WW: fair and balanced blogging

this one? Not so afraid of the camera I guess...

WW: proof of why I'm not a fan of the portrait packages

I'm just sayin'....

It's probably not a good idea to spend Saturday night catching up on your growing list of unwatched TiVo programs. Especially if this involves a marathon session of CSI, CSI-New York and E.R.

That is unless of course you didn't want to sleep last night...
Yep, I am just sayin'....

Wordless Wednesday:

Taking Flight

As most of you know, I have this small passion for scrapbooking. And in my pursuit of this hobby, I've found a couple online communities that share my passion. One of the places I like to hang out is called Scrapshare. It's a message board where we exchange tips and ideas for scrapbooking. Yet along the way, friendships are formed and a real sense of community has been formed. Like any community, there are happy times and then there are the sad times.

This past week was one filled with sorrow. Last Monday, one of our members rushed her 5 yr old son (Danny)to urgent care only to soon learn he had a tumor lodged on his brain stem. While surgery was attempted, Danny would not wake up from his surgery and soon the hardest decision any parent must make was being thrust upon Donnann and her husband.

Soon the questions were being raised on Scrapshare. What could we do as a community to show our support for this friend during her most darkest hours? A fellow member, and close friend of Donnann suggested a balloon release. (if interested, Desi has also done a remarkable job of keeping us all updated through her blog.)

So this morning at 1030 local time, the Things (with a visiting Thing) and I did our part...My heart truly aches for what this family has gone through. And what they will go through in the days to come. This has got to be simply every parent's worst nightmare.

I ask that all of you, take a moment to hug your things a little tighter today...giving thanks for the health they enjoy. Celebrate the days we are blessed with! And please keep Donnann, Dan and their surviving daughter Madison in your prayers.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your
paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6

Nice boys or new strategies to stall bedtime?

The other evening, Thing One had his nose buried in my scrapbooks. They've been on the same shelf now for almost a year, but apparently, he just discovered them. He chimes in with "Mom, these books are so good. I love all the pictures and reading all the stories!".

"Thanks son, but come on, time to brush teeth"

Then last night, as we were watching the season finale of Project Runway (for which I believe I now must pay up on my wagers to Ms. Dodi), the younger thing starts in...

"Mom, you should try out for this show."
"But son, I can barely sew, much less design clothes"
"No, you need to go for the one for scrapbookers!"

OK, boys, it didn't work the other night...it's not working tonight.
(but I am going to blog about it!)

Food for thought...

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Thanks Mr. Twain for that reminder...

'Tis the season...our annual trip to Nick's

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Wordless Wednesday

Home Sweet Home...

The suitcases are unpacked and tucked back under the stairwell.
Loads 1 and 2 of laundry are done (with only one load left to go).
The kitchen is restocked.
The puking has stopped.

and all is well with the world...

Sleepless in San Jose

New code name for Thing Two: Sir Pukes A lot...

Suffice to say it's going to make for an interesting trip home...

12 on the 12th

0630: what a way to start the day. Playhouse Disney (that's the only kid channel that we get) 0700: I'm assuming that whomever they hired to create the decor for this hotel was fired. I like blue as much as the next gal, but come on, icky Hospital Blue? YIKES.....it's a bit much
0800: Sure son, go ahead and eat the cookie in bed. It'll make up for the nauseating decor in the hallway, the limited kid options on the TV, and the highway robbery they are committing when they charge me for Internet access. Oh, and let's not even mention the limited parking that was available last night (the attached convention center was host to the Bay Area's biggest and best Dandia. Whatever that means: all I saw was car load after car load of women in saris, each one more beautiful than the next).
0830: Yumm-O: awhile back Colorado quit selling the twisted variety. So now whenever we travel out of state, it has become a bit of an adventure to see if they still can get twisted cheetos (and yes, they have just enough different taste/texture than the simple puffs that you can still get at home)

0845: OH no, I looked at my watch wrong and it isn't almost 1000, it's barely 0900...too early to show up at the inlaws house. Let's kill time at Santana Row
0905: Only place open is Borders (which is probably a good thing for my wallet)
0930: Happy Thing One: he spent his lucky money on a book. Big surprise there, NOT!
1245: After lunch, we visited a park....

And now...for more adorable Nephew pictures...
And more....
And More....
And more...

Sorry, Mrs. Smith, I'd have gone by the Jelly Belly plant and picked up some treats for you...but I couldn't tear myself away from this adorable little guy. I'm sure you understand....even without curls, he's totally huggable.

You came for the pictures..

and thus I shall not disappoint...

We're here...

And all is well.....

Wordless Wednesday

And we're out of here...

Heading out in the morning for a few days visiting the inlaws....
Assuming we've got internet access, I'll update the blog while on the road.

if not, we'll catch up on Monday!

Look Ma, no cavities...

Which is the good news...

Took the Things to the dentist today. All that brushing, rinsing and finally flossing (honest, they floss now that we've discovered those Reach floss thingies) has paid off.

Sadly, the good news did not continue. One needed a tooth wiggled out today. The other has been given 30 days to wiggle TWO teeth out or come back. And they both need consults with the orthodontist.

Do you think Congress will bail us out so we can pay for their braces?

If you give a Thing a camera...

Sometimes you get the expected...But also, you sometimes get the unexpected...


Thing One or Thing Two (and maybe Hubby) took these other three photos.
Must remember to hand over the camera a little more often. It is always interesting to see the photos that other people take.
*taken LAST weekend. This weekend? Total homebodies...

They know...

Yesterday, we took a little trip. An adventure with another family. (photos to follow, still on the camera). On the way home, the car was so quiet for having 5 hyped up boys in the back.
For a moment I thought they had fallen asleep. No such luck.

Instead, the other mom asked "are you guys chatting or playing?" (picto-chat on nintendo Ds)
One of the boys replied "We're doing both...that's what being a kid is all about: chatting and playing!"

Well by golly...if they know it, I wonder if they'll ever appreciate how easy they've got it?
Yeah, I don't think so either...maybe when they are all grown up and nostalgic....

Got Quirky?

Yep folks, another round of Tag is being played and just when I was bragging about not being tagged, I learned it was because I'd already been tagged here. Thanks ladies...I'll try my best at this one.

Here's the challenge:
List 6 of your quirks
Here are the rules: Link the person who tagged you, identify your quirks and then tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.

1. I simply must park in the same spot at the school every afternoon when I pick up the Things. And while they may be old enough to find me even if I'm parked elsewhere (who am I kidding? They could probably walk home by themselves, I'm just not ready to let go) but it really messes with my chi to not get my spot.

2. In order to get that spot, I leave 20 minutes early for a drive that take me at the most 4 minutes. Being late? Really bugs me. You can be late and it won't phase me. But me? ACK, we're late...hurry up boys...to which they've learned to respond with "No mom, we're just Martha late!".

3. Time for bed? I simply must sleep on the same side of the bed and on my right side. When Hubby is working nights or out of town, and in theory I could have the bed to myself, I still curl up on that edge of the bed...

4. Um...Uh...this is hard...can I cheat and borrow some quirks from my officially diagnosed quirky kid? Like did you know for the longest time he'd eat chicken only if it came in the little box from McDonald's? And while we couldn't afford to be going to McD's over and over, I would save the box and fill it with regular chicken. Yep, I"m the enabler to the quirky... that counts right?

5. Still nothing...is it because I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning? I'll often read the ending of a novel and if I like it, I'll read the beginning.

6. Six? Did they really say six? Why not three? Do I get bonus points for trying? Camera: can't leave home without it. Yesterday we toured the US Mint. Can you guess what was harder for me: leaving my purse locked in the car or not being able to have my camera with me on a family adventure? Ding Ding Ding: we have a winner! I felt naked the entire time...no camera case slung over my shoulder.

Ok, who to TAG:
I'd tag Tracey: but she's too busy trying to get through nursing school..
I'd tag Dodi: but like me, she's raising quirky, which leaves little time for herself to be quirky. Plus, she needs to be updating her blog with Project Runway stuff
I'd tag Ganelle: but she's more into playing pranks than playing tag.
I'd tag Aimee: but...well, I can't tease her because yes, she has updated her blog recently but usually she's about due for a nag instead of a tag.
I'd tag Danielle: but I'm thinking she might still be in that American sugar coma we induced with the goodie box of treats we sent her..
I'd tag JuniorTX....hmmm...just maybe she'll play along...although last I read she was busy helping build a library in her small town (she doesn't have time to be quirky with plans that big on the horizon!)

(and the other five of you as well...even though I've provided you with excuses...give it a try, please?).

Wordless Wednesday: Remind me again....

why did we bother getting them bean bag chairs?