Verbally Challenged

Well…for another week.

We’re really not moving. That’s just how much time we have left…plus a few days but whose counting!

I’m just excited to have more time to do this…

and this…

and this…

you get the idea. I love the desert!!!

***Photos were edited on laptop. If they’re a hot mess, they’ll be corrected once we’re back to home base!

Yesterday we went to one of MY favorite things to do when we visit the desert. Can you guess?

It involves this…

and these guys…

and a little of this…

And yes, it did smell funny – especially after a tiny rain storm moved through. Or if you’re seven. And your seven year old nose is EXTRA sensitive.

It also involved some laughing hyenas but you’ll have to take my word for it as I don’t have the video.

It wasn’t the zoo.

with the greatest of ease….and tears through the water because my dude can finally swim.

He no longer fears the deep water.

That’s a relaxed ahhhhhhh….not a yell.

Right now we have no dogs to let out, bird cages to clean, cats to feed. There is nobody begging for food, kneading my lap or squawking when I’m looking for peace and quiet. We only have this little guy.

Right now we have no garden to water, weeds to pull, plants to feed. We don’t have to cut the grass, sweep the sidewalks, kill the poison ivy. We only have to enjoy these. And not touch them.

Right now we don’t have to go to work, go to scheduled activities, maintain the daily routine. We only have to put our feet up and listen to this.

And enjoy our time away as a family of five, under the hot hot sun while someone else lives in our house and takes care of our responsibilities.

I’m still working on the new format here too…hopefully the black will be gone soon.

***Photos were edited on the laptop so the colors may be off!

Obviously there is a bit of change going on right now and for the next few days you never know what you’ll see when you visit!

Hopefully it’ll eventually be a good looking page that isn’t black.
Hopefully you’ll see bigger photos.
Hopefully it’ll be better organized.

And hopefully I’ll be able to add a lot of new material as we ARE on vacation and I have TONS of photos to prove it.

More later!

That would be sassy stuff from my favorite company Sassafras Lass, not my children. Although my three year old little GIRL gives me some “sassy stuff” on a daily basis. Who knew that girls could do that? Certainly not me. I know I never did (quiet mom).

These are two layouts that I created last month using all sassy product. I’m doing a set of cards right now that are super cute. I’ll be sure to share when they’re completed.

For now…a layout about my wee boy when we WAS 11 months (so glad to get the details down) -

And my stylish gal who LOVES fashion. I kid you not. I could tell her that we’re going to the mall and she reacts as if it were Disney. I don’t even care for the mall. I blame my mother (and all of the shoes she buys her).

Back in February when the weather was just plain cold and awful and I was a prisoner in my own home (not kidding) – I took to the sewing machine. I bought pretty colorful happy fabrics that took me to warmer climates and mentally escaped. Well, except for the times when things didn’t work and I had to rip out seams a gazillion times. I did a lot of swearing (when no kids were around of course). I learned how to make things I usually bought from other folks!!! This peasant style dress being one of those things…with the pants being another.

I have NO idea what’s up with the pose. I was going though the photos and thought that it was quite funny.

This one will make up for it, as it’s totally her with the big happy smile!!!

I love the main paisley print on this fabric so much that I made a double ruffled twirly skirt out of the leftovers (because the five foot stack of other fabric that I had wouldn’t have worked) – insert eye roll here. I don’t understand myself sometimes.

More sewing shares coming soon…and a couple of pages…and more photos. Just more.

My good friend Becky Fleck has done it again! She used her creative talent to write another sketch book that is FULL of inspiration. There is definitely something for everyone in there!

I was lucky to be asked to contribute again (thanks Becky) and had so much fun creating the artwork (even the double pages). The altered pieces are some of my favorites as well. It’ll be released in October and is available for preorder now on Amazon. So check it out, you won’t be disappointed!

Today I offer lots of stories with lots of photos to go with the lots of time that I skipped updating the ol’ blog front. I’ll not bore you with the sickness details – it was ugly. And hopefully I’ve paid my dues for the rest of the year.

So what has the K-fam been up to over the past month or two? The little miss has been cleaning her dollies…

And honestly, she can spend at least an hour doing this. She has four little plastic gals in total who get a thorough washing, drying, dressing, feeding and bed….ing. She loves it. I love it. We’re full of love.

Now that the weather has FINALLY changed FOR THE BETTER (yep, I still whine about that cold stuff), we’ve been playing outside. And high on the list is drawing with chalk.

While my boy IS very smart (totally not biased) he did not draw what you see. Yeah yeah, you’re shocked I know.

We cleaned out the basement (I heart my husband) and found old party favors from when Liam turned two (because you never know when you just might need them). Take that husband who thinks I’m a pack-rat!!!

And the kids had fun with them….even seven year old kids who once got this as a two year old.

We learned how to drive Fred Flintstone style in the ol’ cozy coupe. Is there a family in America with kids who does not own a cozy coupe? They’re amazing and obviously fun to drive.

We dyed Easter eggs, one dozen to be exact. Five for the oldest child, five for the middle child, one for hubby and one for me.

Did the kids think that we were being mean and cruel when we didn’t let them each have six? You bet! Did we care? Not a all. Did mom and dad have fun competing to see who could color the best egg? ABSOLUTELY! And quite frankly, I think that I won. Well maybe. Hubby is pretty darned creative.

We cleaned up the playground area and….

have been using the swings. Not much more to say about that!

The weather has us dragging out all kinds of things, bikes, roller blades, roller skates (yep…Dora roller skates), scooters, balls, pogo sticks (for mom and dad mainly because we’re not above that), police cars….

with the cutest officer I’ve ever seen!!! Honestly!

Easter! I was healthy for Easter…but barely. Check out my crew…

I made my gals dress…super proud of that. And the week before Easter I had intended to make ties for the boys. I’ve never made ties. I didn’t even have a pattern. But I researched ties and they didn’t seem hard (insert laughter here). However, since I was still recovering and my house looked like a tornado went off in it AND the oldest boy was on spring break for two weeks AND I was still on a lovely cocktail of medicines that made me crazy…I decided to buy them. SO happy I bought them!

We had an Easter egg hunt at my folks house with all of the cousins.

This wee dude dominated and picked up lots of grass.

The wee Miss was very methodical in her searching. She found all of her eggs, dumped them onto a bench and began sorting her goods. She had a lots of Tinkerbell fairies land in her eggs and was beyond thrilled!

My oldest guy, well he’s fast and that’s why I don’t have a photo. The end.

So back to playing outside. Can you even believe how random this stuff is?

The baby loves playing hide and seek. Well actually it’s more like hide and run the minute he sees you looking.

I promise you the second after I took this photo he was off. He fast this little one!

And finally we had St. Patty’s day with Leprechaun’s and all that good stuff.

So did I make up for the time away? I have a couple of layouts to share, more photos, stories and now that I’m healthy…TIME! Although don’t mention that to my husband or he’ll expect me to clean.

More later!

Is there anyone out there?

Well I know of a few folks who are still reading. THANK YOU for asking if everything was/is ok…what we’re up to…asking for updates. I’ve been dragging my feet on a come back post. I’m working on the photos to go with the update and hope to post tomorrow.

For now, I leave you with the card that I created for Pagemaps. Becky is so good at designing sketches each month, keeping the fresh and fun. I’m addicted!

But for the past couple of months I’ve felt like this:

Wiped out. Unable to keep up. SICK and tired…but mostly SICK. And pushing through while trying to be the best mama I could be.

More coming soon!