Bang. Bang. BANG!

I've been a total slacker mom lately... Once upon a time I did feel guilty, but tonight made the guilt melt away with each bang of my head on the nearest cement wall...

I was bad about sight word practice, we went through them about 3 times a week, well on a good week. Thankfully, Anthony picked it up fast, and his reading has flourished. The math flash cards, yeah... I am SO MUCH worse...

He comes home from school and just wants to play, which I so get and he so needs to be unstructured and just play... I usually try to get homework done while I'm cooking dinner because once dinner is done he is so wired and checked out it's next to IMPOSSIBLE to get Anthony to focus on putting his pajamas on much less do school work.

Well the guilt has been mounting and I forced myself to whip out those handy dandy flash cards after showers... This is how it goes:

Me: holding up 8+8

Ant: did you know that 88 is Dale Jr.'s car. I know 82+6 equals 88 did you know that? Hey mom...

Me: yes, but what is this answer?

Ant: did you know mom that Neptune is the 8th planet from the sun? Or did you know daddy and me really like space? Member when we used to practice all the planets when I was three? Is three a baby?

Me: ok, that's good, but focus please. What's 8+8?

Ant: what was that? Did you hear it? That was thunder. Did you know mom that if you count to five after the light flashes and then it makes thunder that means the thunder is FIVE miles away. Five miles away is still not safe. You have to go INSIDE at five miles, maybe at 100 miles you could be outside, but maybe then I couldn't even hear the thunder. Maybe...

Me: ANTHONY! FOCUS!! WHAT IS 8 PLUS 8? I added a snap for good measure...

Ant: oh mommy, that's easy... 16 duh and then he flashes that uber cute smile that melts my heart every single time....

Thunder, nope that was me banging my head against the nearest wall... This kid just may do me in... He is lucky I love him to the moon and back 100 times over....

Wordy Wednesday

This pic speaks louder then words, BUT the story is CLASSIC!

A while ago, my daughter informed her friend that he was going to marry her. No IF, ANDS, OR BUTS! It was settled. He adamantly refused. It was hilarious. All haughty with her hands on her hips she said demanded that he marry her when they get big! lol Well...

My girlfriend had Madison for the afternoon and she decided to take the kids to chic fil a to eat and play... The kids had a great time and my friend snapped a few pics with her cell phone. She wanted the three kids to get together so she could snap a quick one of the three of them, but her littlest ran off as little ones often do, so Madison decided to seize the opportunity and plant a big one on her future husband! His face is PRICELESS and as soon as she released him from her kissing clutches he shouts: "I am NEVER doing that AGAIN!!!" If he only knew :)

For more WW: A Beautiful Mess, Look at What Mom found... and Dad too,  Momspective,  Wordless Wednesday ,

Better After: Even with a few bumps along the way...

I have this curio cabinet. It's well, I guess its ok. Honestly, I disliked it immensely and intensely. It just screamed old fashioned and is so not me. Maybe it was me 12 years ago, but now? Not so much... Its filled with Precious Moments. I no longer like, want, or need, but so many were given to me over the years and I hate to get rid of them, so there they sit inside the cabinet I now deem as ugly...

I've been doing all kinds of "projects" around the house trying to reclaim it as MY space... I mean we have been married for nearly a gazillion years and my stuff is just so ugh... dated! It is so NOT me (well its starting to scream me now)... I never buy "house stuff", normally, I'm a clothes kinda gal, but lately I've been fed up with the ugliness so I've been changing things up.

Finally, I got to the curio redo on my very long list of projects... I had a genius idea to spray paint it black and asked Jason to get right on it. He didn't quite jump "on it" as fast as I would have liked so, I decided to tackle this one on my own. I mean how hard can it be, right?

I popped into Lowes on my way home from preschool pick up and grabbed 3 cans of spray paint and once the princess had her lunch I set out to transform my beast into a beauty...

The day was PERFECT. It was fairly warm for a January day (no coats needed) and the wind was non existent, so I somehow managed to move drag the curio out front all by myself! I must confess, with every step I chanted "Please don't drop! Do NOT trip. Do NOT break the glass. Shockingly, this uncoordinated klutzy girl made it without mishap! Total fist pump moment...

I went right to work. Shaking and spraying. Shaking and spraying, until two cans were toast. It was a bit spotty, but nothing another few cans of paint wouldn't cure... At this point I glanced at my hands and they were complete NASTINESS! They were black, gunky, and sticky... Ewwwww... Totally should have worn rubber gloves and next time, I so will!

After admiring my work, I skipped in the house to wash up and let that beautiful creation dry so I could add another coat. As I was drying my now grey hands, I heard a CRASH!

%&*%!

Obscenities flew as I dropped the hand towel and made a mad dash to the front door PRAYING that was NOT what I thought it was...

*&%#

It was. A lump quickly rose in my throat as I saw my glass front curio (which I was beginning to like again) face down on my driveway. Not grass, driveway. I just stared for a second in disbelief! In the five minutes it took for me to depaint my hands, the wind started whipping and blew that m-efer over. Seriously? Only me... only me people!

I finally gained the courage to assess the damage. I gingerly began to life the cabinet up and was shocked I could not hear the tinkling of glass as it made its way to the ground! It was 3/4 of the way up and there wasn't a single crack in the glass! I swear I wanted to do a little happy dance!

Just as I got it all the way up, CRASH! The freaking door ripped from the hinges and clattered to the ground splintering the door jam along the way... OMG you have got to be kidding me was all I could think. The freakin door ripped away yet, still the glass was whole!?! Makes a whole lot of sense doesn't it?

With my ego majorly bruised, I drug my oops into the garage where I proceeded to call my bud. As I tell her the story, I can barely speak. Not from tears, but laughter. It was one of those laugh or cry moments... I later called the hubs, still laughing, and he was quite pissed because I just had to be impatient blah freakin blah...

Well, as it turns out, my bud, my very own Julie of all trades, decides she can fix it.  Well, I let her run with that idea, not expecting, but still hoping she would be able to fix it... and OMG did she fix it! She sanded and glued, and even repainted it for me... All that was left was for me to fabric the back and it was complete. My vision was a reality and I fell back in love!

I shined the glass, weeded out a few of the precious moments, made room for my grandmothers tea cups, took a step back to check it out, and beamed! If it wasn't for my girlie this little beauty would have hit the trash, but instead it got to be my new treasure!

So, what do you think? Better After?

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people are strange...

I'm feeling a bit doors-ey tonight.... :)

The hubs and I have a slight disagreement and I figured I would let you all decide... Once a week I take one of the minis to a class and I have to wait for the said mini for an hour. When I arrive to the class, the lobby always has only one seat left, so obviously I take the last seat...

Well, for months, the only seat left is next to a guy. I'm sure he is a perfectly nice guy, but as soon as I see my lone seat, internally I scream and agonize over the next 60 minutes I will have to sit by him...

I think the man may have issues. He probably has a bad leg or something and I get that I am being mean here, and I'm sorry for that. I really am BUT I am going a wee bit crazy at the same time...

For the entire hour my kid is in class, the man rubs his leg up and down up and down. He scratches his leg for minutes at a time. He punches his leg repeatedly, and every so often he violently twitches and makes this weird noise! It makes me jump! Every. Single. Time. For real! He will shake or rock for minutes at a time. His movements are so harsh, that my chair literally moves each time he does.

I try to read my book, but I cannot focus because the guy weirds me out! I swear some rare form of untreatable body lice is gonna jump on me or something... I try and read but all I can do is obsess about what the guy is going to do next! Does he have torrettes? Has he suffered from a major leg injury? Is it just a nervous tick? Or does dude just need a lil medication? Maybe a cream?

For 60 minutes I wonder. For 60 minutes, I make up tragic war hero stories in my head. For 60 minutes I think about how he is going to catch me staring and I think of all the ways he will dispose of my body. For 60 minutes, I think of some awesome newspaper headlines and how I just might get my five seconds of fame after all. For 60 minutes I weave some exceptional, very imaginative, and writer worthy stories.

After the said 60 minutes I refrain from shouting “Dude! Can you not sit still? They make a pill for that you know! Seriously, I think I’m developing whiplash over here!” One day, I fear I may voice my thoughts which would be oh so BAD!!

So each week, the only seat available is next to him. I know it's because everyone notices it and so doesn't want to sit by him... I know they are all thinking "hahaha the late chick always gets stuck there". So each week, there I sit.

Tonight, my husband and I actually had a conversation that did not involve the logistics of our family, so I seized the opportunity (aka finally remembered a few weeks later) and I told him about this "situation" I run into each week at one of the kids classes. I claim weirdo, yet Jason says I'M the weirdo because I sit next to him... What!?!? No way... What should I do stand and make it totally obvious that I don't want to sit next to the poor guy? I do feel bad or him. I don't think he realizes he is so loud or that he is rocking my world and so not in a good way...I think the hubs is TOTALLY wrong on this one... I mean come on, I am so not weird (insert some MAJOR sarcasm and a HUGE pile of Bull you know what for good measure!) hahahaha!

Happy Valentine"s Day!

From my family to yours!

Valentine cards are a dreaded debacle in this house. I mean it is a HUGE fight. Anthony hates, despises, and is revolted by writing. He cannot stand it. Last year I thought I would take the easy way out and buy premade cards (yes, this was a first for me. yes, I can be THAT mom, I mean I have to keep up appearances. and YES, I did twitch slightly, ok a lot, as I purchased them). I mean maybe I was putting to much pressure on the whole hand made card thing, so I took the high road, got past MY hang ups, and bought the damn Phineas and Ferb valentines. I shudder just thinking of them...

So a few weeks before the BIG party, i whipped those puppies out hoping he would write his name 20 times and be done with it. Ha! All I can say is THANK GOD I was afraid the Phineas and Ferb cards were gonna sell out and bought them EARLY! Three weeks. Yup, 3 whole weeks of crying, fighting, arguing, and more tears from both he and I then I care to admit just to get him to sign his damn name 20 measly times! Seriously?!?!

Yes, he has a long name, but come on! He wrote his name for the first time BEFORE he was three years old. The boy can do it, he just hates it. Yes, he does have poor fine motor skills, but come on this whole thing last year was a bit more then ridiculous and I even cheated with the store bought cards! (The kicker? We FINALLY finished the cards and the poor kid was sick and didn't even get to attend his class party last year! I felt SO bad for him).

Well, this year I was so NOT cheating! We were making cards again damn it! I don't have many years of this cute card stuff left and I was not wasting another year! I am pleased to report that while I did all the cutting, he did the pasting, and wrote his name 21 times, with a whole lot less tears and fights. The best part? It only took one week! Yahoo!! Now, that's some improvement! Maybe next year it will only take a day :)

I hope everyone has a most wonderful Valentine's Day and gets to spend the day with those they love! xxoo

My eye!

Thursday night I headed out to a PTA meeting reminding Jason to make sure Mad took a bath and Anthony showered... As the door closed I savored the silence...

The PTA meeting was quick and when I got home the minis were clean and ready to read some stories... As we were corralling the wild animal children upstairs, Jason mouthed over Madison's still went head, "Wait til I tell you what happened to Madison!" I could see the laughter in his eyes and I gave the well what is it look, but he shook his head, "She will FREAK if she hears me tell you".

The suspense was KILLING me! We read our stories, tucked sleepy babes into bed, and I totally rushed downstairs so I could hear this... I mean I knew it had to be good!

Apparently, Jason was grabbing the kids PJ's as they waiting in the bathroom for the tub and shower to start. Anthony must have been going pee and Madison was clearly close by chatting with him. Jason had just grabbed Madison's pajamas when he heard her shriek...

"Daddy! Daddy HELP ME DADDY!!!" full on screaming began and Jason ran to the bathroom.

"WHAT!" he worried as he took stock. No blood. All limbs. Hair was NOT missing! Questioningly, he looked at Madison to see what on earth was wrong...

Between sobs, she shrieked, "Anthony peed on me daddy. Anthony peed in my EYE!"

Jason could not contain the laughter and that infuriated her more! The tears continued to fall and Anthony sputtered before bursting into tears, "I didn't mean to. I just wanted to tell her something and I forgot to stop the pee!!!"

I still get tears in my eyes as I picture the whole scene unfolding. Anthony the always scatterbrained turning midstream to explain something with his typical "wellll" or "guess what"s. Madison ever dramatic hysterical because someone peed on her. A BOY peed on her. And my husband cracking up over the whole thing, but at the same time thoroughly grossed out and rushing his peed on daughter into the shower ASAP. Hysterical and I am almost sorry I missed it. Almost.

Just another day in casa de crazy. Jealous yet? :)

A snowy day...

We got new appliances last week and I have been hanging on to the dishwasher's box because I had visions of making a fun play house with Madison...

Last night I painted it a bubble gum pink so that it would be all ready for her today. I have been trying to do things with Madison one on one and anything crafting is right up her alley!

Well, a wrench got thrown into my plan of one on one time because surprisingly school was dismissed 2 hours early! (I won't even lie, this was the highlight of my day. When I got the text, I did a hop, skip, and shimmy in the sock aisle at Wally World. I may or may not of fist pumped...)

I was excited that Anthony could partake in the fun now... The three of us (well Ant was a sporadic crafter...) spent our snowy afternoon making a mini house.

They painted (I touched up a few spots), I cut felt and foam shapes, they glued and arranged. They even took it one step further and decided to add bananas (Anthony made them all by himself. He even added the brown tips) to our apple tree and Madison decided a blueberry bush was just the final touch needed.

the doorknob with the letter M is my favorite :)

We had tons of fun playing and we had a great time working and crafting together. The kids had a blast playing in it once we were finished. Anthony made a cool table out of tinker toys and Madison used his creation to do a puzzle. They played and I fixed dinner, so I would say it was a great way to spend a quiet snowy afternoon!

Please excuse the crappy cell phone pics, but that's all I had at the moment!

Oh Pinterest...

Pinterest is my new bestie and worst enemy all wrapped up with a pretty bow, creative card, and an uber cute tag (thrown in just for good measure) Oh, how I love the genius and creative people in the world! There is something for everyone... I am often amazed by what peeps can come up with. I am so NOT creative, but I have learned I can copy pretty darn good!

Pinterest has become a vacuum sucking up the time in my already I do not have enough time life! I have been absent from my blog, my house is messier then usual, and my laundry looks like Mt. Everest (thankfully I have a problem with shopping as well, or we would all be naked by now). It just sucks me in every darn time. Between Pinterest and my kitchen remodel I have been MIA...

I really believe the site is funded by the Michael's, JoAnn's, and Hobby Lobbies of the world. Sucking us in, making us rush out to the nearest craft store ASAP to spend, spend, and spend some more. "I may not make my mortgage payment but my house sure is pretty. Right?" (*this is a JOKE, my mortgage payment is paid. Jason would KILL me if it were not!! Not wanting to spark any "Staci's not paying her mortgage rumors...")

So my life has been filled with lots of projects and I have been loving it... I get a sick sense of control and satisfaction once one is complete... I mean I can manage a wee little project, my life? Ha! Not so much! But all is calm and quiet in the project world lol... Seriously, I was pumped over adding a Tupperware cereal box to my car to use as a trash can. I was so over the juice box, fruit snack, nugget box trash littering my car. Now the minis SHOUT, "Mom! I need the trash can", and I smile with satisfaction as I pass it back. Really. That. Pin. Is. Ingenious! I get the same little thrill over a big one.. Oh how I smile and gaze at my copied creations... They take me to a happy place even if I am spending way too much money at craft stores...

I figured I would share a few of my copies so you can see that I did not fall off the face of the earth and maybe you too will be inspired and find the happy copy creativity "place" I have...

I painted the canvas and framed it... My friend requested one, so I made her one too. SO EASY! I laughed my ass off because Target is now carrying this as of Saturday... I do like mine better though... Biased? Maybe :)

I love this... Sprayed an old frame black, created in Picnik, and printed at Wally World (hate that place) MUST buy a new mat though ASAP! I set it on the floor because it kept glaring on the wall for the pic...

Again EASY! Spray painted an old frame :)

My preppy argyle wreath makes MY heart happy :)

Kicked out the old canvas, spray painted and old canvas, mounted a 24 x 36 engineer print on foam board and stapled in. EASY PEASY!! Plus, since I had staple rewards and all the other supplies totally FREE!!

love this mirror... See the sneak of my cornice boards? Once the room is finished I will share. I am loving it SO far!

Same thing as the first except this is 36 x 48. It's in my bedroom, but wouldn't photograph right so I brought it to a bit better light... I LOVE it and totally fills an empty wall!

These are just a few of the things that have occupied my time lately... There are more, but I will save them and the many future projects for another day when I can't think of anything fab to blog about!

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