreamy husband is a bonus. So, Wildflower has been added to the rotation. But I'm still needing a few more places. I would love to find another coffee shop in the area, maybe something that is not part of a chain.

5.  Went window shopping at Pier 1. Who doesn't love Pier 1? I do. All the fancy Christmas items are out. And it smells so good in there. We found so many cute things. Like this lampshade. Not crazy about the base, but I LOVE the flowers on the shade! Mark, so not so in love. But who knows, maybe one day there will be a pretty flower lampshade in my home.

6.  We did agree on this lamp though. I stole the lamps from the master bedroom to put in the living room, and now I need to replace the bedroom lamps. I really like this silver base and black, pleated shade. And Mark agreed. And they are not crazy expensive. These may have to come home with me in a few weeks!

That's it folks. We had a birthday party (Trev) and parent teacher conference (Emma), but no photos from either. Oh well.

What fun times did you have this week?

5 Pins I love

Hello, to my undying love for Pinterest.


1.  Hello, practical.


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2.  Hello, laughing until you cry.

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3.  Hello, to a warm and fuzzy heart.

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4.  Hello, time to start thinking about a Christmas baking list.

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5.  Hello, to next May (look for a future post).

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Hello Fall (Right Now)

Hello to my favorite month of the year. October.



image from



The month of my birthday. And 2 of my kids' birthdays. And Fall Break (travel opportunity). And cooler weather...finally. And Halloween.

And my birthday.  Oops. Did I mention that already?

I'm not one of those people that wants their day to pass by quickly and quietly because it just means that I am another year older. Nope. Not me.

I want to celebrate. Because I like spending time with friends and family. And I like it when anyone makes me feel special. And we're all getting older. It's just the way it is. So why try to act like it's not happening.

And I like cupcakes. And presents. And cards in the mail.

Anyways, kinda got off track there. We're talking about fall, or at least what finally feels like fall in the Phoenix area. We're looking at highs in the 80's and lows in the 60's this week. Hallelujah!

So, to celebrate the beginning of our fall weather, I wanted to share where I am right now.

Location: Starbucks (where else would I be?)
Watching:  Walking Dead, Modern Family, Parenthood, American Horror Story.....
Eating: Nachos for dinner (not the normal dinner, but you have to live it up sometimes)
Drinking: Vitamin Water Zero, squeezed lemonade flavor (I'm in love!)
Wanting: A new fluffy, white, down comforter
Needing: To get busy and finish 10 more canvases that need to be mailed out on Friday
Loving: Living in Chandler (the new house, the location, the lifestyle!)
Creating: Those canvases mentioned above
Thinking: We need to get our finances in order (not a new thought, but sadly, always a concern)
Wondering: When we can make time to do come pumpkin carving/painting

And thanks to Kelly Purkey for the list of prompts.

Creating a Routine

Or....how not to waste time.


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I'm trying to find a way to maximize my time. It seems I never have enough. Time, that is. Anyone else have this problem?

I'm trying to come up with a way to setup a schedule so I can find make time to get everything done. I need to be more consistent with my blog posts. And taking time to create. And clean the house. And cook dinner. And make doctor appointments. And on, and on, and on.

So, no, I do not have this figured out yet. But I do think the key is to create a schedule. And 9 to 10 a.m. is now blog time. As in writing on my blog. Not reading others' blogs. Even though I do love to do that!

I have also decided I need to be dressed before 9 a.m. This is new to me. I kinda just get dressed whenever I feel like it. But I like the idea of being up and ready by 9 a.m. And I feel this is totally possible since I'm up at 6:30 am getting the kids ready for school.

We'll give this a try for a week, and see how it goes.

Do you have any routines you would like to share? I could use all the suggestions you are willing to share.

Friday Wrap (InstaFriday)

Happy Friday everyone.

It's time to share some Instagram photos from the past week.

Hello, handy man.

Sprinkler head broke so I forced Mark to try and replace it (he's never done this before, but how hard could it be?). And Daisy had to help inspect the dirt. Turns out, we bought the wrong one (darn Lowe's). Landscapers came on Tuesday and replaced it with the correct one, leaving ours lying on the ground, looking kinda sad and foolish. Oh well. We tried.

Hello, green.

My morning routine is to open the back door and let in the cool morning air. And listen to all the birds. And enjoy all that green. It's a nice change from the dirt and rocks from the last back yard!

Hello, new schools.

Kids started at their new schools this week. Emma made new friends, and let them write their phone numbers on her arm. Smart kid! No chance of losing the numbers. And we're all happy to be settling into our new life!

Hello, thirteen.

She rocked the hair and makeup gifts. Hair extensions, head bands, barrettes, nail polish, lip gloss, chi straightener, gift cards, and even a forbidden eye liner pencil (waiting until high school to add the eyeliner into the mix). She went to bed a happy girl!

Hello, family.

We're loving have family so close again. And Alec is loving having his photo taken with his great grandma!

Well, that's it for this week. Link up below by clicking on the button and join in the fun!

Officially a Teen

Today my baby girl turns 13.

A teenager. My first teen girl.

My beautiful, brave, smart, funny, crazy girl.

You take my breathe away. And amaze me. Daily.

Here's to a year of teen fun (but not too much fun).

We love you!

Follow Your Dreams

So, know how I'm always talking about following your dreams. And posting inspirational quotes? Well, here is another layer to add to your motivation. A 16-step plan.

I can't take credit for the list. I found it on the blog: The Minimalists. Go check it out.

Here is the condensed list. To help you take the plunge and visit the full blog post. Just go do it. It will take 5 minutes.

Step 1. Look yourself in the mirror.
Step 2. Kill your distractions.
Step 3. Make time every day.
Step 3. Make time every day
Step 5. Stop worrying.
Step 6. Grow a pair of balls.
Step 7. Take incremental action.
Step 8. Change your physiology.
Step 9. Focus.
Step 10. Change your beliefs.
Step 11. Become obsessed
Step 12. Cut the fat.
Step 13. Get the old guard out of the way.
Step 14. Make it inexpensive.
Step 15. Breathe
Step 16. Do it again

See. Didn't that get your heart racing? Your blood pumping? Ideas racing through your head.


Now go do something. Pursue your dreams!

Winter Inspiration

Oh my gosh. You have to check this out. It's so gorgeous!




It's from the blog ILS. You need to check out the blog. It is full of gorgeous scrapbook layouts. Now don't get scared, it's not in English. But just look. Your eyes will be happy!

Let me know if you agree!

Sunday Inspirations

I need to have this tatooed on my forehead. Or my forearm, where I can see it every day.

This is who I want to be, but somehow, I go out into the world and turn into some cranky person.

Maybe today I will be better!

Here's to a better Sunday and a better week ahead.

Enjoy!

Friday Wrap-InstaWrap

Happy Friday everyone.

I haven't joined in the Friday Wrap in a few weeks. But the move is over, and it's time to peek out from under the pile of unpacked boxes and join the blogging world again.

So I'm supposed to share phone photos, which normally is not a problem. But since I have been on vacation this week, I actually pulled out the new camera and took most of my photos on it. But I did take a few at Disneyland with the phone. So this week, I'll just focus on that one night. And I didn't even run any through Instagram. Oh, the horror! But I'll survive.

 

1.  Cutest Mickey bat cookie (and yummy)

2.   Look at that awesome weather (not too hot, not too cold)

3.  Finally....Disneyland has Wi-Fi

4.  Jack pumpkin

5.  Giant ghost Mickey

6.  Spooky castle

 

 

We had a magical night. And I'm so thankful for the chance to visit Disneyland one last time in 2012!

 

Now it's time to join in the fun by clicking on the button below.

 



Beach House-Day 4

Hey dudes'

Like my surfer talk? No? OK, I'll stop.

Day 4. I woke up to thunder and lightning and the oddest smell. At 6:30 am, I snuck out front to sit and watch the show. It started down the street, over the ocean, then slowly moved toward the beach house, bringing the rain with it. And every time there was lightning, it smelled kind of like burnt toast. Anyone know what that was? Is it the salt in the air?

Mark joined me outside for about half an hour, then we went back to bed. More computer time on the front patio. Walk around the neighborhood with Emma and the camera.

Shower. Off to Downtown Disney for shopping, food, and a movie. Perfect for an overcast, rainy day.

I got to pick out a birthday present at Fossil. And we had Alec's watch shipped off for repair. Off to Blink, World of Disney, Marcelline's Confectionery. Dinner at Jazz Kitchen Express (gumbo....yummy). And since we were at Disney, we had to see a Disney flick. Frankenweenie.

It was cute. Made me miss my dogs.

Then it was time to say farewell to Disney. Wait. Coconut cupcakes. See you next time Disney.

Some photos for you:

Beach House-Day 3

Hello.

Can I tell you how good it is to take some time away from everyday life and just slow down? It's true.

Day 3 was hang out at the beach and relax day.

Sleeping in. Reading The Casual Vacancy in a beach chair. On the Pacific Ocean. Watching the girls boogie board for hours. Watching Alec join them from time to time.

Warm showers to wash off the sand and the beach chill. Hot Starbucks to drink. Pizza and watching The Avengers. And Life Happens. With the family.

That's it.

Wanna see some pictures?

My wish for you is that you can find some time away from your everyday life. Maybe not a beach vacation. But even just a couple of hours. You will not regret it!

Go do it. Or plan it for very soon!