March really does come in like a lion
(taken on March 1st)
and goes out like a lamb!
(taken today, March 31st)
If April can stay like this (or better), I just might be able to tolerate spring!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
So it is true...
(taken on March 1st)
If April can stay like this (or better), I just might be able to tolerate spring!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Xavier Volleyball
Several weeks ago, Hannah's volleyball team went to Xavier University where they met with both coaches for the univesity's volleyball team. They got a pep talk and a tour of the locker room.
They got to see the Cintas Center
and then they got some one-on-one coaching.
Emily has now become a volleyball enthusiasist!
The coaches were amazing and very inspirational. I'm glad Hannah and Emily had this opportunity to see what possibilities are out there for them.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Emily's Trophy
I know, I know. I haven't posted in two weeks. I'm realizing there is an ebb and a flow to life and that's just the way it is. There are days, weeks even, when I'm all over the picture taking and the posting. Then, there are the days and weeks when my energy is pulled in other directions like painting and creating and getting grades done. When these days come, I just can't sit down and take care of my pictures.
But, with spring break at hand, I'm going to force myself to use some of that time to get my pictures in order.
So for a new post, we have Emily receiving her trophies for basketball. She had her awards ceremony on Sunday.
But, with spring break at hand, I'm going to force myself to use some of that time to get my pictures in order.
So for a new post, we have Emily receiving her trophies for basketball. She had her awards ceremony on Sunday.
She enjoyed her first basketball season, but I think she is thinking about playing volleyball instead next year, which is fine...I like volleyball better anyway! ;-)
So, stay tuned, and I promise to give you more updates throughout the week.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday Update
Last week I wrote that I was going to try to apporach life differently--with a more upbeat outlook. So, it's been a week now, and I think I feel a difference. I woke up early, got my workout in, made my breakfast, and got to school much earlier than usual. I didn't dread going to work and I didn't dread a specific class. I didn't dread the workout this morning and I didn't dread cooking dinner (now, I do dread having to deal with Hannah's back talk...). I even got up early on Saturday and Sunday to work out. Life hasn't been smooth lately so it surprises me that I'm still happy and somewhat energetic. Maybe there really is some truth to this positive thinking stuff...
Or maybe it's just the drugs! ;-)
Or maybe it's just the drugs! ;-)
Gross funny
Did you know that boys have tentacles?
That's what Emily thought until I explained to her that they are called, testacles.
The conversation came up because Hannah told me about two boys who were trying to hit each other in the "ball."
"Hannah, they have two balls." {insert HUGE laughter from both of them}
"They do??"
"Yes, they are called testacles. {insert even MORE laughter}
"Ha, Ha, Ha," guffaws Emily while rolling around on the floor. "Boys have tentacles! Ha, Ha, Ha!"
That's when I start laughing. "Not tentacles, Emily, testacles."
"Mom, I didn't know boys had 2 balls; I thought boys only had one long thing," Hannah tells me.
"They have one long thing and two balls," I reply. Did I mention how uncomfortable this conversation is getting for me?
That's when the unavoidable happened: "Well, what are the balls for, Mom?"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's what my head said when Hannah asked that question. It isn't the first time she has asked about sex (although, she didn't realize that's what she was asking at the moment) "They make sperm." I'm gulping, gulping, gulping.
"What is sperm?" Now I'm sweating--profusely.
"Sperm makes babies." Please stop, please stop, please stop.
"How?"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I told them. Basically I said, "That big long thing puts the sperm in your belly where you have an egg and the two of them combine to make a baby." I was soooo hoping this would be enough to satisfy their questions, but it wasn't. I mean, Emily is yelling "EWWWW!!! and laughing hysterically right now.
I see Hannah's mind working. "How does that stuff get from the balls into your belly?"
"How do you think it happens?" I ask.
Emily responds, "Kissing?" Now I'm laughing.
"No. If it's his pee-pee, then..." I'm really hoping they can put this together themselves; I really don't want to have this conversation. But they don't and I have to tell them. As soon as I do, they are both yelling, "EWWWWW" and then Hannah says, "Did Daddy do that to you?" and then Emily says, "Daddy did it twice!" That's when I threw everyone else under the bus.
"How do you think Jo Jo's baby got in there or Aunt Sue had Mya or Grandma Heckle and Grandma Durbin had kids?" I mean, I couldn't be the only one they thought of this way.
"Grandma Heckle did it lots of times! Ewww!" Emily is apparently quick at math. "Do you have to go to the hospital to get it done?" and "Does it hurt?" are the next questions.
At this point I am beyond comfortable with this conversation I'm having with my 2nd and 3rd grader, so I say, "Do we really have to talk about this now?" We ended the conversation that sex makes babies and only married people do it. Not completely accurate, I know, but I'll save the rest of "the talk" for later. I can only take so much stress in one day!
That's what Emily thought until I explained to her that they are called, testacles.
The conversation came up because Hannah told me about two boys who were trying to hit each other in the "ball."
"Hannah, they have two balls." {insert HUGE laughter from both of them}
"They do??"
"Yes, they are called testacles. {insert even MORE laughter}
"Ha, Ha, Ha," guffaws Emily while rolling around on the floor. "Boys have tentacles! Ha, Ha, Ha!"
That's when I start laughing. "Not tentacles, Emily, testacles."
"Mom, I didn't know boys had 2 balls; I thought boys only had one long thing," Hannah tells me.
"They have one long thing and two balls," I reply. Did I mention how uncomfortable this conversation is getting for me?
That's when the unavoidable happened: "Well, what are the balls for, Mom?"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's what my head said when Hannah asked that question. It isn't the first time she has asked about sex (although, she didn't realize that's what she was asking at the moment) "They make sperm." I'm gulping, gulping, gulping.
"What is sperm?" Now I'm sweating--profusely.
"Sperm makes babies." Please stop, please stop, please stop.
"How?"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I told them. Basically I said, "That big long thing puts the sperm in your belly where you have an egg and the two of them combine to make a baby." I was soooo hoping this would be enough to satisfy their questions, but it wasn't. I mean, Emily is yelling "EWWWW!!! and laughing hysterically right now.
I see Hannah's mind working. "How does that stuff get from the balls into your belly?"
"How do you think it happens?" I ask.
Emily responds, "Kissing?" Now I'm laughing.
"No. If it's his pee-pee, then..." I'm really hoping they can put this together themselves; I really don't want to have this conversation. But they don't and I have to tell them. As soon as I do, they are both yelling, "EWWWWW" and then Hannah says, "Did Daddy do that to you?" and then Emily says, "Daddy did it twice!" That's when I threw everyone else under the bus.
"How do you think Jo Jo's baby got in there or Aunt Sue had Mya or Grandma Heckle and Grandma Durbin had kids?" I mean, I couldn't be the only one they thought of this way.
"Grandma Heckle did it lots of times! Ewww!" Emily is apparently quick at math. "Do you have to go to the hospital to get it done?" and "Does it hurt?" are the next questions.
At this point I am beyond comfortable with this conversation I'm having with my 2nd and 3rd grader, so I say, "Do we really have to talk about this now?" We ended the conversation that sex makes babies and only married people do it. Not completely accurate, I know, but I'll save the rest of "the talk" for later. I can only take so much stress in one day!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Funny story #3
So, Thursday, Hannah and I were in the car coming home from Noah's birthday party. For weeks now, Hannah has talked about Becky and how much she doesn't like her. On the way to the party, Hannah said that she hoped that Becky wasn't coming to the party.
On the way home, I asked, "Was Becky there?"
"Yes," came a very disgruntled reply from my daughter.
"Did you talk to her?"
"No. Eva was there with all her little callingrounds, so Becky was by Eva."
Eva is a girl in Hannah's class who is quite cute and seems nice. But I was struck by the word she used, so I asked, "What did you just say?"
"I said 'callingrounds'."
"What is a 'callinground'?
"Well, it's a compound word, Mom, that I made up. I chose 'calling' because when Eva comes calling they all gather 'round.'"
Trying to hide my excitement that my daughter just created her own word and used it effectively, I asked, "Who else uses that word, Hannah?"
"Just me," she said suredly.
"So, Eva is like a little queen bee, then," I replied.
"What is a queen bee?" she asks.
"Well, when Eva wants something the rest of them bring her what she wants like little honey bees."
"Well, I'm going to be a praying mantis then and eat Becky, the little honey bee."
"Uhh, Hannah, that doesn't sound very nice of you."
"What do you mean?" she questions.
"You just described yourself as a praying mantis who was going to eat Becky. That doesn't sound very nice."
"Hmph," was all she said and she shrugged her shoulders.
But how funny is that?!! First of all I am thrilled that she created her own word, and secondly I'm so amazed at how sure of herself she is at times. I mean, who would ever think to describe herself as a praying mantis? As we all know, Hannah has a tendency to ramble on and on and on and on and on, and often it is hard for me to listen to what she says because most of the time, she's not saying anything important (like the time when she detailed word for word what the fireman told them when he visited her Brownie Troop). But, it's times like these that I'm glad I force myself to pay attention to her, because if I didn't, I would have missed out on one funny story!
On the way home, I asked, "Was Becky there?"
"Yes," came a very disgruntled reply from my daughter.
"Did you talk to her?"
"No. Eva was there with all her little callingrounds, so Becky was by Eva."
Eva is a girl in Hannah's class who is quite cute and seems nice. But I was struck by the word she used, so I asked, "What did you just say?"
"I said 'callingrounds'."
"What is a 'callinground'?
"Well, it's a compound word, Mom, that I made up. I chose 'calling' because when Eva comes calling they all gather 'round.'"
Trying to hide my excitement that my daughter just created her own word and used it effectively, I asked, "Who else uses that word, Hannah?"
"Just me," she said suredly.
"So, Eva is like a little queen bee, then," I replied.
"What is a queen bee?" she asks.
"Well, when Eva wants something the rest of them bring her what she wants like little honey bees."
"Well, I'm going to be a praying mantis then and eat Becky, the little honey bee."
"Uhh, Hannah, that doesn't sound very nice of you."
"What do you mean?" she questions.
"You just described yourself as a praying mantis who was going to eat Becky. That doesn't sound very nice."
"Hmph," was all she said and she shrugged her shoulders.
But how funny is that?!! First of all I am thrilled that she created her own word, and secondly I'm so amazed at how sure of herself she is at times. I mean, who would ever think to describe herself as a praying mantis? As we all know, Hannah has a tendency to ramble on and on and on and on and on, and often it is hard for me to listen to what she says because most of the time, she's not saying anything important (like the time when she detailed word for word what the fireman told them when he visited her Brownie Troop). But, it's times like these that I'm glad I force myself to pay attention to her, because if I didn't, I would have missed out on one funny story!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Happy Birthday to Emily!
Today is Emily's 8th birthday and never has a child been more excited for her birthday than Emily. She started counting down probably around my birthday and has talked non-stop (and that is not an exaggeration) about getting a DSI.
So, bright and early (6:00 a.m. to be precise), Emily got up to start her day. Around 6:30, we let her open her gift and if you didn't hear her scream with delight then you are deaf. She even spun on the floor in a break-dance type move (which was caught on film--I'll share later)after opening her DSI (yes, she is spoiled).
She took pink cupcakes to school.
I hung a poster on the porch to wish her a happy birthday when she got home which she barely noticed (Hannah was extremely excited about hers...).
After karate, she chose to go "to the place where we can throw peanuts on the floor" (Texas Roadhouse). We had a nice dinner and they even made her stand on the seat while they shouted at her.
Completely exhausted from her day's activities, it was lights out at 8:00 exactly.
Life has never been the same since this little one entered my world, and I certainly wouldn't change it for anything!
Happy Birthday Emily!
So, bright and early (6:00 a.m. to be precise), Emily got up to start her day. Around 6:30, we let her open her gift and if you didn't hear her scream with delight then you are deaf. She even spun on the floor in a break-dance type move (which was caught on film--I'll share later)after opening her DSI (yes, she is spoiled).
She took pink cupcakes to school.
I hung a poster on the porch to wish her a happy birthday when she got home which she barely noticed (Hannah was extremely excited about hers...).
After karate, she chose to go "to the place where we can throw peanuts on the floor" (Texas Roadhouse). We had a nice dinner and they even made her stand on the seat while they shouted at her.
Completely exhausted from her day's activities, it was lights out at 8:00 exactly.
Life has never been the same since this little one entered my world, and I certainly wouldn't change it for anything!
Happy Birthday Emily!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Hello Monday???
I took a break from all my doings today and spent some time reading a few blogs (I can admit I am addicted). I came across a couple of bloggers who were excited about Mondays?
"Excited? Who can be excited to say goodbye to the sweet, wonderful, work-free weekend?" I mused to myself.
But then I pondered a few more seconds when it started to make sense. Mondays are the beginning of the work week and we usually do celebrate beginnings--just like we do for weddings, births, baptisms, etc. They are the start of something. I know all of this sounds cheesy, but I got to wondering if the work week would be more enjoyable--especially Mondays--if I started approaching it that way. Looking at Mondays as the opportunity to start new, to start fresh.
But then a bigger thought struck me. In truth, we have that chance EVERY DAY. To start anew. So, maybe each and every day should be celebrated. I should be excited to have the chance to wake up and make choices about my day. I can see where this could help me in my work out dilemma--I GET to get up at 4:30 to work out rather than I HAVE to. Then, I can see how this can help me throughout the day. I GET to go to work (thankful I have a job) where I GET to work with teenagers and help them grow. I GET to come home and GET my 2 girls off the bus (thankful I even had the opportunity to have children) and I GET to help them with their homework and listen to them talk about their days. I GET to cook dinner for my family (thankful I have the ecomonic capabilities to have food in the house). I GET to do the laundry (thankful I have clothes to wear and appliances to make my job easier). I GET to help my girls take their showers and get them into bed. If I look at all of these "things" as opportunities rather than chores, if I see them as "get-to's" rather than "have-to's", maybe I can become a happier, more productive person.
And then maybe I'll learn to see marriage as a "get-to" rather than a "have-to"! ;-)
So, with Sunday night closing in and Monday fast approaching, I'm signing off to prep for the new opportunities that await me tomorrow...
Hello Monday! ;-)
"Excited? Who can be excited to say goodbye to the sweet, wonderful, work-free weekend?" I mused to myself.
But then I pondered a few more seconds when it started to make sense. Mondays are the beginning of the work week and we usually do celebrate beginnings--just like we do for weddings, births, baptisms, etc. They are the start of something. I know all of this sounds cheesy, but I got to wondering if the work week would be more enjoyable--especially Mondays--if I started approaching it that way. Looking at Mondays as the opportunity to start new, to start fresh.
But then a bigger thought struck me. In truth, we have that chance EVERY DAY. To start anew. So, maybe each and every day should be celebrated. I should be excited to have the chance to wake up and make choices about my day. I can see where this could help me in my work out dilemma--I GET to get up at 4:30 to work out rather than I HAVE to. Then, I can see how this can help me throughout the day. I GET to go to work (thankful I have a job) where I GET to work with teenagers and help them grow. I GET to come home and GET my 2 girls off the bus (thankful I even had the opportunity to have children) and I GET to help them with their homework and listen to them talk about their days. I GET to cook dinner for my family (thankful I have the ecomonic capabilities to have food in the house). I GET to do the laundry (thankful I have clothes to wear and appliances to make my job easier). I GET to help my girls take their showers and get them into bed. If I look at all of these "things" as opportunities rather than chores, if I see them as "get-to's" rather than "have-to's", maybe I can become a happier, more productive person.
And then maybe I'll learn to see marriage as a "get-to" rather than a "have-to"! ;-)
So, with Sunday night closing in and Monday fast approaching, I'm signing off to prep for the new opportunities that await me tomorrow...
Hello Monday! ;-)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Down and Out
That's how I've been feeling since Saturday. For several reasons, but the main reason is that my stomach and back have been bothering me. Today, I stayed home from work in the hopes that I would feel better, but it's 9:00 at night, and I still feel like crap. Not sure why they are bothering me, but they are.
(It's hard to tell the shade of green because it was dark outside and I didn't have enough light, but it's the green in my comforter. Next time I'll take a picture when it's daylight)
The second project I found on line is making succulent centerpieces:
How cute are those things?? And, apparently, they are very inexpensive. To make 3 or 4 of them costs somewhere around $12 (so the blog said). I want some of those for my dining room and depending on how easy they are, maybe for lots of other rooms in my house too!
Last week I decided to blow up one of my photographs. I've been wanting to do it for a long time (blow up my pictures), but just never did. Man, do I love this picture! You'll have to see it close up, but I can't believe how cool it turned out!
While I've been laid up (both body parts seem to stop hurting when I lay down), I've been browsing the internet and found 2 projects that I'm going try my hand at. First are these pom-pom looking flowers.
The first picture I found had them in a vase and they looked soooo cute! I tried to find the original picture but couldn't. I thought these might make for a nice addition to my bedroom.
And, speaking of bedroom, I thought I would share some of my progress. Last week I bought a chair from IKEA along with a hanging paper light (like the one Jo Ann has in her guest bedroom). I love, love, love this chair. I'm currently trying to decide if I am going to buy the white premade slip cover for it or do it myself...
And, speaking of bedroom, I thought I would share some of my progress. Last week I bought a chair from IKEA along with a hanging paper light (like the one Jo Ann has in her guest bedroom). I love, love, love this chair. I'm currently trying to decide if I am going to buy the white premade slip cover for it or do it myself...
(not the most flattering picture)
(sorry, I didn't feel like making the bed)
I also started working on the bathroom. I painted all the trim and the ceiling for the middle part and then started painting the walls (I still have to take the border down in the shower part of the bathroom and then paint that ceiling--YUCK!)
(It's hard to tell the shade of green because it was dark outside and I didn't have enough light, but it's the green in my comforter. Next time I'll take a picture when it's daylight)
The second project I found on line is making succulent centerpieces:
How cute are those things?? And, apparently, they are very inexpensive. To make 3 or 4 of them costs somewhere around $12 (so the blog said). I want some of those for my dining room and depending on how easy they are, maybe for lots of other rooms in my house too!
Last week I decided to blow up one of my photographs. I've been wanting to do it for a long time (blow up my pictures), but just never did. Man, do I love this picture! You'll have to see it close up, but I can't believe how cool it turned out!
I think something is still missing on that wall...originally I was going to put the picture on mat board and let it lean against the wall on a shelf (I even bought the brackets for the shelf), but once it got here, I felt like I didn't like the shelf idea. So, I bought a $12 frame at Wal-Mart and just hung it on the wall.
Maybe I need more pictures or maybe instead of one shelf, two, or maybe I should lower the picture...I don't know. I like it when I look at it in person, but I don't like how sparse it looks in the pictures...
But that's all for today. Hopefully I'll start feelling better soon...still have so many thoughts and ideas swimming around I gotta get them out!
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