A Bella Sunday

Love these bellas! They are so darn cute. Happy Sunday.

2001

Alec was 7 and Casey was 5 in this picture. They were sooooo cute! Love you boys! I came across these pictures that I had never scrapbooked, and had to do it! Enjoy

The Scottsman.

Just a little video to help remember my father today. He has been gone for 23 years now. I lost dad when I was just 20. I miss his great sense of humor. He was born in Scotland, and I am sure would get a kick out of this song!

Woof woof woof

This is my favorite new stamp set! I absolutely love it. It will be available May 1st. The paper is new too, sarsaparilla. I love the message that comes with all of the doggies too. It speaks VOLUMES. This is the card I made for Susan's swap. I did have to order clear envelopes, so they will arrive tomorrow and I can get this swap in the mail.

What a great day. Alec and I had very good appointments with his therapists yesterday. I feel like we are all doing a better job pulling out what is Alec, what is Asperger's, and what is teenager. Sometimes it is hard, and of course I NEVER want to punish the Aspie. But, when he makes poor choices I have to guide him to better ones. I told him again yesterday, he MUST do well in school because he hates hard labor. Heck, Alec hates any labor. Picking up his room is painful, so I am pretty sure he won't do a good job as the guy making big rocks into small rocks.

He seemed to also have a good day today. He went back to school for the FULL 6 periods. This is the first time since maybe once in September, that he has made it through the day. Then he called and wanted to go to youth group with his friends. We pick him up at 8:30. I am guessing he will be exhausted, but I am so proud of him that he is trying so hard to have friends and stay in school. Also, it was his choice to start back up to 6 periods. He tried Monday, but it didn't work out.... then yesterday we were at the doc's all day. He and I both came home and took a nap, exhausting! Anyway, I really hope that things are turning around for Alec. It is astonishing to me that the right meds can make all of the difference. Unbelievable.

On another note, Casey has a solo at his school music concert tomorrow night. I know he is going to do an awesome job! He is a talented young man for sure.... even if he is a hippee! It is so cute that he is so good about so many things, but likes to keep his hair long. It is like his way of fighting the conformity. Funny boy.

Circa de 1977

So, I am guessing on the date, I think I was 12 in these shots. I am in the "Dip n Sip Donuts" t-shirt. These are two of my longest friends with me. In the left picture is Carleen Blados (then anyway) with Liane Cunningham (then anyway). Carleen and I met when we were in swim lessons on Shelter Island with Jack Roble (wow, where did his name come from?) We weren't even in Kindergarten yet! So, I guess that means we have been friends for about 40 years. OMG. We weren't quite as sweet and innocent as we looked in that picture.

On the right hand side is me (left), Carleen (right), and Paula Speros (then anyway). Paula and I met when our families were on vacation in St Thomas in 1976. I was 11 then. We have never lived in the same state. Then she lived outside of Boston, now she lives outside of Atlanta with her family.

Carleen married one of the boys from school! That is a big deal since she graduted in a class of about 15 kids! LOL Carleen and her family live in Virginia now. They have two kids about the age of our two boys. Paula, thank God, did not marry her high school sweethart. Instead she found a darling boy who loves her to death! They were married in the spring of 1990 (a year after we were) and have one sweet little girl, who looks JUST like her mama.

It is hard to belive that I have had one of these friends for 30years and the other for 40 years. They are my longest friends. I love them both dearly and would love to be closer in proximity to see them more often. Maybe that is one of the things I will put on my list for my retirement years!

Monday Madness!

I think maybe I have been fighting off an illness. I slept about 12 hours on Friday night, and last night I was not only in bed but also sawing logs by 9pm! It was great. Of course I got up to chaos this morning. Casey needed 6 pictures for his science project board, due today. Now, in his defense this is project 2. Project one didn't work and I was asleep on the couch at 7pm... until Mike told me to go to bed. So, I didn't help last night. Mike helped him a bit. He reloaded my ATG with adhesive, backwards! LOL Oops.

Anyway, I got lunches packed, Casey dropped off at school.... it was wacky. Then, off to the dentist for me. I had the final crowns placed. The last of my 2 year dental work process is DONE! So, my gums are quite swollen, but I am very happy to have it over and done.

So, yes we did get a new bird on Saturday. We got a Quaker Parrot. They are also called Quaker Parakeets, Monk Parrots, and Monk Parakeets. Anyway, his name is Quigley. He is a BIG MOUTH! Yea, fits right in here in our household! We got him at the oregon humaine society. WOW, there are a lot of pets in need of homes. Five pets might be our limit. But I encourage everyone to save an animal if you can. This bird doesn't like women, so I am slowly warming up to him. OK really him to me. He is Mike's bird though. Mike woke up on Saturday morning and wanted a new bird. So, there you have it! Fortunately they didn't have any pekingese in, or I would have brought home a new pet too.

The simple card above was a new baby congrats card. I just LOVE that set! Darling! Hope the rest of my Monday is a little less mad! Hugs and kisses!

Quaker

Wondering what we did today? Here is a hint for you...

Life is a party!

Well, or maybe not. Alec came home Monday, Casey stayed home on Tuesday, and Alec did NOT want to go to school today. In his defense, he did go back to bed and sleep for about four hours. He was exhausted. It must be tiring being angry with me all of the time. @@ But, it is all good. Mike has been gone a lot this week. I do think that makes it harder on all of us. I noticed about 3 pm today that I HAD to sleep for a couple of hours. Then I got up, felt better, and he started at me again. Soooo needy! ACK. And, I am just the free flow type.... that is why it is so hard. Hello, just do what you are supposed to do and then you can have pretty much anything else you want. I am not a strict mom! But, he won't do the work without a fight. Granted with the $250 copay a month Abilify he is better. But, I would like it to be a little bit easier now!

On a happy note. I am very glad that Ali was the biggest loser! Casey and I watch that show together and love it. They all looked great this season.

Fourth Grade

Continuing on with my work on Alec's School Days album... This is the fourth grade photo. Wow, doesn't seem like 4 years ago!

I had a great weekend. Friday night I subbed for Bunco with a great group of ladies. They are so normal and fun! LOL It was sweetened by the game being in my neighborhood. So, I got to go and walk there and home. What a lovely night! One of the gals was 8 months pregnant, due May 25th. She had her baby early Sunday morning. The baby is now in NICU. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. Since we had two babies in the NICU, I completely understand how tough it is! I am sure all will be fine, but that doesn't make it easier when you go home without your baby.

On Saturday night I hung out in Vancouver. I met with Janelle and a couple of her friends for pedicures and game night. It was great, loved it! Since Mike worked alllll weekend, it was nice for me to get out for a bit.

Speaking of the DH. His computer lost a bunch of his latest work last week during the re imaging. It was an oops, and the computer guys apologized, but he still had tons of work to redo. So, he was at teh office both Friday and Saturday night as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. I don't so much love this time of year. But, I do hear he doesn't have something on Thursday night, so maybe he will be home for dinner! Hopefully...

Then onto my Sunday.... TAXES! I get a lot of crap for putting them off so long. But I think it is just the CTMH stuff I don't wanna deal with. I have a great filing system. I put it all in a drawer. (Is that awful or what!) Then at the end of the year I have to organize it. Every year I think I should get more organized, but I never do. Oh well. Thankfully we are getting a tiny bit back. I am pleased that I am making more with CTMH every year. But, I hate it on tax day. Hehehehehehehe..... I had a couple of investment questions that I had to call on Monday morning, then I hit FILE.... and off it went into cyber space. Yahoo

On Monday I had another tax appointment. Danielle came over for me to do her taxes. We did her taxes then did lunch. I also drove her downtown to pick up some cupcakes. YUM. She did take them home, so I sure appreciated her sharing some of them with us!

I am feeling pretty good today. Alec did come home 'sick' yesterday. I think I was so focused on taxes that I didn't want to fight with him about staying at school. He is always requiring all of my energy. LOL

Casey's science project got scrapped last week. After building 3 lie detector tests, it just didn't seem to be working. It was too random I guess. So he picked something else and is now working on that. We had to come upwith something that didn't take a lot of time, that was tough. But we did it! He also got to spend the night at the zoo on Friday. Zoo Snooze is a program that the TAG (talented and gifted) teacher took the TAG kids to! It was pretty neat I guess. I am glad to report that I didn't have to go with him. LOL

Anyway, lots of catch up items today. I have to get some stuff done, and make some time to work on Alec's school album. I didn't do my Monday house clean yesterday, so I guess today.... NOT.... looks like it will be next week! (Maybe I will vacuum some dog hair though... can't do that enough).

Here is to a great day! Cheers =-)

What I forgot

Yikes! Janelle wants me to list things that I have forgotten..... well, I wonder how I can remember them if I have forgotten them. So, after my brain got past this (and I read hers) I did at least think of a few things that I can no longer remember.

1. I can no longer hear the sound of either of my parents voices. I almost remember when I realized I couldn't hear the sound of their voices anymore. It was very sad. Now, that said I was very fortunate to have parents who supported me where I was... and I know that I can hear their ideas every day.

2. I can't remember when I knew that I would always have a pekingese in my life, but I know it is true... and I remember telling Mike this before we were married.

3. I can't remember the last movie I watched. That is nothing new. I could see it again and still not remember it.

I think one of the reasons I am not good at this is because I remember what is important, in general. And, I am really good at moving on. I take responsibility for the many screw ups I have made. There are things I miss, or forget, but I try to never forget the feelings.... that helps me to make new decisions.

I remember the boys being darling, but it is hard some days! This one is of Alec in 5th grade. He was such a little boy then, not a man like he is now. I have been working on Alec's school album. I'll share more pics of layouts. Most of them are simple, like this one, with the photo as the focus. What a little boy! Love him.

Try my new widget

Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this page. It is neat!

Be Glad of Life

Fun cards for a Thursday! Can you see that I started the other day with a random stamped piece of Rustic Flowers paper? I actually think these look better in real life than on the photo, but they are good, and fairly simple!
I am glad it is Thursday. Today is the end of the quarter for Alec. I have gotten some good information on Asperger's recently. I think that Alec is at a maturity of about a 9 year old, with a brain that works better than his 13 years. He is so capable of doing the work at school, but he really can't handle the simple things, like understanding what needs to be done. He is so good at pretending that he gets it, that some adults really think he gets it immediately.

Sometimes I wonder about this disability. It is so hard to really see unless you spend a lot of time with Alec. Or if you try to make him do something he doesn't want to do. He throws a great big tantrum. I have such a hard time with this as I had no concept that I would still be dealing with tantrums at age 13, almost 14. So, often I don't think I do my best with this. It is hard to deal with! But, thank God for the things that relax me. What are those you ask? My Internet friends are awesome. My pets are a huge part of calmness for me. Being creative, and accomplishing something in that realm. Close To My Heart, oh and of course, medication. I guess food and coffee would fall in there too.

So, this brings me to a question.....what do you do to relax when you are stressed out about life? Keep it clean ladies ;-) Off to work on Alec's school album..... because that is much better than taxes! LOL

Aspen & Roxy

WHY do the girls feel the need to sit right under me when I am in my scrapbook room? Seriously now! LOL You can see my chair, legs and cool socks.... and there they are right under my feet! OY!

Was I ever really 19?

This is a rare glimpse into me at 19! My dad almost died when I was just 19, but got a bonus year. Looking back, I can see how frail and old he looked (0nly 64 in this photo). But, this is most certainly one of the final family pictures I have. This is me with my mom and dad circa de late 1984. We are in front of their house in Tucson. That is a pekingese, of course. I will never be without one! I just love those little faces, and attitudes! So, this is me 5'10", dad 5'8" (maybe) and mom 5'7" and Penny the Pekingese (1'5").

Monday 'checklist'

I love this checklist set. Made with a random stamp of rustic flowers behind it, these are some quickie cards for Monday. Enjoy your Monday!

Pinks Purples and Yellows!

I have been working on digging out old papers and such that I love, but do not use enough! This group is all with the same papers, but colored and embellished differently. I think it is odd that I don't really love any of the Stamping Bella stamps except for the Bella's. I plan to finish up the spring clean of Casey's room today, and maybe do my 'Monday' cleaning. I have a big dentist appointment tomorrow. Boohoo. So it would be nice to go into the week with my house in order! Of course everyone is home, so I am not sure that will work for me!

I realize too that I don't own ANY of these Bella's. They were all gifted images! Yahoo!

MWAH!

MWAH! Cute card to share. It went to school for the drama teacher. I got the image from a swap I was in earlier this year. Very cute though! The drama teacher has put up with a lot of tough days from Alec, so I gave her a few pages in an album. Hopefully it will make her day. We shall see!

Birthday Cards

From Karen L. This is so classicly beautiful! Her work is always fab!














This card is from my MIL Donovan. Classic! =-)

From my Bella Sister.....

I got these awesome goodies from my Bellah Sistah LeAnne. She sent me a great card and a box of goodies including a great box with handmade monogram cards, a memo clipboard, and huggybellas! Too cool. Thanks LeAnne. You da bomb.

Cool Cards!

I got this darling "Olivia" card from Janelle and Olivia! Love it, she is a dolly.

I got this great bella card from Theresa H on my bellaholics anonymous group! Beautiful, thank you!

Birthday Gift Photos!

These are the three coaster hangings from Sue for my birthday. From left to right they say, Kassie, Aspen, Roxy. I absolutely love them! I have a place for them, but want to get some new photos printed to add to them first.
Sue also sent Javabellas (yea, and this cute card!) Thank you Sue, love them.

Aspen

How can this darling girl be so bratty this week?

Autism Awareness Month

My downline Sarita shared this. It is soooo true! I love Alec so much. I wouldn't have chosen this path for him, or for me. But, it could be sooo much worse and so different!

WELCOME TO HOLLAND
byEmily Perl Kingsley.
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Happy Birthday to ME!

So far this day has been fantastic! In fact, I can't remember a better birthday as an adult! LOL Mike made me a mini album. I got a 10 things I love about my wife mini album at CKC in February. I didn't buy it, it was free. I forgot I had even given it to him. But he filled it in and added pictures! It is awesome..... LOVE IT.

Sue sent me 3 coaster hangings of my girl's names. They are wonderful. I just have to add pictures. The ASPEN one has the largest letters, ROXY has medium letters, and KASSIE has small letters! SOOOO darling. I will post later. Lots of darling doggie stickers and embellishments. Just super.

And, I got a great card from Janelle and Olivia.... with Olivia's picture on the card front. =-)Olivia drew her name for me (or is it a picture? she is 3 you know). PLUS I got a great card from Karen L. Love it! I am so fortunate to have such great friends.

Karma called me last night to wish me a happy birthday. It was great to chat with her for the first time in months. I miss visiting with her more.

I also got several Happy Birthday emails =-) My plan for the day is to do as little as possible! Hehehehehe!

April 2nd 1949

Was the day my parents had their church wedding. They were actually married in Japan during the occupation after WWII. They were married by the Japanese Consulate, the American Consulate and then in the church. My fathers mother was very unhappy to not be there, as this was her only child. My mothers father wasn't all too happy either. Although mom was the youngest of 12, she was her father's favorite. I surely know that they are together again. Mom never was the same after dad died in April of 1985. She only lived another 2 1/2 years. But I do always think of them on this day. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. I love and miss you both.

I am feeling my scrapbooking desires coming back. I have done quite a few cards in the past couple of days. But suddenly, I finished and thought, "ok, done." Yep, gonna dig out the boys school books. I hate working on those. I think I organized them and kept them simple from the beginning so I find them boring. But somehow I am wanting to get a bit more caught up on them. So, I am off to pick up Alec in a minute, and then I will come home and work on his school book. ONe great thing about a kid like Alec is that he remembers when each and every assignment was done... and what is his vs what is his brother's work. So, on the occasion that I forgot to write on the artwork or writing or photo I took. He will know!

Oh, enjoy the bella of the day.

Tuesday already?

I made this little book today, OK yesterday but it wouldn't upload last night. Don't ask for directions, I am not the directions type. It was out of one sheet of 12x12 paper. How cool is that! I am going to do this at the Heirloom Productions Design and Treasure in Puyallup, WA in May. It is just too cute! It turns out with a bunch of pockets and ONE upside down pocket. Basically you score in both directions at 3, 6 and 9.... creating 16 3x3 boxes. Then you cut from 0 to 9 inches on the first and third score.... and from 0-9 from the OTHER side in the middle score. The three cuts are parallel.... that is ALL I am saying. Then fold it all up! I punched with my crop-a-dile. Speaking of which, WHY do I want to buy another one for $25 at Costco. I already have one, certainly I do NOT need another one! Oy, I don't always understand myself!

Denise tagged me..... again! LOL 7 Random Facts...

1. TOMORROW is my birthday!

2. My favorite part of living in Oregon is the spring flowers. They make me sooo happy. The cherry blossom trees are amazing.

3. I love to have the latest gadget. I can't help it, I am always looking for a better way, and I am not afraid to try a new one.... I am waiting for their to be a roomba "the animal" Love having those helpful gadgets.

4. I think one reason I like John McCain so much is because he reminds me of myself... he says what he is thinking, when he should SHUT UP! Now, don't get me wrong... I try to not be hurtful. But, if you ask me my opinion, I will give it to you.... straight up! I guess that makes me a good person to shop for clothes with! But, gimme a chair, I don't love to shop.

5. Stupid people irritate me. It might just be my one prejudice. I think stupid comes in all shapes, sizes, ages, colors, socioeconomic advantage (or disadvantage). I just go nuts when people don't get it!

6. My father always told me I had no sense of humor, aka took life too seriously. Yea, I do that sometimes. But I think I married the right man... he and I can balance each other well..

7. I HATE organizing and planning things. Love being organized... but it is not fun for me at all. One of the gals on the cruise loop is great about making forms and plans and such. YUCK. I think that is why teaching was such a great profession. You never really know what is going to happen.

OK, will likely post more later today.... if I can do pictures!