Image

There is no denying that I love photos...especially a nice black and white portrait of my kids! I have collage frames throughout my house. Two upstairs in the hallway (one for each girl), a huge memo board in my sewing room full of snapshots, and a collection of frames in the built-ins in my family room. Seeing the faces of the ones I love scattered throughout my house makes me so happy.
I was debating what to get my Mom for Mother's Day and I couldn't think of anything better than some original photography. My Mom is a huge driving force in my life...and my best friend. I'm hoping she will love these pictures of the grand kids as much as I do! Mom...Happy Mother's Day! I can't wait to deliver your gift in person soon :)
And speaking of images...check out these fun Moo cards I just received in the mail!! I was so inspired by Patty's cards that I had to get some of my own! Can't wait to hand some out to my friends. If you haven't checked out www.moo.com you need to! And see Patty's Etsy shop where she has a cool wallet to carry all those cards! Patty...I'm thinking you need to restock your shop (hint, hint)...hmmm....maybe a fun splurge for Mother's Day!

Touching the sky

A seems to ask the hardest questions. I never truly know how to respond. Half of the time that's because she is twice as smart as me. She is forever asking me things like "how far is it from the earth to the moon" and "at what rate does the earth spin".

Today she asked me this:
"Mommy...can you touch the sky?

I replied:
"No A...you can't touch the sky" (for once I knew the answer!)

A:
"Well...in an airplane you are IN the sky...a space ship goes THROUGH the sky"

Me:
"I suppose so...but you still aren't TOUCHING the sky" (determined to be right for once!)

A:
"That's not true Mommy. Every time I swing...my feet touch the sky!"

When did she get so smart?!?!

A fellow ebay designer and friend has experience a heart crushing tragedy. There is nothing worse than watching a friend suffer and feeling helpless to relieve her from the pain. So in an effort to show her how much she has meant to us, a large group of designers have banded together for a launch to show our support. All funds raised during the launch will go directly to Michelle and her three beautiful children.

Please stop by ebay and support her! There are so many fun listings to choose from!
Click HERE to see all the WELOVEMUD listings!

Since I am stuck here on bed rest and unable to sew I am offering this fun 4 piece sample set! It was worn for indoor modeling only and is ready to ship out!
Click HERE to go to my ebay listing! Let's show Mud and her children some practical love!

Growin like a weed.

I'm not sure when it exactly happened...that my little chubby baby...with the piercing brown eyes and coy personality...turned into a little girl. I'm guessing overnight. My brain knows we have mastered most of the "big girl" prerequisites (the potty, getting dressed, speaking in complete sentences) but it still doesn't seem possible. Doesn't she know she is supposed to still fit in my arms, still need me in the night, still babble with delight instead of ramble in paragraph form?
And while it is killing me to watch her grow....I know it is hard work for her too. She hasn't given up her thumb yet. Or the hair twirling which always accompanies it. I guess in her own little way...she is holding on too.
A few months ago, A brought home a bean neatly planted in a Dixie cup. I actually rolled my eyes. We were leaving for Spring Break and I was annoyed by the thought of having to explain to A why the tiny plant hadn't survived without our constant watering. But to our surprise...the bean sprouted and grew furiously while we were gone. It sits by our kitchen sink and has grown at least 2 feet up the blinds on the window. This week it sprouted beans. A wants to eat them for dinner and I can't think of a reason not to saute them right up for her.

This morning I noticed that one of the stalks has turned yellow and seems to be withering...as if the large bean pod that it has produced has sucked its will to live dry. And I got to thinking about how much work it is to grow.

Maybe I am just feeling sentimental (or hormonal) but today I will be a bit more sympathetic. Growing up (and growing out!) is an awfully hard job. Some days it just seems to suck the life right out of you.

The "SNACKSTER"

Many of A's friends lovingly refer to her as "the snackster". For being a fairly trim child, she has an amazing capacity to devour food. The begging for snacks usually starts within 10 minutes of a completed meal and last until I cave (approximately 10 minutes after that!) Why am I sharing this tidbit of information?
I made the mistake of taking A with me to my OB apt. last week. Being on bed rest and having some serious concerns about this baby making his debut too early, my Dr. had some instructions for me following the apt. that she felt were very important. I didn't think A was really paying any attention to our conversation.

Dr. P: "Please try to take it easy. There are 2 things you must absolutely avoid. First...no working out. Second...absolutely NO S-E-X!!!"

Anna: AWWWWWWW MOM!! What are you going to do without any SNACKS???

After my Dr. and I picked ourselves up off the ground and regained our composure she proceeded to assure A that S-N-A-C-K-S would be ok as long as they are healthy for mommy :)

And just because she's cute too...

Ding & Ditch

Tomorrow is May Day and I have so many fond memories of my own "ding & ditch" escapades as a kid! I've noticed that this tradition seems to have fallen by the wayside here in our own community. I'm hoping for a resurgence...a re-birth...a refueling of the "ding & ditch" fever. As a child we decorated white styrofoam cups with stickers and pipe cleaners...adding in just enough candy and goodies to prompt a serious belly ache. Once loaded onto a cookie sheet...we carefully hobbled out to the car giggling in anticipation. And after a not-so-quick trip through the neighborhood depositing "the goods" on porches, ringing the bell, and running like the wind...we came home to a stoop full of our own surprises. We got caught more than a few times too. But that was at least half the fun!

Being on bed rest does complicate things a tad. But I couldn't resist a chance to celebrate the onset of Spring with a bit of pomp and circumstance. Our baskets aren't wonderfully hand crafted or filled with goodies baked from our own kitchen...but they were crafted with love by 4 chubby toddler hands and lots of giggles. Tomorrow I will send P and the girls out to deliver "the goods" to our bestest friends....and our girls will carry on the "ding & ditch" tradition :)

I'd love to see your creative take on May Day too! Consider this a challenge...snap a pic of your own May Day creations and post it on your blog! Be sure to comment here so I can come check out your own creativity!!! There are so many fun possibilities! We even made some boy versions with miniature sand buckets for containers! Now go have fun! And run like the wind!

The Challenge

J had a challenge for me this morning and the competition was stiff.

Guess who won?
Thanks for the smiles :) I love you!