{Ahh..the little things}

oh be careful little ears

This morning I was reminded that little ears are everywhere...and they are listening too :)

Some background info to help the story along:  Hubby is a self-employed construction contractor whose business has been VERY slow non-existent this last 3 weeks-month.  He finally found temporary, back-up work with an installation company, where he will be installing windows & doors.  This will be GREAT because this time of year is always slow, and this company has constant work, and is only slow in February.  We are usually out of the slump by then, so hopefully things are covered.  Long story, not so short, hubby needs to carry his own workmans compensation, and today he was on the phone with someone (a woman) getting that taken care of.

So....

Ellie asked me where Daddy was going this morning, and I told her he has to go to work today. 

E: No he does not, he is seeing that woman. 

Me: *jaw dropping* Huh? What woman?

E: That woman on the phone that he is getting his paycheck or something

Me: *giggling*  

I ran (literally) to tell Harry how he had been eaves dropped upon this morning. I was giggling, but was very shocked that she was listening to his conversation that closely, and even knew that it was a woman that he was talking to. He then went to explain that Daddy has to get some insurance today so that he can go back to work, then he is going to work after that.

After all, I had run away laughing  :)

Brrrrr....

Today when we woke up it was in the 30's (!!!) and while the house was toasty warm, the outside & van ride to school was FREEZING.  Just this past weekend, I was trying to get the kids summer stuff packed up & make sure they all had jackets that fit (we've been doing sweatshirts/sweaters on chilly days) and then today we already had to break out Kaden's winter coat!  Blah....

This weekend, I decided that I was REALLY in the mood for fall.  A yummy pumpkin candle, a big pot of homemade vegetable soup, some hot chocolate mix for the kids... you know, the good stuff that really makes the cooler days feel cozy.  The leaves have changed and are falling, and it is so very pretty here.  We are taking the time to be outside with the kids and enjoy it while it lasts, and if this morning's temp change is any clue...it will not last long *sigh*

Someone mentioned  to me that Ava had a great smile this weekend, and I thought to myself how I really had not noticed that about her, and I felt bad that I hadn't.  It just seems as if she is just a little more on the serious side, I guess. 

She smiles when you play with her, ecspecially peek-a-boo, but I really had not noticed how wonderful her smile really is.

Yesterday we took the kids for a (chilly)walk to the park, and she was VERY happy to be walking around and climbling the play things. I  snapped this picture & it allowed me to see that happy smile. 

The quality of the picture is bad, as it is blurry, but it is a picture I will now treasure.  The look of pure joy on her face is heart warming to me.  She had such a great time, and it was fun to see her like that.  I think she is enjoying getting "big" and playing like her siblings now.  Hopefully this happy girl, and this happy smile will become the norm for her now.

As I type the above, she is in the living room fussing, and it is almost time to get Ellie off to school.  I guess I'll try to finish this post later...

and the days (and years) roll by

I remember this post like it was yesterday...and that was ONE YEAR ago. 

Today he is eight, and he had a wonderful birthday.  Presents + dinner at the restaraunt of his choice + a little birthday shopping = one happy kid  :)

I've also been planning his pizza party for the weekend, and preparing for his last soccer game on Saturday.  I had MOPS this week and a fall family night at Ellie's school.  I had a slight fever one night this week, accompanied by a sore boob (yes, AGAIN) and I believe I am/was fighting, but winning, against another case of mastitis.  I am still sore & red, but not feverish, so I plan to just keep taking care of myself in the days ahead.

I've started a project in my "spare time" this week that goes hand-in-hand with my last post.  I've been working on one of these wreaths (midway down the page), and boy is this tedious!  It feels to me like knitting or something like it.  I pick it up, work on it, put it down, and repeat.  It is turning out very pretty, but I am not sure that I want to make TEN of these :)  I may make the angels at the top of the page though, but JoAnn's did not have the beads I needed to complete them.  If I can get the beads I need online, I think I will do them in memory of my friend Tara.

Okay, off to bed, I need to get all of the rest I can.

need your ideas

I've decided to participate in, as well as host a HANDMADE Christmas ornament exchange this year.  Being that I love to do crafties, I knew this would be so much fun for me. 

I've looked high & low and can't find anything that just JUMPS out at me.  Do you have any tried & true favorites?  I only have to make about 10 for each exchange, so I was thinking of trying something new.

I found this idea ------> and I thought they were very pretty, and I have never tried beading, but I found out that another girl is doing a beaded ornament, and I wanted something different.

So, now I am trying to figure out what I want to make, and was hoping that you, my crafty reader friends would inspire me with your great ideas.  Do you have a trusty craft site to share? A favorite ornament that I could re-create?  Or one that you made in the past that you really enjoyed making?  Pass the ideas my way... 

welcoming fall, Jones style

It was still warmer today than most October days, so we decided to take the kids outside to enjoy the wonderful weather & beautiful fall trees.  We ended up going to the old Lockington Dam, and found a nice (but VERY loooong) trail through the woods.  The kids were tired and bored before we made it out, but it was so pretty in there, I hardly noticed them complaining (okay, that may be a small exaggeration).  Although Zander, as short as his little legs are, was the most energetic,  and he was being so silly that it really was hard to notice the two older grumps.  He kept "hiding" behind trees that were half the width of him, then asking us to find him.  Of course, we could see him, but we all played along.  And when we "found" him, he would giggle hysterically and find the next tree to hide behind.  It helped in making our extra long walk a little more fun, that is for sure.

I tried at one point to have the kids sit down so that I could try to get a cute group picture in the leaves.  I decided that instead of picking one to share, that I would show you just how complicated getting a good shot is for me these days.  We really want to get a family picture done soon, but I just do not see how we can get all of the kids, and us, looking and smiling all at once.  Here is why I feel this way....

  Okay, while I was looking for my little creative slideshow thing, I see it was not saved properly and I already shut down the program I was using...blah!  But, here is the best picture of all of them instead, which is really not too bad except Zander's angry eyebrows :)

I also found this picture while searching.  Kaden caught this BIG bass while fishing with his Daddy one day last week.  They were so proud of it, they brought it home for pictures, LOL!

I feel like there is even more to share (we had a busy week last week) but I am getting tired, and need to get to bed.

Tomorrow we have plans to go shopping for Kaden's birthday, he will be turning EIGHT on Thursday.  He is asking for a new Ohio State jersey, a new skateboard, and a few Bengals football players figurines.  I am not sure what we are getting just yet, but it will be fun to shop with Daddy's help for a change. 

scrapping...

it's never felt so annoying, LOL!

It seems that I have become overly obsessed about detail, and I just could not make myself happy with this one.  So I finally gave up and saved it as is.  I am not sure why, but scrapping just does not feel so great right now.  I guess I need to do it a little more to get my so-called "scrapping mojo" back.

I did have great inspiration in the form of a free sketch and challenge over at Traci Reed's team blog.  You should go grab it & play along too :)

look at this girl

My grandma (hi Nanny) e-mailed me this old picture of Ellie the other day & I literally burst into tears when I saw it.

She looks so little, and so sweet, so innocent.  I miss this Ellie.

This was before we started fighting almost daily. 

This was when she & Kaden were best friends and ENJOYED playing together.

This was before she changed her clothes 5 times a day, leaving a messy room behind her.

This picture made me remember how much I love my stubborn girl & how I need to focus on her postive qualities.

It reminded me how very important it is to treasure these days, as I can not believe that this was so long ago already. 

It made me cry.

It also made me wonder if Ellie misses me like I miss her. 

I have made a promise to myself to enjoy her more, and fight with her less.  I've already noticed that her joining daisy girl scouts is helping do that for her, and for us.  We go together, leaving all of the others behind.  Spending girl time, enjoying each other.  Laughing & talking, no fighting. 

I hope it only gets better, as I can not feel much worse.

Love this too

I just snatched this from my friend Gina's blog.  It just makes me smile :) I love her calm, simple (yet informative) description too, as it seems that kids are ALWAYS asking me what Ava is doing when I am feeding her. 

MRSA be gone!

Please pray that my family (and those around us) can stay free from this disease.  It has been reported and treated in schools near us, and is rumored to be in a few schools here in our home town now too.  There was even a recent death in Virginia due to it.  I am worried about the effects it can have on small children, as well as the fact that there is really nothing that can be done if you do become infected.  Please keep us in your thoughts/prayers!

the smell of love

This morning as I drove Kaden to school my nose began to itch & as I raised my hand to scratch it, I was surprised with a faint, sweet, familiar smell on my hand. 

I breathed it in again and again.  It took me back to my college years, to my Best Friend Holly's parents house, and to her Mom, Janet.  I just kept breathing it all in & letting the memories come in with it.  It was wonderful  :)

The strangest thing about this is the smell is just a week or so ago, Holly & I were shopping at Gap and she picked up  the "Dream" Gapscent and smelled it and asked what it reminded me of.  I told her it reminded me of our many trips to the Gap outlet, but I did not not smell it at the time.  I just remembered that is where I bought it.  She said it reminded her of when I was at Miami & her MANY visits there.  And that was the end of it, no big deal.

I sprayed it into the air a few days ago in the bathroom, and some of it must have ended up on my "jacket" (a lightweight white hoody) and that is where I smelled it today.

It is strange to me that today is when the smell hit me.  Maybe it was because I was all alone, and I was relaxed.  Maybe the quiet of my car allowed me to really connect with my feelings this morning, who knows?  But whatever it was, I am glad it happened.

I was taken back to those carefree college days.  And I was reminded of Janet.   Sweet, sweet Janet.  She was my best friend's Mom & she lost her battle with cancer January 7, 2002.  It was so surreal, and sometimes still is. 

Holly still lived at home during the first few years of our friendship, and I spent alot of time there too.  Then, when my Mom got married and sold our house, moving in with her new husband (into a small trailer), I'll never forget Janet's phone call and offer that I could stay there whenever I needed to.  I was still at Miami, but came home many weekends, and I stayed with them.  It still feels strange to visit there and for her not to be there.  Somtimes it still feels like I will go there and she will be there, standing in the kitchen over the stove, cooking a HUGE family meal like she always loved to do.  I miss that. 

We still have a big part of her in Holly, who loves to cook for people just like her Mom.  Her Mom lives on in her, and I hope in some small way in me too.  She was a wonderful, sweet, gentle, loving person and I am glad I had the chance to remember her this morning.