Check out my ETSY shop!!!!

Check out my ETSY shop!!!!
Click on the photo to see my latest creations at Etsy!!!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Homecoming Dance

This past Saturday, Taylor went to the high school’s Homecoming Dance as a Freshman.  She went with a group of her girlfriends.  They met for pictures at a local park then went out to dinner.  I went to the park to take pictures and then the girls were dropped off at the restaurant by some of the other parents.  They also took them to the dance so I never got pictures after the park.

She had a great time and enjoyed the freedom of doing something for a whole evening with just her friends.  While she’s enjoying this new freedom, it’s a bit of a challenge for me to realize that Taylor’s growing up and becoming much more independent!  I am thrilled that she had such a wonderful time however!

Homecoming 09 003

Homecoming 09 021

Homecoming 09 044

Homecoming 09 046

Friday, September 25, 2009

FFF-“Me and My Boy”

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 001

I don’t usually like to post pictures of myself but I love this one of Ricky.  He is my sweetheart.  He’s such a caring, loving affectionate little boy and has matured into such a nice kid this past year!  Ricky is thriving in school once again this year and loves going there each day.  He’s doing some reading…could be doing much more if his mom actually worked with him on that! 

When Ricky smiles, he lights up a room!  I love this little guy!!!

Homecoming is this weekend at our high school.  Taylor is excited to be going to her first homecoming dance as a Freshman this year.   She’s going with a group of friends.  I’ll post pictures of them over the weekend!

To see more FFF, go to Sarah’s blog.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wordful Wednesday

This week’s Wordful Wednesday theme is Favorite Vacations.  I know I have posted some of these before but we have had so many fabulous vacations.  My all-time favorite was a trip that Rich and I took to Greece and the island of Crete.  Unfortunately it was before I had a digital camera and I have never gotten around to scanning those photos in to my computer.

To see more Wordful Wednesday photos, go to Angies’ blog!

Jamaica Feb. 2009

Jamaica 060

Paris August 2009

Paris 2009 015

London August 2008

London 8-08 028

Guatemala January 2008 to pick up Peter!

Picture 008

Monday, September 21, 2009

Walk

Yesterday we participated in the annual walk for Down syndrome.  It’s always been known as the Buddy Walk but this year they changed the name to the “Step Up For Down Syndrome Walk”!  Buddy Walk was a lot easier to say!

The weather was great and we were joined by my parents, my sister and 3 of her children, along with at least 5000 others who were walking for the same cause! 

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 010

They had lots of fun activities for the kids like face painting and tattoo…

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 005

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 006

Sherriffs cars to climb in…

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 002

Inflatable slides…

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 015

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 019

and a picnic lunch for all the walkers!

Buddy Walk 09 and G's birthday 013

This was the 7th year participating  in this walk in the past 8 years since we have had Ricky in our lives!!  What a blessing he is to our entire family!!!

Friday, September 18, 2009

FFF-3 Muskateers

 

3 muskateers

Ricky recently got together with a few of his school buddies to bike.  All three of these guys are working on becoming better bikers and none of them have an interest in taking the training wheels off!  Ricky is really quite a good biker and very capable of learning to ride a 2-wheeler so maybe we will make that a priority next spring!

To see more FFF, go to Sarah’s blog.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Garage Sales

Call them what you want…garage sales, tag sales, rummage sales, yard sales…I LOVE them!  I admit, I am addicted to shopping of any kind but garage sales are my passion throughout the warm summer months!  I think it’s the thrill of the hunt that keeps me coming back for more.  Through the years I have found so many treasures, although I have to go to tons of sales to find just that right item.  Friends and family give me lists of items they want and I can usually find them at garage sales.  There is an art to shopping and negotiating on prices.  It never hurts to ask if someone will come down on their prices!  Here are some recent “treasures” I’ve found on my hunts!

Fisher Price Backyard Tree house-I have never seen one of these before…my boys love it!  Paid $25

g sale finds 001

There’s even a little safe under the tree house in the crawl space!

g sale finds 003

Brand new Coach billfold-paid 50 cents!

g sale finds 007 

 

American Girl-Brand Bitty Baby-Paid $1.00

g sale finds 008

Beautiful 24” x 28” picture frame-Paid 25 cents!

g sale finds 009

Can you see what keeps me coming back for more!  And not only do I love shopping at them, but I love having sales and getting rid of my old, un-needed stuff.  At a recent sale I had, I made over $700 and my kids also sold some of their toys, etc. and made plenty of extra money.

So, next time you past a sign for a yard sale, are you going to stop??!!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Surgery Cancelled and New Blog Giveaway!

My poor little Peter had a terrible weekend.  Last Friday while at the doctor’s office for his pre-op physical, the doctor noticed some red bumps on his tonsils.  He didn’t think it was strep but because he was also running a low-grade fever he decided to do a throat culture.  It came back negative.   As the day went on, Peter got more and more sick…his temperature shot up and he was miserable.  The next morning he had more little red fluid-filled blisters in his diaper area.  By Saturday afternoon they were also on his elbows and knees.  I called the doctor who said just to watch him and keep giving Motrin and Tylenol for the pain and fever. 

When I went to brush his teeth that night, he screamed out in terrible pain.  Upon looking in his mouth, this is what I saw:

g sale finds 006

This poor little boy had sores all over his tongue and sides and the roof of his mouth.  When I told my older girls about it, they informed me that  it sounded like their cousin who had the same thing last week!  After calling my sister to see what “bugs” they passed on to my little boy, she said it was Coxsackie Virus…Hand, Foot and Mouth disease!  Yuck! !  Needless to say, there is no way he can have his tonsils out on Wednesday…the sores are even on his tonsils and Peter cries every time he tries to eat or drink anything.  He screams out in his sleep at night and is getting dehydrated.  He is so miserable and I feel so helpless to do anything besides giving pain medicine around the clock and trying hard to keep him hydrated.  With my background as a nurse, I am a hand-washing fanatic and I’m making my other kids wash their hands all the time.  I know this is easily spread and it will be a miracle if some of my other kids don’t get it!  I really don’t even know how Peter could have caught it as he wasn’t around my sister’s kids for weeks…his older sisters were last week but none of them have been sick??!!

g sale finds 004

On a more positive note, my blogging buddy, Melissa, of M Jennings Designs, (she made me this beautiful watch), has created new blog site  called

Stock PilingMom. She is having a Giveaway as a way to attract new readers to this blog where she shares tips on how to save money on your shopping bills.  Stop on over and and enter her giveaway! I love saving money and cutting coupons.  I have saved thousands of dollars since I started couponing.  I get so much free stuff and what we don’t use, I donate to shelters or sell at my garage sales.  This was some of the FREE stuff that I sold at my last sale…making hundreds of dollars!!  I priced it much lower than you could buy it new, so it was a great deal for everyone!!

 

g sale, Tay, apples 030

Friday, September 11, 2009

FFF-Peter’s 2-Year-Old Pictures

This week’s theme for Favorite Foto Friday is Backpacks.  However, since I just posted pictures of my kids heading off to their first day of school earlier this week, I decided to post Peter’s 2-year-old photos.  I had these taken back in July and it took FOREVER for them to get done.  I just picked them up last week although they were ready a few weeks earlier.  They just didn’t bother to call like they said they would!  I got a great picture of all 5 of my kids that I will be using for Christmas cards this year so I will wait to post that one! 

Peter was so shy and didn’t smile much for the pictures but that is his personality so it was captured well in the ones they took of him. 

Peter's 2 year old pix and sox 028

Peter's 2 year old pix and sox 003

Look at his eye lashes in this picture!!

Peter's 2 year old pix and sox 026

Peter's 2 year old pix and sox 027

On a side note, I have been working on some new socks for the upcoming seasons and holidays.  Here is a peak at some of the new ones.  To see more, go to Sox That Rock.

sox-fall 011

sox-fall 022

sox-fall 012

To see more FFF, go to Sarah’s blog.  We are off to the doctor for Peter’s pre-op physical.  Next Wednesday is his tonsillectomy!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Finally…back to school!

Our school district chose to start school again after Labor Day.  Since the holiday was later in September this year, we will be going to school until mid-June!  I would much rather have had the kids start a bit earlier and then be done earlier in the spring but nobody asked for my opinion!  Anyway, the kids were all anxious (and a bit nervous!) but all were looking forward to seeing friends again!  I am not looking forward to the routine that comes with being back in school…our summer was so nice and relaxing and schedule-free! 

 

I do have lots to do around the house and yard and it’s so much easier with just Peter at home.  He’s so easy-going and stays close by my side.  He was a bit lonely when all his siblings abandoned him this morning!

 

I had been a blogging slacker so will need to pick up the pace again!

My high-schooler, Taylor

First day school-sept 09 003

My middle-schooler, Hannah

First day school-sept 09 004

My 2nd graders, Greta and…

First day school-sept 09 005

Ricky!

 First day school-sept 09 007

 

First day school-sept 09 006

Off they go!

First day school-sept 09 010

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

When Life Gives You Apples….

g sale, Tay, apples 006

g sale, Tay, apples 007

g sale, Tay, apples 003

g sale, Tay, apples 012

Make Applesauce!!!

I have only one apple tree in my yard which I planted there about 6 years ago.  This year it produced so many beautiful, sweet organic apples.  I gave away tons, we ate tons, I made 4 apple pies and all this applesauce.  My mom and I canned applesauce for one entire day!  It was a lot of work but we will enjoy the applesauce all through the long winter!!