Meet Hana

Our new umbrella cockatoo. Anyone know what nana means? I'll tell, but you guess first!

Wanna swap images?

This is the way I decided to store my nestabilities. The black strips are magnet.... actually from my xyron. I didn't want to have to buy anything. So I used an old frame and basic grey paper and just hung it up!

OK, here is what i want to know.... how do you get onto groups to swap images? I have 12 bellas now and a 6 Emmerson Quillin ladies plus an endless supply of CTMH stamps. I want to try some Hanna's, Riley's, House Mouse, and pretty much any other cute animal or person image available.

I have been obsessed with flowers for years. But I think the copic markers have changed my life. They are just amazing. I ordered a few more from http://www.merriartist.com/ on Thursday night, got them yesterday. They don't 'wet' the paper. I think that is the difference. Now you can't use them with a regular dye black, or it smears (which is a big bummer). But, they are smooth instead of streaky and wonderful. Now I just need to learn to color. I think I started developing the artist in my pretty late, so now here I am into my 40's and still not good at coloring... but getting better all of the time!

I am happy it is Sunday here. So far I have had coffee, sat with the girls (doggies!) and watched part of a Lindsay Lohan movie. Something about a relaxing Sunday that is just wonderful.

So, if you either want to swap images, or know anything about how to find people to swap with, would you please post a comment or email me! Thanks!

I don't wanna work, I wanna lay in the sun all day!

I think this is the card I am giving to Alec's school counselor. She is so bright and wonderful. I could not have asked for more this year. I am thankful for all of the people in education who do their best to partner with us to make our children's education better everyday. It is a hard job. I know first hand how many sleepless nights my DH has worrying that the right thing is done for the kids. The kids come first, no doubt about it!

We were going to the parade this morning. But I got up late and Mike was cleaning the house. So, no parade. He gets a bit obsessive compulsive sometimes. "It has been almost two weeks since the house was cleaned" Um yea.... well except for the bathrooms, and some vacuuming and dusting I did/do in between..... I wish he understood how seldom most clean their houses! Oy. Is this his mothers fault? Lets blame her! (Not really, she reads my blog and I know she isn't a compulsive cleaner... that is not to say her house isn't clean, oh boy I am digging myself into this one.... never mind)

So Mike was invited to play poker at the beach last night. He figured with the cost of gas it would cost $50 just to do that, plus poker money etc, so he didn't. I hate how much we have to watch our driving now! Too bad the Max (light rail) doesn't go out there!

Have a great Saturday.... whatever it becomes.

Happy Friday

TGIF I can't take anymore!

Balloonabella

What a great day I had! Danielle called last night and was headed my way from the coast. We got signed up for pedicures at the day spa. They were awesome! And, she even picked up the tab! WOOHOO. We headed over to Red Robin for lunch. I got a yummy chocolate malt and chili. It was perfect. Unfortunately she had to go home for a dinner appointment. The woman is just toooo social!

I can not express how much I needed some down time. I feel better than I have in a few weeks.

This card: CTMH C/S, Basic Grey Two Scoops Papers, Bella's Baubles, Copics... it has it all. I am having way too much fun with coloring these days. I wasn't all that into coloring as I grew up. I wanted to be like dad and not mom. (sad huh?) So, I didn't develop my creative side to the extent that I could have.... so now I am playing catch up. I hope CTMH will come out with some more stuff to color this summer. But for now, Bella will have to do!

Speaking of CTMH, do you know that for June 2008 they have buy 2 stamp sets get 1 free? RUN to your nearest consultant right away and get this fab deal! Happy Thursday.

Teacher teacher!

Did I ever mention how much I HATE driving? I feel like that is all I have done for the last two days. It started yesterday when we went to Alec's appointments. I really do need to find some great medical care closer to home. But it is sure hard to change when you are happy where you are, and when you have been through so many before that just didn't 'get' Alec.

Then today it was school home school home school home school home, well you get it! I am so excited that in another week it will be over for twelve weeks. Yahoo. I hope it is a good, relaxing, summer.

Sorry about my blurry cards lately. I took a whole batch of pictures that turned out this way. I must have changed a setting somehow. I promise I will work on it and try to do better. Now I am off to see what artwork and stories you have posted today!

RAKed images

I absolutely love this little girl, she is from Bella. It was a long day today. Alec's appointments, exhausting. Casey field trip. Mike prepping for a big day tomorrow. Whew, I am exhausted. I sure do hope you had a great day.

Counting down to the end of the school year...

I can hardly believe that it is the last full week of school. Mike's schedule is crazy busy. I always hate that part. Things are winding down for both kids. I am trying to keep up with all of the places they need to be. I made their teachers cards and want to get something small, maybe mints or something like that. I really like this card.

So, I ordered a few sets of the nestabilities about 4 weeks ago and they finally came last week. I was actually starting to think that I dreamed ordering them. I went for the lower price instead of the faster shipping. I think I was most attracted to the ovals, so I got the big set of them. I am kind of thinking if I got all of the circles I could toss some punches. But we shall see.

I really like this fairly simple card. I have the basic grey 2 scoops collection and am using the CTMH Honey with it. That is a CTMH color that I don't use enough. Have a great Monday!

Floor?

I couldn't help myself! I had to go to Beaverton the other day (it is so far at 8 miles! LOL) to pick up Casey's birthday cake. I stopped in the stamp store that I love over there to see if there were any sentiments that I just had to have for Casey's card. I found NOTHING. But, I did find a couple of sentiments and a giftie stamp for later this summer. So, it felt like a successful trip. I got a cake, a few stamps and some millet for the birds! LOL I also saw an umbrella cockatoo that I absolutely loved, very very friendly. But, I am not in the market for a new birdie for sure!

This stamp sentiment was one that I have wanted for a long time. I just love it! So, here is my tan bella with thought for the weekend.

We went to the starlight parade last night in downtown Portland. The Dawsons came in from the coast and went with us. It was a great parade. The ride home on the max (light rail) was pretty crazy. It was very full and loud, oh wait that was the husbands! Yikes. The kids had an absolute blast. We got street fair vendor food, yum. Overall it was fun and relaxing. Hope you had a good weekend too!

Ribbet

I picked up this froggie cookie at Beaverton Bakery, where I got Casey's birthday cake. How cute!

One more sympathy card....

I did work on some teacher thank you's today. I also did a couple of just for fun cards. One will go to my bellah sistah. I think it is good that I log my work here, becuase I would never know what I did otherwise! Have a great weekend.

Another Sympathy Card

This is the card I sent to Bill's widow. He was my dad's college roommate from 1938 to when dad joined the Army-Air Corps in early 1942. He will be missed. I am so glad I have developed a friendship with his son.... I suppose we truly live on through our children.

And now the end is near....

...and so I face the final curtain, my friend, I'll say it clear, Ill state my case, of which I'm certain. I've lived a life thats full. I've traveled each and evry highway; And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few; But then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption. I planned each charted course; Each careful step along the byway, But more, much more than this,I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew. When I bit off more than I could chew. But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall; And did it my way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried. I've had my fill; my share of losing. And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing. To think I did all that; And may I say - not in a shy way... No, oh no not me,I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels; And not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows -And did it my way!

I am really feeling like this is a fitting song. School is less than two weeks from being OVER for another year. Alec will progress from 8th grade. Middle school has been an adventure for us, and it is not over yet.... but the end is near. YAHOO. Elementary school has really been wonderful. Casey has had one good teacher after another. I am sure he helps the situation, but honestly he has been blessed with some of the best throughout the years. I am glad that our middle school here is two years, so that Alec and Casey did not have to be in the same school during Alec's difficult times. I think that would have been very hard on Casey, who takes his relationship and his influence over his brother very seriously. Somehow this week, as Casey turned the big 12, I can't help but think that this is the end of a chapter. A chapter that I will miss.. cue the music "You're Gonna Miss This" (Love Trace Adkins).... and yet I am ready for a new chapter, a chapter that is yet to be written in my life. One thing is for sure about me, "I do it my way!"

Sympathy Card

It seems like I never make as many cards as I want to. Or, maybe it is just that I don't send as many as I want to send. Somehow I always want to send more than I do. So, I think I should work on some sympathy cards because they are soooo hard to make when it is time. Nevertheless this is a card I made for some friends that lost their beloved Australian Ridgeback recently.

Happy Birthday Casey

Casey is 12 years old today! I absolutely can not belive he got this OLD! I know how old that makes me for sure. He is such a great kid. Casey is a hard worker. Casey is kind, considerate, loving. Basically he is the perfect kid. Casey worked very hard on his science project (above). Yesterday he decided to get a new look for his birthday. So off to Great Clips? Why there you ask? Because they work with locks of love! So, he gave his hair (10 inches) to a good cause. Here is the new Casey:

He got a bike mirror and money for his birthday. I think he is planning on saving for our cruise. Happy Birthday Casey! Love you, mom

Memorial Day

I hope you will take a moment today to remember the soldiers who made your freedom possible. Memorial Day 2008. WE REMEMBER.....

Portland

We decided today that it was a perfect day to hang out in Portland! It was about 70 degrees and sunny, perfect convertable weather. So, we went east to the big city. LOL We started with a drive through scenic downtown, and then stopped for lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory on the river. Our beautiful table was right by the window where we could enjoy the boaters. Then we headed over to Voodoo Donughts to try them out. YUM, and lots of fun!

OK just realized I didn't hit post yesterday..... ooops. Maybe today (since it is grey outside) I will get something creative done....

Last Linda card of the week.

I am feeling MUCH better this evening. I took a very long nap this afternoon while Alec was playing video games. I woke up refreshed and ready to go again, for now anyway. Thanks for the love.

Keep up the fight!

Do you ever wonder how your life turned out the way it did? I mean, how did it get so different from what you envisioned as a bright eyed teenager. I never really wanted to marry and have children. That is not to say that I did not want to marry and I did not want to have children. It simply means my desires were different than some. I believed then, and still to some extent, that I could change the world.

My father warned me to not go into education. But, I followed his lead more than his words. I wanted to teach. Really I always wanted to teach. When I was an elementary age girl I would offer classes to the neighbor children in our basement. Our basement was complete with chalkboard and table and chairs. I told people I wanted to be a teacher.

I wanted to be just like my dad. My mother was the artist, the singer, the beauty. I admired and loved her very much. But how I wanted to be like my father. He was soooooo smart. A bit lazy, and soooo smart. Yes, I could see myself in him.

Early college years were hard. He and I were quick to disagree on everything. We fought (as I was told by my mom) like he fought with his mother. We disagreed on everything. He was a republican, I was a democrat. He said the sky was blue, I said no way. But, in all of that we loved each other very much, and I did become like him. Although he died when I was just 20 I went on to finish my BS in Mathematics Education and my MA in Mathematics Education a few years later. (Thankfully before the boys were born.)

As a young teacher (just 22 when I started) I knew I could change the world. I would try anything that research showed worked. I loved being in the classroom. And, was even accused of being the biggest math nerd in the math department when I was about 28. Yea, not so much. But I was sure glad my boss saw it that way.

I did it all. I became the youngest department chair the district had ever employed. A department of 15 people was not small. And, of course, they were mostly older than me... even the newer teachers! I wrote curriculum, I was a mentor. I was on hiring committees. I just knew that I could change the future of math education.

When Alec was 1 and I was pregnant with Casey my perspective started to change. I hated that I had no power over my childcare. I had Alec in the best situation at the time, but I really was powerless over her. And, we all knew it. Another young teacher had her daughter there too. She was there less time than me because my career was so important. But, as the year went on the shift came.

I am not sure when it happened exactly, but I decided that being a stay at home mom was the way to go. So when we moved to Oregon in 1999 I stayed at home. Those were the days. Casey, then 3, did not like going to preschool. He loved it once he was there, but getting him to stay was always a struggle. That was Alec's Kindergarten year,where he learned to read. I thank God about once a week for Jean Newton, who was the teacher that taught them both to read.

About 2nd grade was when we noticed that Alec was very unhappy. He complained often that he had no friends. It was the first time I took him to the doctor and found a counselor. Needless to say that has gone on and on through many counselors to this day. It was only last year (around 20 months ago) that we finally found a GREAT counselor who understood Alec. Well, maybe she didn't completely understand Alec (I don't think anyone does) but she quit blaming us for everything that was going on with him. And, in my heart I knew something was wrong.

And then came today. Ring. Of course it is Alec from school, in tears, again. I am not sure how many times he has called in tears,but it started in 6th grade. I easily can say it has been over half of the school days in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. His counselor wasn't there today, so he felt he had no where to turn. He was being teased by the other kids, again. They do tease him, although I doubt it is truly as bad as he believes. Oh Alec, today I just wept for you. I love you so much and I don't want it to be so hard for you. I know God has a master plan for you, for me, for your father and your brother. Yet, it is so hard for all of us. The anger, the frustration, the pain you suffer is almost too much to deal with. I want it to go away. I wonder why God thought I could handle this. And, frankly, today I am not sure I can. But I love you. We came home, I ran you a hot bath. I do love you, and I want it to get easier. Maybe when the hormones quit creating chaos in your system?

Right now I feel like I don't have much fight left. But I have met me,and I know that I am a fighter. I will fight this until we all feel better. Keep on keeping on. I can do this! I hope.... I think..... I pray.... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

I would really like to win a BOOK....

but I can only have a chance if you help! Please comment on Janelle's Blog about why you read! If she gets 25 comments she will give away a free book. Woohoo, love freebies!