the last remaining brain cell...

I'll get by with a little help from...

2011-09-07T20:47:00.004-04:00

Me! If you know me in real life, you know that I do not like to ask for help. Ever. According to my baby book, "I do it mommy!" was my first sentence. I believe it.

I have changed light fixtures in my house. By myself. I have painted rooms and ceilings. By myself. I have cut down trees and moved big rocks. By myself. Get the picture? Now sometimes I enjoy my chore solitude; sometimes not. But that doesn't make me pick up that phone and call someone to come to my aide. Not even when I put up a new ceiling fan/light in the kitchen and it didn't have power. Randy called my dad - for help. ;)

I do take pride in the fact that I don't *need* anyone to help me. I may take me hours longer, make me throw things and generally act like a two year old having a tantrum, but I will do.it.myself.

I really think I need to get over this. I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with being a military spouse and being the only adult here most of the time. But I think I also have to admit that it's bred into me. Just ask me about my mom's do-it-herself projects: The painted "everything" - as kids we swore if we stood still long enough, mom would paint us. The sanded dining room table - it was scratched so she wanted to refinish it - it was formica. The oxidized paint on my aunt's VW beetle - my mom and her two sisters painted it with Rustoleum paint and rollers.

So now I'm putting the curtain rod brackets back up after the window replacement. I'm too short and short on patience. But I will do it. By myself.

Just F*cking Do It!

2011-06-28T23:20:00.003-04:00

(a book written by Denise R. Copyright 2011)
This book is dedicated to Kathleen and Shelby, without whom I would have more brain cells. Love, mommy.

The days are so short and I’m not a magician
To get everything done into the time it must fit.
So I ask for one favor from you, my dear child.
Don’t talk back - just fucking do it.

Children everywhere, across the span of this great land
Are so lazy and on their asses they sit.
But we parents are busy, we really need help -
Get up, shut up and just fucking do it.

Oh we hear that you’re tired, from school or from play
How exhausted you must be, but this mess is YOUR shit!
I’m telling you, no, I don’t have to say please!
Quit your stalling, stop the bitching and DO IT!

Why is it that I only have to look in your direction
And you start rolling your eyes and pitching a fit?
When we even agree you stomp off to your room
As I scream down the hall - just fucking do it!!!!

We’re so alike; we’re both procrastinators
Our favorite phrase is “In a minute!”
But I want what I want when I want it
Get off your ass, right now, and fucking do it!

It’s sweet that you’re so close to your daddy.
When he’s home all the fun just doesn’t quit.
But I can’t stand that when HE starts to do something
You smile and say “Relax Dad, I’ll do it!”

A little yarn therapy

2011-05-16T17:42:00.005-04:00

I haven't knit in months. Not a stitch of crocheting has passed my fingertips in years. But yesterday I succumbed to the temptation posted here and started to crochet that beautiful shawl.

It's a fast project and I'm already about a third done. Love visible progress...fast visible progress...I am not a patient person.

So on this dreary, :::cold:::, rainy Monday I have spent most of my day off crocheting away while occasionally loading and unloading the dishwasher and making it at least 'look' like I've done something around here.

At bedtime I'll be disappointed with my housekeeping skills, but thrilled with my crafty skills. Works for me.

2011-03-07T07:03:00.003-05:00

Well, a little late on this one too... Nothing new to report on the ORT/Tusal front. I'm still knitting away on my Peakes Island Hoodie (and still haven't taken a picture of it).

March-ing on!

2011-03-03T09:16:00.002-05:00

We are now three months into 2011 and I just don't know where the time has gone! I joke to everyone that I don't even remember January, but I'm not joking. It's been an exhausting year so far but sitting here looking out my dining room window, I can forget how cold it is and see the beautiful sun shining.

I've been very busy being a mom and all that entails, plus some that until a few days ago I hadn't been able to wrap my head around the fact that in three months I should be moving! There is so much to do and that mental list runs on a constant loop through my brain. I should write everything down to release it all from my thoughts, but I'm afraid to see it in black and white!!

Besides worrying, I've been doing a little knitting, working on this. I'm using Woobu in a beautiful blue and am almost done. I've put myself on a yarn diet, not needing to buy any more for a long while! I shudder to think of how many boxes of yarn I'll be moving to VA. haha. Still, if I had had the time on Monday while in New York City, I would've run, not walked, to Purl SoHo for some merino and stainless steel yarn to make a Kusha Kusha scarf.

So I'll be back tomorrow with a TUSAL post and maybe some pics of my almost-done hood. Until then, back to cleaning, and checking some things off that mental list...

I'm back...and TUSAL (finally!)

2011-02-05T08:55:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe I haven't posted since November. Well, really I can since it's been a crazy couple of months around here, but that's for another post. I'm here now because I've joined a little group and wanted (needed!) to share. It's called TUSAL for "Totally Useless Stitch-a-long" and each month we all save our little bits and pieces of yarn and thread from our craft projects and post our 'progress.' For me, it's something to keep me accountable for being creative. Not working so far, but I've only missed one month and am on track now. (If you count being a day late as being 'on track')
So here's my picture. It's filled with yarn bits from two projects - one finished (a baby sweater) and one still in progress (a scarf) and a promise for 2011 to post more of my knitting projects!

Christmas Cards

2010-11-27T15:39:00.003-05:00

In the past I have gone back and forth about Christmas cards. One year sent, next not, next 2 years sent, next few not. It all depends on my level of stress whether or not I send cards.

But this past summer we had some beautiful family photos taken and I am thinking that 2010 is a "sent" year. I really cannot send prints to "everyone," but as a Christmas card, everyone appreciates seeing the 'whole family' rather than just the girls.

Shutterfly has an awesome new selection of holiday cards (click here). I might think too awesome because I just cannot choose which one to use. I love them all!

There are different types of cards to choose from such as folded cards, flat stationery cards, and flat photo cards (click here). I can do just one family photo or individual shots of each of us, or a combo of different poses - the possibilities are endless!

Shutterfly has a layout to fit every Christmas card need. Want just one photo on your card? 2? more? The layout options are endless and it's very easy to upload your photos and add them to the card layout.

A great gift I have sent in the past is a photo calendar (click here). Each month your family turns the calendar page to see another great family photo! This is a wonderful gift for far-away relatives!

This year, I'll be sending Shutterfly photo Christmas cards, you should too!

1st Day of Middle School

2010-09-01T05:56:00.009-04:00

Woke up with this in my head this morning, much to Shelby's dismay... haha.

(Sung to the tune of the Beatle's "Yesterday")

First day of school today
My little girl looks so grown up, and hey-
All those preschool days are far away
My baby starts middle school today

How did she
Ever get to be taller than me?
That's not hard because I'm 5'3
My baby starts middle school today

Why'd she have to grow?
And not slow - it went so fast!
Those cute baby days, went away
She's in middle school today-ay-ay-ay

First day of school today,
Soon I'll wipe my tears and shout HOORAY
But 3 o'clock will come so quick, and hey
She'll be back home
And I'll hope for the second day!

Keep on Cheering in the Free World!

2010-08-07T07:33:00.005-04:00

Sorry Bob Dylan but that's the song I'm singing loud and proud. With one pom-pom-carrying fist raised to the heavens I will make sure justice is carried out and cheerleaders throughout my community are represented and protected.

Okay, I haven't lost my mind, I've just attended the first of many mandatory (yes, MANDATORY) cheer-parent meetings of the season. Now before you get your bloomers in a bunch let me state here the obligatory disclaimer: This post is purely satirical. I do not intend to blaspheme, slander, disrespect or otherwise misrepresent ANYONE involved with our local cheerleader organization. Hell, I was even a Team Mom for one season and ~~regret~~ enjoyed it immensely. I respect everyone involved with the organization and thank you for what you do throughout the year. Just keep in mind that my twisted sense of humor must find irony and sarcasm in everything around me lest I go insane. So I apologize in advance to anyone involved for anything said that offends. Lighten up and take a minute to see it from my smart-alecky point of view. You just may laugh, too.

Anyway, this past week was the first week of cheer practice. My 12 year old has been a cheerleader for half her life. That hurt just to type it. Anyone who knows me from high school knows I have a love/hate relationship with cheerleading. I love it because my daughter does. She LIVES cheerleading for three months out of the year. We hear cheers being recited from the shower, continually listen to cheer music being blasted from speakers while routines are learned and practiced and we recite "one,two - three,four - five,six - se...ven,EIGHT" over and over in our sleep. We gladly and proudly support our cheerleader and her efforts to perfect her high-jumps and cartwheels right down to a 'high V, low V, daggers, T!!" We attend every game and practice and the ultimate of every cheerleader's career...Competition! I love to watch her on the sidelines even when the temps dip below my comfort range of 68 - 75 degreesF and I haven't spiked my hot chocolate with anything stronger than milk. She's my daughter and what makes her happy, makes me happy.

However...(you knew that was coming, right?)...let me get to the root of the 'hate' portion. I wanted to be a cheerleader in high school. I dreamed of being a cheerleader with the cute short-skirted uniform worn to school the day before game day and the perfected high-jumps and cartwheels. But we all know the end of this story. I tried out freshman year and didn't make it. My high-jumps and cartwheels were FAR from perfect, but more importantly, I wasn't part of the "in" crowd and my pom-poms just weren't big enough to fill the cheer sweater. Cliques and scornful looks and snide comments ended my cheering career before it even began. Can you blame me for my resulting distaste for cheerleaders that has hung on for more than ::ahem:: ... well, A LOT of years?

So with the first week of my daughter's cheer practice comes the first mandatory parent meeting. I really don't know what would happen if neither Randy nor I attended these meetings, but frankly they have me too scared to find out. These cheerleader Leaders have everyone intimidated. We have to line up no sooner than one minute before practice starts to sign the girls in, line up no later than one minute after practice ends to sign the girls out, line up to sign in for the meeting. Don't forget to get your color-coded folder-stocked-with-many-forms-to-fill-out-and-return-ASAP-or-your-daughter-will-never-be-allowed-to-cheer-again. And puh-lease sit quietly and attentively while we go over this season's rules, which are almost identical to last season's rules but with a few more thrown in for fun.

My favorite one of the communist-rules yesterday was: There are too many bathroom breaks being taken so puh-lease make sure your cheerleader goes before leaving the house. Doesn't sound too unreasonable, right? Well, cheer practice is 2 hours long in the HOT sun and they are ~~required by rules~~ encouraged to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated. Now I know my bladder is many, many years older than theirs, but I know I couldn't continually hydrate AND jump around for two hours without having to pee (or pee myself). What's the answer? Scheduled bathroom breaks? Don't drink TOO much? Cheer in the shade? I don't know, but I'm heading to Wal-Mart to get my daughter pull-ups 'just-in-case.'

Another chuckle escaped from me when the subject of fundraising came up. We have two fundraisers for great reasons. The girls get t-shirts for 'free' and fair entry for 'free' and trophies and banquet dinner for 'free,' and the girls love all this 'free' stuff. But we parents pay for it and once again, I am not saying this is wrong. I just don't like being told that each girl is 'required to donate' a set amount for one fundraiser. I know that many parents slack off on various sport and school-related fundraisers and I've been guilty of this as well. But the hell-bent on rebellion part of me resents being told I HAVE to do anything. And being told that I HAVE to write a check (or beg family and friends) for a certain amount or my daughter will NOT get her uniform just burns my ...backside. Sounds a bit like extortion, doesn't it? I've paid the registration fee and the snack fee and the refundable uniform deposit fee. I have bought the required parts of the uniform that my daughter has grown out of and have paid for new cheer sneakers. I will buy my hot chocolate at the concession stand and buy 50/50 raffle tickets at the games. I will purchase assorted team logo-wear for both my daughter and myself. I will cheerfully and willingly drive my daughter to and from practices and games no matter how far away. And I will buy our tickets to the banquet to watch my daughter eat her 'free' meal and receive her 'free' trophy which will more than likely end up in a box in her closet with the many other 'free' trophies I've paid for over the years. Maybe I should start a Christmas Club account this year for next years expenses, or have an allotment sent from Randy's paycheck straight to their account. All this aside, piss-poor planning on my part DOES require you to hear about it. Any amount of money for my daughter to be happy. (That sound you heard was coffee spewing from my nostrils - did you choke on that line too? haha!)

I dearly hope nobody takes this to heart. Seriously. A little humor (usually at someone else's expense) goes a long way to helping me get through the day, and like I said before this was all written tongue-in-cheek (well, MOST of it anyway). My daughter is at that age where self-esteem and self confidence can take a hit quite easily if I get too careless and leave my mommy-watch for a minute. I am beyond grateful and thankful that for at least three months out of the year cheering gives her this self-confidence boost. God knows that at her age or even now I wouldn't have the ~~nuts~~ guts to get up in front of a crowd and do what she does.

Yes, I am all talk and no action. A-C-T-I-O-N ACTION!

"Why some animals eat their young"...

2010-08-07T00:29:00.003-04:00

...or "NOW I know why the female praying mantis kills her spouse after mating."

It is almost 1 AM, as in "the morning." My day started at 8 AM - yesterday. It was a normal day around our household. That's not always a good thing. There were three girls (Shelby had a friend sleep over) and I here all day. At times I had a few minutes to myself...while the girls played Wii downstairs, when they went outside, while I was in the shower (although I did have to explain why I wasn't in the position to take a phone call while showering...).

The rest of the hours were filled with the sounds of children: laughter (Shelby and her friend) and arguing (Kathleen and Shelby) - and the remnants of children: empty soda cans left in various places (none of which were the recycling bin), dirty dishes not put in the dishwasher, lights left on in broad daylight, flip flops left under the dining table and in front of doorways, more dirty dishes left on top of the stove, empty food boxes and a milk carton left on the kitchen counter, more lights (and the television) left on downstairs...get the picture?

Oh, I almost forgot the dirty looks and rolling eyes I got everytime I told someone to stop arguing or to pick up the messes left behind. Academy Awards could've been handed out right and left today to the person with "Loudest Sigh" or "Most Profanity yelled at a Sister" or "Most Dramatic Eye-Roll."

Guiness would be proud at the records broken today for "Highest Number of Drinking Glasses Used" and "Adding the Most Letter "O's" to the Name 'Mo-o-o-o-o-o-o-om" and "Ignoring Your Mother Calling You the Longest".

Yes, it was a normal day around here. And according to the Mothering Handbook that I have yet to see in existence, let alone read, I'm supposed to take it all in and roll with the punches. Not. This. Mom.

I'm sorry, but after 18 glorious hours of mothering I am tired of it. Don't get me wrong, I love my daughters more than anything else in this world. I would do anything for them and lay down my life for them. But apparently asking for a little help around here is equal to telling them they have to run naked down the middle of Route 12. Now, they are not bad kids - not at all - and sometimes I do get a bit of help: some vacuuming, dishes loaded or unloaded, laundry that makes it all-the-way-to-the-washer rather than thrown down the cellar stairs (a tear just came to my eye).

But I digress. This post really isn't about what they do or do not do. It's more about me (of course). I want to know just how long in one 24 hour period do I have to 'graciously' (and if you know me, you know I use that tern loosely) put up with this crap? Seriously. Less than an hour ago chaos nearly erupted because it was LATE and I was still hearing about a loose tooth that won't come out and was asked avery two minutes to "just LOOK at it" and ::::gasp:::: I just didn't want to. AND I couldn't find my damn glasses so I COULD see it and get it over with.

So fussing ensued and voices were raised and daddy had to come out of his room and console the person who 'only wanted Mom to look at my tooth.' Sharp looks were exchanged and even sharper words flew across the room and here I sit on the computer at 1 AM!!!

Really? I thought my day was over. Don't laugh. My girls are older and do not require round-the-clock supervision and constant monitoring. I don't want to neglect them, I just want to stop referreeing. At any given time during my day I yell "Take it outside" like a barroom bouncer. Most times I'd give anything to see them duking it out in the front yard rather than have to listen to the petty bickering over who's breathing whose air or who looked at whom.

WHERE in the manual does it say I have to be NICE??? I love them, I feed them, I give them a place to live. I don't have to tattoo "Welcome" on my forehead.

Whew...I feel a little bit better. If you feel the need to comment on this rant, please do and try to keep it pleasant. I don't need you to agree with me, but I don't want to hear what a crappy mother I am. Because it may just send me to the roof with a pair of binoculars and a BB gun. And I'm NOT taking prisoners.

What I learned on my summer vacation...

2010-07-24T22:30:00.006-04:00

I know, it's supposed to be what I 'did' on my summer vacation. But this summer has taught me a few things so far and I wanted to share them. So here goes...

~ The first person to pack for vacation gets the biggest suitcase. And it wasn't me.

~ People who drive a constant 50 MPH in the fast lane should not be allowed to drive on the interstate.

~ Put two daughters in a car with one mom for hours on end and you are bound to want to drive off the road every mile or so.

~ Living out of suitcases in your trunk for two weeks can test anyone's patience and organizations skills - both of which I don't usually have but acquired at the most inopportune time.

~ Head beers (aka keg-stands) by grown adults are usually laughable but when done successfully, are admirable.

~ You can't drink ALL DAY if you don't start in the morning.

~ Hearing someone announce "I sang with the band!" the next morning means you all had a great time last night.

~ Don't even attempt to stay overnight at a hotel with a 'heated' pool and non-working hot tub. You will regret it.

~ Many, many years after the first time, I still cannot ride a horse.

~ You can feel like family with people who have no blood relation to you and you can feel like you've never been apart with family you don't see often enough.

~ Eating 'bar food' is perfectly healthy if everyone else is eating it too.

~ Sending your child to the bar to get cheese curds and a kiddie cocktail by herself is not considered irresponsible at the campground.

~ Leaving your 17 year old at the bar by herself to stay on the internet ALSO is not considered irresponsible at the campground.

~ A 'girl's only' trip can be a way to bond with your daughters one minute and know why some animals eat their young the next.

And finally...I can be the sole responsible adult and driver on a trip a third of the way across the country and make it there and back safely! Yeay me!

What's been goin' on ova heeyah

2010-06-28T23:52:00.008-04:00

Well, it's been a busy few months around the ol' homestead and most of it stressful. We (and I do mean 'we') successfully managed to graduate from Ledyard High School, although Kathleen was the only one to walk up to get the diploma. Seriously, I am so proud of her, but I definitely could have done without the stress of last minute assignments and down to the wire test scores. Goodness...

But graduation evening was a wonderful one with bright sunshiney weather and joyful tears as my oldest baby reached an important milestone in her life. Love ya Chicken!

Not to be outdone, Shelby successfully 'graduated' from 6th grade in elementary school and will be a big middle-school seventh grader in September. For the first time in twelve years I will not have a child in elementary school. Goodness again...

Randy has had the most horrendous schedule on the submarine recently. We've seen less and less of him as time goes by and will see even LESS of him this summer. Such is the life I keep telling myself. Thankfully he was able to come home for a few hours and attend Kathleen's graduation ceremony.

We had some family portraits taken last weekend by a wonderful photographer recommended by a friend. They are beautiful and capture our family's personality perfectly. You can see some of them here just scroll down to "The Reid Family" and click in the center of the flag for a slide show. We had such a great time during this photo session even though I usually 'hate' having my picture taken. I do look at myself in some of them and say "OMG!" but it is what it is and I really do like them. :)

I've also been busy making cakes. Graduation, baby shower, birthday... You can see them here

Well the girls and I are taking a little "R & R" soon and I'm looking forward to that although I'll mostly hear "I'm bored" so many times I'll go out of my mind. Let's hope I bring them home with me....hahaha :::evil laugh:::

Dear Blog,

2010-06-20T12:10:00.002-04:00

I know I have neglected you. I have not posted for a while, but please know I think of you often. I usually have a lot to say, I just haven't been saying it here. I apologize profusely and promise to be better. After all, an aspiring author should be writing something somewhere and I have not. Life gets in the way sometimes and I do have to tell you that my life has been in everybody's way lately!

So with head hung low and apologies galore, I vow not to neglect you (this much) again. See you soon...

~Denise

It's National Knit & Crochet Blogging Week!

2010-04-26T12:01:00.003-04:00

And I haven't yet received a card or small flower arrangement to commemorate this occasion from anyone! Well, that's okay, I forgive you all. Especially those of you who look at me from time to time with huge eyes when I tell you what a certain skein of yarn costs. Just remember, we're all a little bit crazy, mine just shows sometimes.

So the topic of the day is: How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting? was it a skill passed down through generations of your family, or something you learned from Knitting For Dummies? What or who made you pick up the needles/hook for the first time? Was it the celebrity knitting ‘trend’ or your great aunt Hilda?

I started crocheting when I was only four years old. My grandmother and mom crocheted colorful afghans for everyone in the family and I wanted in on the fun. I could only make a chain stitch at the time, but I made it about a million feet long and was so proud of myself.

As I got older I made a few afghans myself and then turned to other creative outlets for a while. I was around 20 when I taught myself to knit with a little help from my (now) ex-mother-in-law and over time managed to make a couple sweaters, one that fit and one that didn't. haha.

I put the needles down for a few years when my kids were younger but started again in earnest a few years ago. I've made several pairs of socks, hats, scarves, shawls, mittens, etc. and have lots more yarn waiting to be made into something fabulous!

Knitting relaxes me, really, and I need to do a little bit everyday. I like to challenge myself with more difficult patterns and beautiful, exotic yarns, but very now and then a plain old straight sock pattern is just what the Knitting goddess ordered!

THE photo...

2010-04-20T22:41:00.003-04:00

Just love this. The love, the innocence, the emotion of having her daddy home, finally. This was not posed, just captured. Lucky me.
Love this, love these people.

Happy Holi-daze!

2009-12-28T16:41:00.008-05:00

Well, I think the family and I have written, starred in, and produced our own version of "Surviving Christmas" this year and all have survived intact. Not that anything usually goes wrong around the holidays but with my barely functioning brain cells on overload and high-alert during these weeks they just never know when I may either lock myself in the bedroom crying or run screaming from the house, never to return.

Neither event took place this year although it was quite touch-and-go during the "do-I-or-don't-I-buy-a-fake-tree-before-or-after-Christmas-and-I-am-obsessing-wayyyyy-to-much-over-this" weekend. Which was ultimately solved by buying a beautful fake tree that we will enjoy for years to come without mopping up spilled water, then forgetting to water the tree resulting in vacuuming a bizillion needles for the next six months. Whew, it was a close one, though.

Christmas has come and gone and in retrospect it was a wonderful day. We spent the day at home while various family and friends visited and we ate, played, and enjoyed a great day together.

Now all that's left of the celebrations is New Years. It's only a few days away but I can already hear 2010 banging on my front door yelling "I'm here bitch, and I've got some 'Alli' and a work-out dvd! Get your fat ass off the couch!" Is it too late to turn off the lights and hide behind the door?

Harley ate her present.

Kathleen loves her laptop.

Shelby asked for, and received a camera.

The aftermath.

Already a loser...

2009-11-03T08:11:00.002-05:00

...but moving on. November is NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month, in which you strive to post to your blog every day. I've already messed that one up but since I didn't feel well last night and Kathleen had the computer for homework I'm gonna excuse myself and let it go. I'm sure you all have forgiven me already.

Fall colors

2009-11-01T09:13:00.006-05:00

I do a lot of complaining about how much I hate to see summer end each year. A. Lot. But I guess when the time comes around I spend as much time marvelling at the beautiful colors of the leaves when fall arrives in full bloom here in my little corner of the world. Disclaimer: I still hate the fact that summer is gone, but the leaves are pretty. Okay.

Shelby and I walked to the library last week and I grabbed my camera as we left the house. Here are some photos I took along the way.

Tha bitches at Stitches!

2009-10-25T20:24:00.014-04:00

On Saturday Misty and I went to Stitches East in Hartford. "Stitches East?? What in the world is that??" you say. "Who got stitches?? Are they okay??" Well, in fact Misty DID get stitches on Friday night trying to be freaking Martha Stewart making Halloween cookies (WHO makes cookies for halloween??), but that's not what I'm talking about.

Stitches East is a convention for people who knit, crochet, spin...anything to do with yarn and fibers. The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford is pretty damn big and it was just about full of vendors selling yarn and anything to do with yarn. There were classes for beginners and advanced knitters and all kinds of knitty stuff.

I did not have anough money to buy everything I wanted at this thing, but then again, if I did buy all that I wanted, I don't think I would have the time to knit it all. I DO think I touched it all though!!

I did buy (clockwise from top right) a long-coveted set of Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles. (Love them already!) Two skeins of Stardust merino yarn that has a strand of nylon throughout that makes it shimmer, an 'orphan' skein of handpainted Ambrosia (alpaca, silk and cashmere!!!) that I got just because I loved the colors (ooohhh), and pink and blue Shui Bui mohair and merino wool yarn to make a couple of Christmas gifts. Not too bad, ya think?

I also got to kit on The Big Sock! I saw this on the Stitches website before going and was determined to contribute. The story is on their blog but in short, someone wanted to make the biggest sock in the world and it is going around the world to different venues and a lot of people are contributing to it both by donating yarn and by knitting on it. It will eventually end up back in the UK to be formally accepted into the Guiness Book of World Records. There. I hope I am at least semi-accurate. After I knit a few stitches i gave my spot to another knitter and signed the log and got a pin commemorating the momentous event. Sorry, lame, I know, but I'm a sucker for stuff like this.

It was a fun day. We took our time wandering and we sat in Starbucks for a while on a funky little couch relaxing and talking to other strangers who knit.

I am already planning on going next year and I'll wear my fabulous new shawl made from this year's yarn and maybe I can pretend I am from far away and stay in the Marriot there at the Convention Center. Maybe, just maybe...

This and that...

2009-09-08T21:27:00.013-04:00

I've had a lot to write lately but have not taken the time to sit and blog so hopefully in this teeny tiny moment of quiet I can get something accomplished.

Veggies

Instead of planting hundreds of dollars of annuals this year I invested in vegetable plants instead. Besides the whole "going green" idea of planting and harvesting our own food, living off the land, saving money and teaching the children to rely on the Earth's bounty - I like plants and gardening. Oh okay, so it's just the plant thing but give me a break, it sounded good for a minute. I planted three types of tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and a bunch of herbs. The tomatoes are going a bit slow. At first the plants were so puny but now they are ginormous with tons of green fruits just weighing them down. But hardly any reds to be seen.

This is an example of a daily harvest. The green beans don't usually make it into the house - they are garden snacks. Just wipe off the dirt and munch. And if I send Shelby out to gather (I just love sounding like Caroline Ingalls tonight.) the tomatoes don't even make it into the house. I just may have to grab a bunch of green tomatoes off the vines and let them ripen on the sun porch.

One LESS remaining brain cell...

I had to get up at the crack of dawn this past Saturday to have an MRI on my brain. I hear you laughing. Yes, there IS a brain in there. It is prone to migraines and tripping off-line occasionally, but it is still nestled safely within the confines of my skull. Here's proof.

There's no reason for the MRI scan other than the fact that the last scan I had was a CAT scan about ten years ago; well, that and the fact that I, personally, am questioning it's existence lately. I've been suffering from M.A.J.O.R. anxiety lately and I didn't know if the fact that I am getting close to the age my mom was when she passed away (from a brain tumor no less) is getting to me or what so we just wanted to eliminate what could be one source of my recent (and hopefully, temporary) insanity.

So on Saturday I am a bit nervous about this MRI thing since I can be just a little claustrophobic at times, inopportune times mostly. They had asked if I needed to be sedated but they don't sedate anyone on Saturdays - hello...someone needs a day off, I guess. I had one out-of-body experience right when she put me into the machine when I pushed the button and INSISTED on being let out. That wonderful tech let me out for a minute, talked me down off the ledge and for the remainder of the MRI I was blissfully lounging on a beach in Bermuda. Or maybe that was my broken brain cells playing games with me...

Bookstores and Blogging...

Also on Saturday Misty and I stopped in at Borders (I picked her up and took her to EB to get her house key after her son locked her out and for those of you familiar with the area, Borders is not too far out of the way - well, maybe 6 or so miles, but I digress...). As Misty and I are apt to do when we are in public we act accordingly and appropriately and like perfectly well-behaved adults who have been in public before, NOT and we ended up making quite a scene in the knitting/sewing/craft book aisle. The two xanax I had taken before my MRI had FINALLY taken effect and I needed to sit - on the floor - and that got me laughing and Misty snidely throwing comments out of the corner of her mouth and pretending she didn't know me. After a particularly funny comment about my "magnetically-shaken brain syndrome" I said I needed to remember to blog about, we apologized to the nice woman standing next to us who was obviously just trying to find a book and get out to enjoy the nice day. Come to find out, she is a blogger too and has introduced me to her blogosphere of friends through her blog here. Please stop on over, check out her blogs and leave a comment for me.

Well, I think that is it for now. I have to hit the hay as I have a job I have to get up for in the morning. Wouldn't want to sleep in and miss it, would I?

You need a license to catch a fish...

2009-08-27T14:58:00.002-04:00

...to drive a car, to sell real estate, to practice medicine, to sell liquor, blah, blah, you get the idea. But you do not need a license to have a baby and raise that child. Any idiot can do that. And most do.

Case in point, the woman I saw today at the lake on the Subase. She walked onto the sand carrying the usual paraphernalia: beach bag, blanket, toys, and a car seat/baby carrier. A young man/teen was accompanying her holding the hand of who I can assume was her son, a very small child, probably 2-ish. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. The young man took the little boy into the water and they played while the woman watched from the shore. The baby stayed in the car seat. In the sun. The woman went into the water and swam. The baby stayed in the car seat. In the sun.

Finally she took the baby from the seat. This little one could not have even been a month old. She was so tiny, with little chicken legs waving. The mom held her in one arm while she sprayed her, front and back, with sunscreen. Then rubbed some on her little face. I was in shock, and commented so all within earshot could hear me. No one else seemed to care or notice.

Once "mom" deemed her child was safe from the sun, she took her into the chlorinated lake, splashed her around, dunked her once or twice (now into the sunscreen-slick surrounding them), and then put her back into the car seat. She didn't rinse her off, change the chlorine-soaked diaper, or dry her. I just stared. I wanted to approach her, and I know I should've - I am ashamed I didn't - but I could predict the outcome and was not up for a confrontation. In the mood I have been in I am sure I would be writing this from jail.

I know this mom was not beating her children and it could have been worse, perhaps she does not know any better, and it was obvious she loves her kids. My only hope is that these two children grow up to be healthy well-adjusted adults despite their naive or incompetent mother. I hope it is the former and she learns right from wrong soon.

Paper and Yarn and Patterns, oh my!

2009-08-07T11:00:00.003-04:00

Spent Saturday buying myself a little happy! :) Misty and I went to Old Saybrook to our favorite yarn shop and had a little fun feeling up the yarn and deciding what we just could not live without. I bought some Noro sock yarn on sale, some more sock yarn in variegated blues that I hope to make into a shawl, and some Flat Feet Yarn! I have wanted that for a long time and am so excited to get started on that. Flat Feet yarn is sock yarn that has been knitted into a flat rectangular panel and then dyed. To knit socks from it you knit as you unwind from one end and the dyed pattern knits into a random pattern in your socks. Each flat makes a unique pair of socks - so exciting! (I know, lame to you non-knitters, but that's the extent of my happiness lately so give me a break, okay?)

We also went to a new-to-us scrapbooking store in Clinton and browsed for a while. Well, I can hold out for a long time until I find that one piece of paper I have to have and then it's all downhill from there. All in all I did okay, just $13.00 so I am proud of myself. But not proud that I will add this bag of paper to the previous bags in the scrap area just waiting to be used! I just need to get down there but it's not on the top of my list right now. What is? knitting.

Okay, okay....

2009-07-16T16:21:00.005-04:00

...so I said I would be updating regularly showing my progress completing my many creative projects. Well, yeah, um...so it's been like this - I have started knitting a sweater but the gauge was off so I had to start over. I have not been scrapbooking nor painting nor making jewelry. I have been taking TONS and TONS of photos off the old desktop (which takes about 20 tries to finally boot up) so that's been taking up some of my time. I will be buying an external hard drive to back up those photos and the 1500 or so I have on this laptop. Then I will begin sending them to be printed. I actually feel safer with them here in boxes than on the hard drives.

Anyway, here is a preview of the sweater I am knitting. This pic is actually of the one I had to rip out, but I haven't gotten to the pattern on the new version and that's no fun to look at. The color is a little off - it's more of a blue-green - and the yarn is a super soft "eco-blend" of cotton and acrylic. Knitting has not been at the top of my list of things to do lately but I want to get back to this before I totally lose interest.

So, to the few of you who read this blog, expect to see some creative progress posted soon, or at least a few more excuses why that's just not happening 'round here.

An (un)creative moment in time

2009-06-08T20:23:00.008-04:00

I am a creative person. I not only 'like' to create, but I NEED to. It keeps me sane, relaxed and happy. If I do not take the time to knit, paint, scrapbook - anything creative, I get tense. And grumpy.

Well, lately I am feeling very grumpy. And one reason I am grumpy is it's all my fault - nobody keeps me from being creative, it's all me.

I just don't take the time to do those things. I feel I need to have my 'work' done before I can 'play.' Therefore I have paintings half-finished, baskets of yarn waiting to be made into socks and scarves, and tons (literally, TONS) of pictures to be put into scrapbooks.

Now, you may think: "Denise, the time you are wasting on the computer blogging about being un-creative could be better spent being...uh...creative!" Yeah, well, I know that. I really do.

So I am making the commitment to blog weekly about something I have created. A half-knit sock, a few pages scrapped, a brush stroke here and there. Promise.

Stay tuned. And please feel free to send an email or comment 'kick in the ass' to keep me focused.

Another Not Me! Monday...

2009-05-18T23:56:00.003-04:00

Well, it's another Not Me! Monday (you can see the original here).

I most certainly did not take a three hour nap today after work. I only had four hours of sleep last night but now to get to sleep tonight...

After this alleged nap, I did not let the girls just eat boxed mac and cheese and fake mashed potatoes for dinner. In my defense, it's what they wanted...

One good thing is, while writing this and simultaneously watching the dvr'd end of The Bachelorette I am getting sleepy. Now to avoid yet another game of Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook and actually hit the sheets.

Not Me! Monday

2009-05-11T16:14:00.003-04:00

Not Me! Monday is a wonderful thing that happens every week over on MckMama's blog. Each week she confesses all the 'not me' moments of her week and asks her reader to do the same. The results are raw, honest, and wonderful for all of us who think we are the 'only' moms to do these things. So this week I will join in and I invite you to do the same!

Yesterday I did not stand in front of my new-to-me washer and actually watch the first load run for about fifteen minutes.

This morning I did not give Shelby nighttime cold medicine in the hopes she would take a nap.

I, myself am fighting the cold that is going around the house and on top of that I've had a migraine since Saturday so I plead the fifth on every other thing I did not do and just don't remember. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Hope

2009-03-10T22:06:00.004-04:00

President Obama has given me hope. Again. By signing the bill to reverse the ban on stem cell research, I have even more hope that a CURE for Type 1 Diabetes is imminent in my daughter's lifetime. I realize that stem cell research is an emotional, ethical, and moral battle for some. I know that those little clumps of cells have value as a human life - but they also have value as a potential cure not only for diabetes, but for cancer, parkinsons, alzheimers, MS, etc. I'm not asking anyone to agree with me. Just have hope for my daughter and the many other children dealing with type 1, no matter where it comes from.

Here's what Kerri from dLife has to say.

Happy Birthday Shelby!

2009-02-23T15:16:00.015-05:00

Today is my baby's 11th birthday. I know, not so much a baby anymore so I guess I shouldn't refer to her as one. But as all moms know, it's hard to give up on that idea of the youngest being the baby and in my heart she will always be "my baby". (I'll stop now as I am beginning to sound like the old mother in the book "Love You Forever" - you know, the one where she climbs into her grown son's bedroom and rocks him to sleep?? yeah.)

So, as I come to grips with the fact that my 11 year old can stand next to me and look me evenly in the eye, wears a larger shoe size than me and can probably take me out with one swing if she is so inclined, let me wish her a very happy birthday.

Shelby, I hope that your eleventh year is the best one yet!! I love you!
Love, Mommy

Say cheese!

2009-02-16T21:06:00.002-05:00

I bought myself a new camera. My Fuji has just about bitten the dust after having some hot cocoa (accidently) spilled on it a few months ago. It still takes pictures, but don't try to view, erase (or push any other button) without some major Japanese-technology resistance.

So, I have a new toy and am loving it so far. I went the point-and-shoot route this time around just because it is easier to stash in my purse or pocket. AND I got a great deal on it. I've tried out a few of the features but haven't printed any photos yet. If they come out as good as they look on the touch-screen display, I will be totally happy.

My First Blog Award

2009-01-31T21:05:00.004-05:00

"I would like to thank the Academy and Shari for presenting me with this award."

If you've been presented with this award, this is what you need to do...Thank the person who gave the award to you, post the award on your blog or in a post, nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude/gratitude, link to the people you chose on your post, and comment on their blogs to tell them about the award!

Here's who I am passing the award to:

Karen at Karen's World
Pamela at My Place for Attempted Creativity
Stacy at the little things
Carla at Welcome to Uno Acres
Jessica at The Life, Faith and Creativity of Jessica Turner
Angie at Bring the Rain
Gretchen at My Daily Balancing Act
Kristie at Not Quite What I Had Planned
Mama Belle at Mama always said
Karen at Bitter Sweet Diabetes and Musings of a (mostly) self-taught knitter

These are some of my favorite blogs and I encourage all of you to check them out. And pass on the Award! Believe me, it's an honor even if you're only nominated (but I do wish there was a cash prize as well!!).

'Twas the night before...

2009-01-27T09:03:00.004-05:00

...my new job and what else is new?
The girls still aren't sleeping and I'm about through.

Some laundry is drying, the rest folded with care;
So tomorrow I won't be wonderin' what to wear.

No money has come in yet but some has gone out;
It costs some to make some, my husband's found out!

I bought some new pants and new shoes for my feet.
A thermos for soup, and some good snacks to eat;

Right now I'm exhausted, but I can't close my eyes;
There's no more sleeping in, so early I must rise.

I've dreaded this day; staying at home's a good fit;
I enjoy being home; I scrapbook and I knit!

But good things, they say, must come to an end;
I'll contribute in a new way; to the bills I will tend!

So I should be excited, I'm starting a new phase;
I'll have a new 'purpose,' and a "real job" that PAYS!

Goodbye 2008

2008-12-30T00:38:00.004-05:00

I'm sitting here reading other people's blogs and thinking of how I haven't posted to my own in a while. Christmas has come and gone with all it's busy-ness of shopping and wrapping and secretly preparing for one day. I'd like to say that the spirit hasn't left me but I can look around from my comfy vantage point here on the love seat and see nothing that even remotely looks holiday-ish. Yesterday I took down the tree and dragged the boxes up into the attic. I did leave the 'skinny' tree up in the dining room with its white lights and homemade paper ornaments and garland; and I'm thinking of how cute it will look in a month with red hearts hanging from it for another holiday.

Now it sounds like I was all Scrooge-like for Christmas and that was not the case at all. I enjoyed most of it and although not putting up the lighted houses might be considered sacreligious here, I looked at it as 'scaling back' and only doing what I wanted, not what was expected of me.

Christmas Day was great. The girls seemed genuinely satisfied with their gifts. And although Randy and I had said we weren't buying for each other (we are remodeling the basement and we usually buy ourselves little things we want when we're out anyway), he surprised me with a little Tiffany-blue bag containing a bracelet. He also won a radio contest for a full dinner prepared by the chefs at the Mohegan Sun so we could relax all day and not worry about cooking! Yeay! We had family and friends over and had a nice, relaxing day.

Now I sit here a couple days before 2009 begins and I'm wondering what this year will bring. 2008 was not all roses and sunshine, but looking back I can now see the rainbows through the raindrops. I am stronger because of the challenges I faced, but I do feel a little ungrateful for saying that I wish we hadn't had to face them at all. Our 'challenges' could have definitely been tragedies instead, and for that I am very grateful.

Before I get all introspective and sappy I will just end this by saying that 2008 has been a long year, especially with that extra day in February and an extra second coming at midnight on the 31st! haha Goodbye 2008, may we all have a happy and healthy 2009.

A little behind on the thanks...

2008-11-08T18:17:00.007-05:00

Amazingly enough I have been too busy to blog these past couple of days and have missed my daily "thankful' posts. I had subjects in mind for those days, but never got the time to write so I'll catch up now.

Thursday, November 6
I frequent a message board for parents of kids with diabetes (CWD) and a friend posted a message this morning about November being Diabetes Awareness Month and that she was blogging everyday about diabetes. This friend, Nancy, is someone I had 'met' on a scrapbooking message board and was a source of information and comfort when Kathleen was diagnosed T1 in March (Nancy's youngest daughter has T1 as well). We have never met in person and have only spoken in the phone and computer, but she was 'there' for me when I needed someone who knew what I was going through.

Anyway, I was thinking on Thursday morning that I was thankful for all that I've come to associate with diabetes. My 'friends' on CWD, including Nancy, who are a constant source of encouragement and information; for Yale/New Haven hospital and their great diabetes educators; for medicine, medical technology and medical advancements that have come so far in managing this disease; and for being able to educate everyone I know about Type 1 diabetes.

Of course, I wish none of this had come about but I thank God everyday that Kathleen was diagnosed with diabetes and nothing more serious.

Friday, November 7
This day was my 45th birthday. I cringe when I see that number. I don't know why I have such an issue with age, but I do. Do I feel old? Look old? Older, maybe, but not old. Act old? No way. So why the problem? I think some of it has to do with the fact that my mother died at 48. Believe me, I will have a rip-roaring party when I turn 49!! So on this momentous day I am thankful to have another birthday, no matter what the number because after all, it IS better than the alternative!

A Month of Thanks

2008-11-05T09:06:00.002-05:00

I'm a little late coming to this game, but I read about this blog challenge on Stacy's blog and wanted to try. The gist of this challenge is to blog everyday for this month of Thanksgiving about something you are thankful for.

To be honest, I really don't know where to start. The past month has been full of challenges for me, some of which I'm not sure I've recovered from and some of which I'm sure will reappear. I know I should be thankful for those challenges as they will teach me and make me stronger in some way...some day. But for now I cannot think of them as blessings or 'teachable moments.' Right now I am just "getting by" using an old AA saying: One day at a time.

So if I have to be thankful for something today I will be thankful for whatever I have inside of me that is getting me by, one day at a time.

Our ship has sailed...

2008-10-28T19:54:00.020-04:00

Randy and I went on a cruise this month. Yes, I did get my submariner on an ocean-going vessel that he did not have to navigate and he loved it. (Okay, okay, he was a little tense going through the narrow strait into Bermuda...)

We left Boston on October 12th and headed for Bermuda. Our ship, the Norwegian Dream, is older (and smaller) and not as modern or brightly decorated as the newer ships but since it was our first cruise ever we did not mind. It will be nice, however, to cruise in the future on something with a little more open space. (We had one stormy day on the way home and it was a bit 'busy' with everyone below decks.)

Anyway, Bermuda was bee-you-tee-ful!!! I loved it there. Everything about Bermuda is pretty. The water is a million shades of turquoise and so clear! I stood in the water up to my shoulders and could see my toenail polish perfectly!! The sand on the beach we went to was PINK! and very powdery (is that a word?). The houses are painted in every imaginable color and the properties are clean and uncluttered. The streets, although very narrow, were clean - no litter anywhere. The people were so friendly and nice and accommodating and helpful and did I say friendly? Everywhere we went we were met with smiles and hellos and conversation. I understand that their country kinda depends on tourism and keeping people happy while they are there, but their friendliness just seemed genuine to me. Maybe it was the rum.

Oh, yes, the rum. I cannot say the words "Rum Swizzle" without having a little giggle. They are good. Really good. And they go down too easily. There's a couple Swizzle Inns on the island and we visited both within hours of each other. I could've been on the Bermuda evening news that day and the video footage would have shown me holding my arms out like an airplane on the back of the scooter just before the accident. (No, there was NOT an accident, just my example of how my drunkeness, I mean silliness would've been the last thing people on the street saw before said hypothetical accident.)

We spent three days in Bermuda before sailing back to Boston. It was a great week full of eating, drinking, shopping, beaching, walking, scootering, more eating, and more drinking. I recommend a cruise to everyone. We're shopping for our next one already.

Here are some pictures of our week:

A 'moongate' in front of a 'little pink house'

St. David's Lighthouse

View from a window in the lighthouse

Gibb's Lighthouse (I didn't climb this one)

Reid Street in Hamilton with Allen, Lisa and Randy walking

Horseshoe Bay Beach

All the roofs are white and 'stepped'

St. Georges from the ship

The ship docked in St. Georges

Randy and I at Horseshoe Bay Beach (taken by the 'honeymooners')

Turquoise water

Horseshoe Bay again

St. Georges

...another beach (taken while scootering down the road)

JDRF Walk 2008

2008-10-21T10:41:00.013-04:00

I'm a little late in posting about our walk. This was our first year walking for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund). Never in a million years did I ever think I'd be walking for a cure for something one of my children have, but I did. In the rain and wind and cold. And I felt good about it. I also felt good about the support we received from family and friends. The weather was truly miserable and to have them there shivering right alongside us was heartwarming, as was the support from friends who could not walk with us but donated anyway.

Together we raised a little over $700 which was almost three times the modest amount I had set for my first-year goal. I also learned alot about organizing and fundraising which will help us next year. Next year I will start earlier. This year's walk came only 6 months after Kathleen's diagnosis so I was still learning. I know to be a little more 'agressive' in getting the word out there and not to wait until the last minute to do t-shirts! And - Kathleen was hospitalized the day before so I was very frazzled the morning of the walk.

I am very proud to have been a part of the walk this year and although I am looking forward to the next, I most look forward to there being a cure and therefore, no need to walk at all.

Ledge Light

2008-09-18T00:15:00.015-04:00

At the mouth of the Thames River here in CT there is a very unique lighthouse. It's called Ledge Light and I have always been infatuated with it. It doesn't look like a typical lighthouse. It looks like a house; it's not round, not particularly tall, and not on the shoreline. It's built atop a ledge in the middle of the water.

I love lighthouses. I've been inside many and taken pictures of even more. I've always known that the public can tour Ledge Light but often seem to 'forget' that fact until someone else brings it up. My sister-in-law did just that while we were camping last month. We were both like "ohhhh....we should go!" and "we've GOT to go out there" and then just as soon as I remembered, I forgot again.

Until she offhandedly mentioned maybe a week later, "We're going to Ledge Light tomorrow!" WHAT?!? You didn't call me?!? Right away I decided that my family and I were going too. Who cared what was "going on" the next day? I had a plan.

The entire tour was to take 2 and a half hours - 2 hours of which were spent at the lighthouse. The weather didn't look like it was gonna be great, but when we got to Avery Point the haze started to lift and by the time we got on the boat the sun started to shine.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. We toured the lighthouse from the top of the light to the basement; we learned the history of Ernie the lighthousekeeper who died there and the antics of the Coast Guardsmen who kept watch for years after; we were told why it is designed in the Roman-revival style (New Londoners wanted a 'sophisticated' lighthouse) and that the four faces of the building match the compass points; we learned how the light turned before the building was electrified (candlelight and a weight and pulley system through the center of the building) and how it survived the Hurricane of '38 (barely).

I was surprised the kids weren't bored - they really seemed to pay attention to the guide - especially the story claiming that Ledge Light is haunted by Ernie (Ghost Hunters tv show went there once).

I took a million pictures (although five minutes after leaving the dock my camera's batteries died; I highjacked Robyn's).

We took pics of Chris and I touching the lighthouse and of New London Harbor Light.

I really enjoyed the trip out there and I am sure I will go back again and just sit on the steps watching the water for two hours, it would be worth every penny (although it only costs $16 per adult).

Like I said, I love lighthouses but sometimes I find it hard to climb one even though I'm DYING to see the view from the top (in my defense...Currituck Light in NC had 216 steps and those steps were BARELY attached to the wall!). I will always go out of my way to see one, photograph it, and maybe even touch it. heehee

Summer '08

2008-08-28T10:09:00.058-04:00

The girls have gone back to school and although the calendar states otherwise, summer is over. School starting has always been synonymous with fall and I don't like fall. Well, I guess in a way, I do since I love to see the leaves turn glorious shades of red, orange and gold. But okay, if it is said that I like fall, then I LOVE summer. And summer is over.

So while I sit here and reminisce about summer and it's lazy days, I will share some pictures of our summer.

At a 'family' picnic in June. Tasty food, cool drinks (see the three drinks on the railing in the first picture? 2 of them are mine...yeah...), and good friends - the three requirements for a good time!

My mom had always said that if you couldn't afford your own swimming pool or boat, be friends with someone who can. Well, we got our own 'pool,' but do have friends with a boat! :)

Virginia Beach. Only spent about an hour there, but I just HAD to go. Nobody loved it as much as me.... While there we visited some friends and went to Busch Gardens.

On the left is Currituck Lighthouse in Corolla, NC on the Outer Banks. On the right is the reason I didn't make the climb to the top.

No, I didn't get arrested (although stuck in a car with two kids for a week, I came close a few times!), this was the view from our balcony in Kill Devil Hills, NC. And a picture of the girls in a weak moment of sisterly love.

While in NC we had dinner at Dirty Dick's Crab Shack. Shelby had to have the crab hat and wore it for two days straight. Too funny!

Our resort in Myrtle Beach, SC and everybody enjoying the pool (hel-low people? there is a perfectly good beach just around the corner!!)

Just a "few" shells we collected in Myrtle Beach.

We went camping in late August with my brother and his family. The kids had a blast and it was the most relaxed I've been in a long time.

All in all it was a great summer, but as usual, too short. 9 months and counting 'til next summer....

Ahhhh...

2008-08-02T09:57:00.004-04:00

...vacation.

Here's a picture of Randy in front of our new home in Myrtle Beach. Yeah right.

We're having lots of fun here. I've taken tons of pictures and when I'm home I'll blog more.

Right now, there's still more beach here to sit on...

Team Kat-Walk invites you....

2008-07-24T19:20:00.009-04:00

Hello Family and Friends,

I am writing to ask for your help.

This year we will be walking in our local Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes on October 5, 2008 (Kathleen’s 16th Birthday!) in Niantic, CT along with one-half million other walkers across the country, as we try to reach our goal of raising $100 million.

As most of you know, in March of this year our lives were forever changed when Kathleen was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In just four months she has been through a lot and has shown amazing strength though it all. Each day she tests her blood sugar levels at least four times and receives three insulin injections. She HATES needles and is anxiously awaiting approval of an insulin pump. While insulin keeps her diabetes in check, it is NOT a CURE! Without insulin a person with type 1 diabetes will die.

Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating disease that affects millions of people, with a large and growing percentage of them children. To see what a day in the life of diabetes is like, you can watch this video made by a parent of a child with diabetes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1tiIcHfeMc

There is some good news, though. For the first time, scientists are predicting that we CAN expect to see a cure well within our lifetime! Now, more than ever, you can make a crucial difference. Won't you please give to JDRF as generously as possible? Together, we can make the cure a reality! Until then, Kathleen lives with this disease every day and we will do everything we can to support her.

You can donate the following ways:
Option 1: via our website http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87051577
Option 2: by check to me (I will add your donation to the tally on the website. Please do not send donations directly to JDRF.)
Or, if you would like to join our team and help fundraise, visit our website and click on JOIN THIS TEAM. I guarantee we will have a great time walking "on the Kat-Walk." (couldn't resist!)

Thank you from the bottom of our pancreases!
Denise, Randy, Kathleen and Shelby

P.S. For more information on type 1 diabetes visit this link:
http://lastbraincell.blogspot.com/2008/04/4-14-2008-type-1-diabetes-awareness-day.html

Just SOME of Kathleen's diabetes supplies - about 1 month's worth:

We Spy...ourselves!

2008-07-23T09:01:00.008-04:00

A Yahoo Group I belong to has started a new blog called Shutterbug Spies http://shutterbugspies.blogspot.com/ where a challenge is posted each Wednesday and we, the members, take pictures pertaining the that challenge and post them on the blog. Everyone else who wants to participate can post their pics to their blogs and link them in the comments.

I missed the deadline for this challenge. This picture was take a couple weeks ago on a friend's boat. Kathleen took it - I'm used to being behind the camera - not in front of it! I edited it in Photoshop Express.

Make sure you check it out and add your own photos to ours! Here's to a fun blog with lots of interesting photos!

Five-star knitting

2008-07-11T09:03:00.005-04:00

This is my latest sock project. My goal this summer is to knit all my sock yarn (so I can buy more!). In the (read: my) world of sock knitting there are varying degrees of difficulty: multiple needles, one circular needle, stockinette stitch, patterns, thick yarn, thin yarn, etc.

Although some may look at these socks as no big deal for them, they are my "Five-star highest degree of difficulty" yet socks. The yarn is 'Magic Stripes' which (duh) 'magically makes stripes' as you knit. The higher degree of difficulty here is that I have made the stripes MATCH for both socks. Also, they are knitted from the toe-up, rather than cuff-down; they have a short-row heel (not a skill I have mastered), rather than a gussetted heel; and they are both knitted on one circular needle at the same time. WooHoo for me!

If you don't knit this may all sound quite foreign to you and you just may well be saying big deal. Well, the approval-seeking side of me just wanted to let you all know that for me, it is.

Life's a Beach...or not

2008-07-01T23:04:00.008-04:00

I love the beach. The sand, water, smell...everything about it (except the extreme 2nd degree burn I received 6 days ago that still is blistering and in searing pain!). Shelby and I could go to the beach or lake everyday. Some days though the work involved makes me wonder if it's worth it and especially now the $4+/gallon of gas to get there and back is a pain in the a$$.

So, for the past few days we've been toying with the idea of getting a pool. We even went as far as taking a short trip to a local dealer who stocks and installs above- and in-ground pools. Let me tell ya, they are nice...real nice...especially when you're looking at them on a hot day like we were. The low end of the price range wasn't too far out of control, but after 24 hours of consideration we decided that buying a permanent pool isn't for us this year for many reasons.

First of all...$$$. We have other things that kind of money can go towards before a pool. Besides the cost of the pool there's the cost of having it filled, chemicals, electricity, new fence, etc. Next consideration, the time of year. By the time we get the town involved, schedule the install and replace the fence it will be August. That leaves one month to enjoy it. Nah, we'll wait til next spring and if we still want one we'll be able to enjoy it all summer.

Instead we went to WalMart and bought one like this. Not so large that the town will take any interest in it but not so small that we can't all jump in with a few friends and cool off. Shelby is such a water baby I won't be able to ever get her out of it. We will get our money's worth in no time with her alone. Crap, just the lack of "I'm bored"s will be enough to send me into fits of giggles each time I look at it.

I admit, too, that Randy was swayed into the purchase by the promise of a few late-night skinny-dips. I already have a few excuses on hand just in case I decide not to follow through ('water's too cold,' 'too many mosquitos,' 'neighbors might see,' as well as the standard 'too tired' and 'got a headache'). If I don't let him cash in, though, that may kill the idea of a permanent pool next year. Damn. I need a "Plan B."

P.S. I had to edit this because my friend Tara thought this was our actual pool and wondered who these people are. Disclaimer: I do not know these people and this is NOT my backyard. THIS is an ad from the WalMart website. Which is probably copyrighted so now I'll be sued. Thanks, Tara.

Summer '08 Knitting Goals Contest

2008-06-16T17:51:00.008-04:00

I found this on Sherilyn's blog and decided to join in. It originates here at Ali's blog Skeins Her Way (can't wait to go back and read it). I have a bit of yarn lying around (yeah, a "bit" - shhhh, there's more in the bedroom) and I want to use it before buying more. I have my eye on FlatFeet Sock Yarn - so cool! - and cannot wait to buy some. It's $25 per flat. For me, that's a little pricey. Yeah, I know it's great yarn but in the end it's $25 for a PAIR of socks. But I love to knit socks and the cost is as much for the fun of knitting as it is for great yarn. However, I already have some sock yarn waiting to be used first.

So, my knitting goals for Summer '08 are:
1. knit all my sock yarn into actual SOCKS before summer is over.
2. finish a pullover I started last spring with beautiful bamboo yarn, sorry, no pictures...yet.

Back to socks. One reason I love knitting socks is their portability. One ball of yarn, short needles, thrown into a purse or bag and off ya go. While waiting for an appointment, for the kids at school or practice, or sitting on a friend's couch knitting pleasantly passes the time for me.

So let's see what I can accomplish this summer. We have a road trip planned to SC for late July so that should help some. I was thinking I could knit while on the beach there but, no, as talented as I am ::::cough cough:::: I don't think I can knit AND hold a frozen drink at the same time. Perhaps I can tip the cabana boy extra to stand there and hold it for me. The drink, that is...shame on you!

New stove

2008-04-22T18:22:00.007-04:00

We bought a new stove this week. First stove we've ever had to buy. I was a little apprehensive about it because it was a big purchase and I can always find a way to thnk that I'm 'not worthy' of something I really want. We had seen this particular stove on clearance at Lowes a week before. We ooohed and ahhhed over it before looking at others not on sale and then moved on because we didn't NEED a stove.

I've been cooking A LOT since Kathleen's diabetes diagnosis (it's easier to count carbs that way...figures). I made pancakes one morning and although I might admit here (and to no one else!) that it MAY have been operator error, the pancakes burned on the outside and were raw on the inside. It's been very hard to regulate the temperature of the oven, and this gave me reason to believe that now the cooktop was 'acting up' too.

Randy had to go to Lowe's for something else and let's just say, two hours and one frustrating (okay, HIS word would be b*tchy) phone call later, he came home with this:

I love it. It's just so brand new and shiny and clean and MINE! Of course, now I have no excuse not to cook.
Crap.

What I've been up to...

2008-04-22T14:35:00.015-04:00

I am so proud of this latest project of mine. Back in July when we bought the house we spent a lot of time at Home Depot and I bought a nice ceiling fan/light I wanted to put in the kitchen (on clearance!). I told Randy "no rush, whenever" and although I know he's a busy guy, c'mon now, it's 9 months later and no fan installed.

So, those of you who know me...you know what comes next! I decided to put it up myself. I love the fact that I am pretty self-sufficient in the do-it-yourself department. And I pride myself that I can do just about anything. A long time ago I put up a ceiling fan into an existing light fixture and I didn't burn the house down. (For me, that's a sign of a job well-done: no fires, floods or broken body parts! haha) So I thought "I'll save my dear overworked husband time and install it myself." Okay, okay....I actually thought "I'll show HIM for waiting 9 *&#$ing months and it's STILL not done!" (Nothing like a little aggression and a type A personality for getting things accomplished.)

I knew that the 'old' ceiling fan had a bigger base than the new one and I needed a medallion to cover the excess. One trip to Lowe's and ACMoore and a night at the table painting the medallion to match some plates that I have on display in the kitchen and I had a beautiful ceiling decoration. I got the fan out of the garage and found that it had a brownish-gold finish. Ugh. Took that sucker back to Lowe's and got one with a brushed nickel finish to match the cabinet hardware.

Anyway, fast forward a couple hours and this is what I ended up with:

I love it! I obsessed over centering the fan on it and my friend Tara said "Don't worry, nobody ever looks up anyway." Um. No. EVERYBODY will look up at this because I will point it out whenever someone steps foot in my house. "LOOK WHAT I DID!!"

Note: Although it looks great in this picture, it didn't work and tripped the breaker when I turned the power back on. Randy came home at 8PM from motorcycle racing in NJ and was a "little" ticked that he had to fix it. Too bad for him. Unfortunately he couldn't figure out the screwy wiring the house has by himself either and my dad made a home-improvement house-call. They finished after 11PM.

Lesson learned for me: Don't care it didn't work...I still did it BY M-Y-S-E-L-F! Lesson learned for Randy: don't put off home-improvement projects that you know your wife will do by herself and you'll probably have to re-do at some late hour when you are totally exhausted with your wife standing nearby gloating.

The Pursuit of Happiness....

2008-04-21T11:27:00.003-04:00

Spring break is over. WooHoo!!! Although it was a wonderful week weather-wise - blue skies, warm temperatures, beautiful days - it was a bad week boredom-wise. Seriously. If I hear "I'm bored" or "I want someone to play with" ONE MORE TIME I will lose it. The beginning of vacation was fine as both girls were here and kept themselves entertained with Nintendo DS and The Sims and Guitar Hero. It was great to sit here on the couch and knit while listening to them giggle hysterically from the basement. Then. It. Happened. Kathleen went to her father's for the weekend and Shelby slipped into high-maintenance mode. OMG I wanted to put her on the corner with a sign around her neck: "Friends Wanted to Play"

Now, I know I'm risking a "back in my day" story, but I am pretty sure I remember it correctly that when I was a kid I was in charge of finding my own fun. My mom did not spend and hour going through her rolodex of friends who had kids looking for someone to come over and play with me. Granted, there were kids in the 'hood. We just walked outside, followed the sounds of kids playing and joined in. I also feel that this was a good thing because I can now fill a day with activites I enjoy (not housework lol) and never feel bored. Ever.

I truly don't feel like a bad mom telling my kids to just go find something to do. Why do parents these days feel they have to schedule their kids' lives to mimic a corporate takeover? 9AM breakfast; 930 read books; 11AM board games; 1145 lunch; 1PM ....you get the idea.

As a mother I am responsible for many things in my kids' lives: shelter, food, clothing, safety, health, etc. Some days this is easy, some days just those things present their own challenges. I can add 'happiness' to that list in the general sense, but not in the sense that I have to manage every waking moment of their lives.

There. I said it. Now go out and play.

4-14-2008 - Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day

2008-04-14T16:07:00.008-04:00

Today is Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day. I have supported many worthwhile causes in the past but never once imagined I would support one that so directly affects one of my children. Our lives have forever been changed by Type 1 Diabetes. I believe there will be a cure in Kathleen's lifetime and on that day we will celebrate!! Until then, she lives with this disease and we understand that today is necessary. I realize that many people don't know exactly what Type 1 Diabetes is, and how it differs from it's more common cousin Type 2. Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day is a day where we can all learn exactly what Type 1 diabetes IS and ISN'T.

Some facts about Type 1 Diabetes:
* Type 1 Diabetes can strike at any age, it doesn't only target children, though it is more common to get Type 1 Diabetes as a child.
* Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease much like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Multiple Sclerosis. The body has attacked itself, in this case the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
* People with Type 1 Diabetes are completely dependent on insulin to stay alive.
* There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
* You cannot outgrow it.
* It cannot be cured by diet or exercise (or with cinnamon, fish oil, foil hats or any other "cure")
* You do not get it by having a bad diet, or by eating too many sweets.
* Type 1 diabetes is no worse or more severe than Type 2. It is simply different.
* People with Type 1 diabetes are not prohibited from eating sweets. They simply must eat a balanced diet like everyone else.

Type 1 Diabetes isn't:
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't caused by something we did or didn't do to ourselves or our children.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't contagious.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't a death sentence.
* Type 1 Diabetes doesn't prevent us or our children from doing everything possible in life.

Please share this information with as many people as you can. The misconceptions about Type 1 Diabetes are endless and the entire Type 1 Diabetes community is taking this opportunity to put an end to these misconceptions . Through the greater awareness of the truth about Type 1 Diabetes we hope to advance people and organizations who are dedicated to finding a cure.

For more information on Type 1 Diabetes and research towards a cure, please visit:
http://www.jdrf.org/
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.org/

2008-04-11T09:38:00.005-04:00

ScrapShare Blog Challenge - #12 Getting to Know You

1) Right now I want: a cure for Type 1 Diabetes
2) I wish I knew how to: enjoy exercise, or at least stick with it until I do
3) When I want to indulge myself, I: sit on the couch all day knitting and watching soap operas
4) You’ll never see me: without bangs. I am trying to grow mine out now, but because I hate my high forehead I'll probably cut them eventually
5) A childhood memory that I love: Family picnics. My mom and her two sisters took turns having family picnics at each other's houses almost every weekend. I loved thatQ!
6) 2 things I do every single day: stay up too late and be on the computer
7) Happiest moment of 2008, so far: I really have to think on that one...man...there are many, but I can't pick one right now.
8) Describe yourself in 3 words: creative, passionate, selfish
9) 2 scrap related goals for this year: make time to scrap every week and commit to it and tackle those boxes of old pics
10) You have $40 that you MUST spend on yourself – what do you do with it? buy yarn :)

What goes up, must come down...

2008-03-24T08:48:00.010-04:00

Those words have a few meanings for me today. On Thursday night (3/20) I had a dream that wherever I had to go, I had to take an elevator. Up. Down. Up. Down. Now I am not particularly fond of elevators, so this dream stuck with me.

Fast forward to Friday. After seeing the doctor at the Naval Subase Hospital, Kathleen was referred to Yale-New Haven Hospital with a diagnosis of Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. She had been having symptoms for a while now - excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, dry skin, extreme hunger) and I finally would not take no for an answer when I asked to have her blood tested. On Friday her fasting glucose level was 295 before we went to Yale. Over the weekend she spiked at 360 once and had a low of just 212 (normal range is 70 - 120).

We stayed at Yale until Sunday afternoon. During those two days the nurses monitored Kathleen's blood glucose levels, changed her insulin doses accordingly, and threw a bunch of information at us (over and over again!) It was scary and overwhelming at times, but Yale was the best place for us to be. Kathleen was great about all this. She checked her own blood sugar and the nurses or I gave her the insulin shots. I started figuring out how to count carbs and order her food according to the plan. Goodbye take-out, hello cooking at least until I get the hang of that!

So, back to the dream (the elevator, remember?). Kathleen's room was on the 7th floor so of course, I spent a lot of time in the elevator...up. down. up. down. Her blood sugar levels all weekend...up. down. up. down. Crazy, isn't it? Adds a whole new meaning to the phrase: what goes up, must come down. From our lips to God's ears...

Another talent I possess :)

2008-03-16T19:07:00.005-04:00

I saw a picture of a cake online and decided to make a similar one for Shelby's 10th birthday last month. It was a lot of work - more than I thought - but mainly just physical work tinting and rolling that lovely fondant out. I like the look of fondant, and will definitely use it again, but it doesn't taste that great! :P I can point out a few 'errors' and that's just my nature to do so...but I'll resist here and just let you revel in it's beauty... Call for orders. :)

ScrapShare by the Sea 2008

2008-03-13T21:26:00.007-04:00

This past weekend I spent three days in Portsmouth, NH with my internet friends scrapbooking and having a wonderful time. I got to see a few women I had already met at a previous retreat, and meet a few I had only met online. It was great to get away and get some pages done, as well (51 pages woohoo!).

As much as I am proud to have done so many pages, it was also great to see a few friends again and meet a few in real life. My table buddies Karen (Sterling Scrapper) and Pamela (Pamela in MA) had a great dinner at Warren's and had fun all weekend (although they may never drive with me again!). My 'wicked' roomies Lynn (Scrapping in Windsor) and Tanya were at the other end of our crazy table as well as Lisa (LisaRoo) and Liz (Liz in VT). Meeting Theresa (Miss CMC) was a highlight of my weekend. Her Hurricane Katrina album documented her family's experiences throughout the storm and after. It brought tears to my eyes and I am humbled by her courage and resilience.

I enjoyed the entire weekend and am thankful for my 'internet axe-murderer' friends!

I...

2007-02-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

This is taken from a blog I recently discovered - NesaScraps:

I
am: home from work AGAIN with a sick child
want: to do more for myself
have: guilt over not getting stuff done around the nouse
wish: I could find time to scrapbook everyday
hate: arguing with my kids
don't: have much self-confidence, although I cover that fact well
can't: control my anger sometimes
need: an hour to myself to unwind or recharge just before dinnertime
hear: the television
wonder: what is possible with even a little bit of effort
believe: anything is possible
regret: a decision I made when I was younger
am not: the best NOR the worst mom in the world
dance: pretty well
sing: well, at least I think so
cry: at practically everything lately
am not always: nice
make with my hands: stuff for other people
write: not nearly enough
confuse: doing things for me with being selfish
should: believe in myself more (yeah!)
start: a lot of projects
finish: not much

2006-09-17T15:07:00.000-04:00

Another Scrapshare blog challenge from Stacy.

1. Open your purse/wallet/briefcase/diaper bag.
2. Inventory the contents.
3. Pick one item from your inventory list and expand on it. Why do you have it? Where did it come from? What special meaning does it have? Is there a funny/interesting story attached? Choose something that will tell the reader a little about you, whether it's serious, funny or unremarkable ()- or if you're writing for yourself, choose something that will remind an older you of who the younger you was.
4. Add photos if you'd like to.
Go - inventory your contents!

This is my 'summer' purse. For this summer, anyway. I always seem to find a new one in Kohls each year - they have such cute ones!
Here's the contents minus the inch-thick stack of receipts I threw away yesterday.
~ wallet. don't know what's in here since everything that should be in there is out
~ four lipsticks. all about the same shade
~ one Burt's Bees Lifeguard's Choice lip balm. my lips got sunburned this summer-not fun
~ Honey & Shea lip balm
~ reminder cards for dentist and neurologist appointments ~ Imitrex migraine nasal spray medicine
~ cell phone. turned on - wonder why it always goes dead when I'm out somewhere?
~ about $2.60 in change. again - not in wallet
~ "swiss army" tool. this has just about anything you would need in it. haven't used it yet
~ patch from a fireman we met on vacation. have to get one from my brother who is a fireman on the submarine base to trade.
~ hole punch ???
~ nail cuticle oil
~ business card from vet
~ Big Y (grocery store) coins
~ package of new alphabet brads
~ license, military ID, two debit cards, an empty Wal-Mart card, three gift cards, two ATM cards, one credit card, wallet-sized cosmetology license, beauty store ID card

I really don't know which item to pick and elaborate on. I don't think there's anything remarkable about any of them. Maybe this will do: newest item? vet business card (dog on front looks like our new puppy); oldest item? wallet; most valuable? military ID (would HATE to lose this); least used? wallet (you can see nothing makes it back into it!) and 'swiss' tool (never used, but ya never know when you might need something...).

colors of me

2006-08-27T23:16:00.000-04:00

This entry is in response to a blog challenge by a fellow ScrapShare member, Stacy.

I have always loved the color purple. All versions of it: lavender, violet, indigo, and big 'ole bright PURPLE! I love purple flowers. Lilacs, violets, hydrangeas, johnny jump-ups, and especially the multi-hued morning glories that are at this moment covering most of my front porch. Funny though, I do not wear much purple. Not sure why, I usually talk myself out of buying any purple clothing.

My master bathroom is decorated in purple. I made the curtain and trimmed it with purple beads I had picked up at a discount store not knowing what I wanted them for, but had to have them 'just in case.' I painted the top of the mirror and the bottom of the window in stain glass-like purple flowers. My poor husband - the sole male of the house (our cat, at one time his only gender ally, has been surgically removed from the male species) - had staked his claim on this bathroom and had probably dreamed of some manly type of decor for this one room. Too bad. That's what you get when you go to sea for any length of time and leave me here alone with Kohl's just down the road.

Purple can soothe me, give me strength, energize me, calm me and inspire me. I believe that when I speak or think, if word bubbles would appear above my head, the words would be purple.

Now, that having been said...I like to wear red. Growing up I never wore red. Even avoided wearing red. I have no idea why. I have a vague memory of shopping with a friend when we were teens and she recommended I try on a red shirt. I almost acted repulsed by the thought of it! haha! I am wearing a red t-shirt right now. I wore a red (strapless, no less!!) gown to this year's submarine ball (see May 2006 post). I LOVED this dress on me, but initially had to be persuaded to try it on. Had I been shopping alone I probably wouldn't have even taken it off the rack. I got more compliments when I was wearing that dress - compliments usually make me feel uncomfortable - but that night I felt like royalty.

But, purple is my favorite, and here is what Google has to say about it:
Purple: Purples are highly individual, fastidious, witty, and sensitive, with a strong desire to be unique and different. Temperamental, expansive and artistic, a Purple person may become aloof and sarcastic when misunderstood. If you chose Purple, you tend to be unconventional, tolerant, and dignified, likely to achieve positions of authority.

I agree with most of that except for the last sentence. Unconventional and authoratative - maybe. Tolerant and dignified? Not so much.

blog-napped...

2006-07-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

While catching up on other people's blogs this morning I came across this (thanks, cmmomofmany!). Now, I read these 'surveys' a lot, but have never felt the need to do one, but here goes:

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4 and write what it says.
Ledyard High School Program of Studies
independent study credit should see their school counselor after obtaining a recommen-
Art class section

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch?
Nothing. I am sitting in my computer chair in the dining room.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
The Weather Channel

4. Without looking, guess what time it is.
9:45 am

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
9:53 am

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
The water dripping from the air-conditioner upstairs. It's like Chinese water torture...

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night when I went to the trunk of my car to get the new laundry cart.

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
CMmomofmany's blog

9. What are you wearing?
A blue striped nightshirt. (Yeah, I know, it's almost 10 am get dressed already!)

10. Did you dream last night?
No

11. When did you last laugh?
Last night while watching tv with my daughter.

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Two large and two small paintings of vintage wine bottles.

13. Seen anything weird lately?
Probably, but can't remember right now.

14. What do you think of this quiz?
It's fun

15. What is the last film you saw?
Disney's Cars

16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A house and a boat for my husband and a tummy-tuck and boob-job for me! :)

17. Tell me something about you that I don’t know.
As much as I profess that I don't, I really DO care what people think about me.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
Besides the cliche' "have world Peace," I don't know.

19. Do you like to dance?
Yes!

20. Comment to George Bush:
"What the Hell?" (For no particular reason, just a general comment.)

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
My first child IS a girl, and her name is Kathleen.

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
If Kathleen had been a boy, she would have been Evin.

23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yes! I love Italy!

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gate?
No words, just open arms.

25. 3 people who must also do this quiz in THEIR blog:
Nobody in particular...if you feel so inclined..go for it.

a productive day...sort of

2006-06-12T21:09:00.000-04:00

Tonight I am tired. Looking around here I don't know why. There are still some groceries to be put away from yesterday; some - okay, who am I kidding - LOTS of laundry to be folded and put away; mail to go through - and that's what I can see just from my computer chair, we won't go into upstairs (not that you could go upstairs past all the stuff on the stairs!!).

But I do feel like I accomplished things today. First of all, I got up and went to Curves at 6 a.m. BIG accomplishment in my book. If nothing else got done after that I wouldn't care, well maybe a little, but any exercising on my part is a big thing. Anyway, then I finally finished putting the lights on the new umbrella, cleaned off the back patio, put the excess chairs away. (Why we have so many patio chairs, I don't know. We always sit at neighbors' houses rather than ours since we are on the corner, further away from everyone.)

For quite a while this afternoon I sat in front of one neighbor's house watching the kids play and just veggin' out while the sun played peek-a-boo with us. Much more satisfying at the time than patio cleaning, or ::gulp:: house-cleaning.

After some much-needed essentials shopping for the girls (i.e. jammies, bras and undies. They'd die if they read this!), and a bit of sitting at dh's softball game (even though Randy is in Norfolk, VA this week) I came home and washed all the bird doo off my car, watered and fertilized the flowers, watered and seeded the lawn, cooked dinner - okay, it was a Schwans mexican pizza thrown in the oven, but it was delicious! - I can sit down and remember what I have done today and observe all that I haven't done.

Oh, and don't even mention what I could be doing if I weren't on the computer reading and posting blogs...that's not fair and besides...you are reading rather than doing what? :)

a day without kids (or) the sweetest thing

2006-05-06T23:51:00.000-04:00

Today Randy and I had the luxury of being able to spend time together without the girls. Kathleen is at her dad's and Shelby is at Girl Scout Camporee. WooHoo! We did have a 'night without kids' last night and celebrated a bit too long into the early morn, so we got off a slow start this morning. But once we were up and about the day was ours!

Since I was the one who felt a little better than the other, I had the privilege of driving the car and therefore the power of deciding where we went. I wanted to go to the factory outlets and look around a bit. On the way, I remembered that a friend told me about a scrapbooking store in Old Saybrook (http://www.magicalmemoriesllc.com) and since it was National Scrapbooking Day (and I was driving - remember: power) I wanted to stop there.

Now get this - I have been scrapbooking for 9 years -and have never been in a scrapbooking store. Okay, other than Michael's or AC Moore, but they don't really count. Let's just say I was in there for quite a while. I think I looked at every single piece of paper and sticker they had to offer. Looked. I did not but every single one, but a select few. :)

Randy was quite aggreeable through this scrapbook store browsing and actually seemed to enjoy it once or twice. He did go out into the car while I did the make-and-takes, but not because he was bored, he said. I believed him. (Remember, we went out last night? He was still a bit green.) So anyway, I shopped, he 'rested' and we both were happy.

We left and moved onto the outlet stores and then to Outback for dinner. It was while we were waiting for our food that he said the sweetest thing. He said that it was nice to spend time with me in a place that was my interest and my passion. That I'm always going to motorcycle dealerships and shops with him and that he was happy to be with me somewhere that I wanted to be. He said it was 'cool' to see me look at everything and be so excited about it.

Okay, I'm a sap. Very emotional doesn't even begin to describe me. When he was done with his little 'testimonial' to our afternoon, I had tears in my eyes. We had a wonderful day, a nice dinner, and some time together that was long overdue and much needed. And - I got some new paper too! Happy National Scrapbooking Day to me!

we clean up good

2006-05-06T23:33:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago Randy and I attended our base's Navy Submarine Birthday Ball. It's basically when a bunch of submariners get together to boast, toast, and see who has the most (medals and ribbons, that is). Oh, and we wives get to go along too.

I got to buy a new dress, get my nails done and walk around all night with pinched pinky-toes. Although I wasn't too happy with the size dress I had to buy, I did love it, and have decided that red is my new favorite color to wear.

So here are a couple pictures to commemorate the occasion. We were like royalty before the paparazzi with our friends Chad and Tara while everyone's camera got a turn.

We had a great time at the ball, but an even better time later at a local bar where I kicked off my shoes, danced barefoot (ewwww!) and we got free drinks for being the best-dressed. Just proves that although we clean up good, you can dress us up but ya just can't take us anywhere...

four traveling yankees

2006-04-23T20:53:00.000-04:00

Okay, three yankees and one redneck - hahaha! This week was Spring Break for our area and we had the great idea to travel to VA to Busch Gardens (dh and kids' idea) and Colonial Williamsburg (my idea). After 13 hours in the car for what should've been a 9 hour trip we arrived to a warmer climate...ahhh...

We spent Tuesday at Busch Gardens (free admission!) and the girls loved it. I took lots of pictures - mostly of the beautiful gardens. The girls couldn't wait to get back to the motel to go swimming in the pool, though.

On Wednesday we 'forced' them to go to Colonial Williamsburg. Randy and I had a great time while they complained about how tired they were of walking and repeated "can we go back to the motel and go in the pool?" about every tenth step. Besides that, it was beautiful there and the weather was wonderful. Oh - more pictures of gardens - I love tulips.

Another painstakingly long trip home in traffic and we watched the car thermometer go from 92 in New Jersey to 63 at home in Connecticut. We live in the tundra up here! :) So after being gone four days out of break I really don't feel like I had any time off and it's back to work tomorrow...ugh. Bright side - only 30 more days of school til Summer Break! - but who's counting...?

rain...sleet...snow...SPRING???

2006-04-08T16:04:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here at the computer and I hear little taps at the french doors next to me and on the air conditioning sleeve in front of me. Hmmmm...sounds odd, but familiar.

Dh comes in through the front door exclaiming how it has dropped several degrees since we were out earlier and there is now a combination of rain/sleet/snow falling outside. For crying out loud, Mother Nature! It is April 8th! Spring! Didn't you get the memo?

Right. I live in the northeast section of the US. Spring for us doesn't really start until about mid-May. In the past we have seen several inches of snow this time of year, and later.

So why am I complaining when there is obviously nothing I can do about it? Because I can. It is something out of my control and I have issues with that. I will watch it through the window because it is pretty - I will go out in it later because I have to - but I will not like it and I reserve the right to complain about it.

So take that, Mother Nature!

hello...?

2006-04-08T15:56:00.000-04:00

Okay, I noticed recently that I have not been blogging nearly as much as I thought I would have when I started this whole thing. Not that I don't like talking/writing/sharing every detail of my life with someone...but I found I like reading overyone else's blogs instead of writing mine.

I tried explaining blogs to my dear husband last night. He doesn't get it. But then again, he doesn't get my need to talk to people alot in real life.
So, thanks to Stacy and a few others from Scrapshare for entertaining me lately with their blogs. Hopefully, eventually, you'll all find mine as fun to read as I do yours.

homecoming

2006-03-11T16:04:00.000-05:00

Well, my husband is finally home.
Six months and one week have passed (but, who's counting?) and Randy came home via submarine on Wednesday, March 8. I have to admit I really didn't get 'excited' until I saw the sub coming near the river. The past week was full of homecoming preparation (i.e. house cleaning!!), exhaustion, and anticipation. I will be the first to admit that I get stressed over the smallest of things and getting ready for homecoming is no small thing! But, it's over and I am feeling so much better.

The girls and I went to the end of the river to watch for the sub. It was a beautiful day here in SE CT - not the frigid temps we had just a week ago. We watched until the sub passed us and then scrambled to the car to go to the base. I tell you, seeing the sub come near the pier was as exciting as it ever is. Each time is like the first time. The girls were looking at me like I was a crazy woman, jumping up and down.

After what seemed like an eternity the sub was tied up and they started coming off and onto the pier. Randy's friends were gathered around me and were almost as excited as I was. I had almost forgotten what he looked like and all those submariners looked the same in their uniforms!
Finally, he was walking towards us, arms open, roses in hand and a huge smile on his face! We hugged for what seemed like forever (six months of forever!), and then I turned him over to the girls and his friends.

It's wonderful having him home, and we are adjusting well. I am so independent and sooooo unused to having someone 'check' on me that it is definitely different. :)

So, let the new phase of our military life begin. He is soon to be on shore duty for three years. We're going from him not hardly being home to being home almost every day. Right now that sounds so exciting and great.....check with me in about a year.... :)

where to start?

2006-02-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

This is my very first blog. I am inspired to start this after reading an online friend's blog (thanks, Stacy!). I'm hoping this will be a creative and fun way to 'speak' to our family and friends who are not as lucky as we are to live in -frigid- CT! BTW, it is 15 degrees with a -5 wind chill out there today...brrrrrrr!

So, be patient as I get the hang of this blog thing and since I love to talk, it should be interesting! Stay tuned...