Hmm...

I swear to goodness my dog thinks he's a cat. He's lazy, he pounces things, he bats at things with his paws, he rubs against your leg (no, not like that, pervs), and right now as I type this, he's stalking a fly.

WTH.

Sweeeet

You know you're a craft whore when you watch movies and notice all the cool craft possibilities. Several months ago I saw P.S. I Love You (yes, Gerard Butler and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, I do love you... oh yeah... love you too Hubby) and instantly noticed their ribboned refrigerator. I can't find a photo of it off-hand...

Anyhoo, with some 3M light-job removable strips, some ribbon, some hot glue (to stick the 2 ribbons together at the ends), and some tape (for the photos... I used a little rolled-up bit of packing tape)... I gots myself a ribbonny 'fridge!

And here she is!

Edited on 11/25... I had to nix the strip closest to the handle. I don't watch what I'm doing and I kept snagging my hand on it! LOL!

Seriously... I'm a masochist

DH works until 12:30ish (AM) on Mondays and Tuesdays... and I have this insane need to wait up until he gets home, visit with him until 1:30 or 2:00 am and go to bed. Only to wake up anywhere between 6 and 7:30 with the kids. I'm gonna die, I swear.

The thing is, I can't sleep when he's not home... I sleep VERY hard and he sleeps VERY light so when he's home, I know I'm safe even if he's asleep. KWIM? I'm so dead to the world I can't even tell if this post is coherent. Is it?

Purple Monkey Dishwasher.

Ah yes... I use obscure Simpson's quotes in daily conversation.

Good times.

OMG It's just so much better...

... when we include the dog! AHAHAHA! And yes, yes I did take my photo just for this. :D

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Good Deeds

My husband and I are not well off... at all... so while I'd love to be able to do good deeds more often than once a year at Christmas time, c'est la vie.

DH and I take turns doing a good deed around Christmas and we kind of take it as we see it. Last year, I was grocery shopping alone (say WHA?!) and I noticed a young couple with 3 children was struggling with the cashier because they had only recently begun receiving food stamps and wasn't sure what was what... as a result, they had to set several items aside. The children were obviously confused, the mother was in tears, and it was apparent that the husband, too, was fighting back embarassment and depression. The cashier was none too patient with them, and when I grabbed the items they couldn't afford, he looked at me as though I was crazy. ...

"YOU want these?", he asked.
"Yes, but put them in their bags please." He stared at me for a second and then I added quietly and out of earshot of the children, "What kind of a**hole would I be if I couldn't show a little compassion at Christmas time, hmm?"

I helped the family load their groceries and had a chance to chat with them for a bit. The husband had lost his extremely well-paying job in a factory and having no other qualifications or education, he took up 2 jobs.. one at a gas station and the other as a painter (of houses, not art). The mother, having been a stay-at-home mom since she was fresh out of high school, was home during the day and waiting tables at night.

I was so touched by their story because it's so completely feasible that this situation could be my very own at any given time. As we parted ways, the man offered to pay me back. It was like something out of a book because the only reply I could muster was, "Just do something for somebody less fortunate than you." I felt like I should've followed that with "Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." and then dusted off my 1950's apron and baked some effin' cookies, yo.

The year before that, DH filled a woman's gas tank. And before that, it was groceries again.

We're not especially religious people... but we definitely listen when God presents us with a job we must do. And though the checking account may be low, we help and we trust that feeling in our gut that says "Do this, you'll be alright."

I can't believe the novel this turned into, so I apologize and I'm flattered that you'd have read this far. I tend to be humble... I don't like to toot my own horn... I don't like getting "kudos" but this isn't about me, this is about seeing a need and filling a need. Whether you want to donate your time or money to a charity or whether you just see somebody in need and follow your gut... it's so easy to forget that there are people out there less fortunate than us. Especially if you're like my family... we may not be well-off, but we've got all that we need and even some of what we want too. So why not share?

Stuff

I love blogging about the crap these belly-fruit of mine spout from their pie holes...

Some famous Bomb sayings:

"I WILL NEVER *insert whatever activity is frustrating him* EVER, NEVER, NEVER AGAIN!"

"But you're my best friend." (this is usually preceded by DH saying "No Bomb, I can't play right now, I have to finish what I'm working on.")

"I QUIT!"

"YOU'RE SO FIRED!" (What? He likes to moonlight with Donald Trump apparently.)

"Ah wiki-wiki-whaaaat?" (yeah, he gets that from Mama)

And on that note...

Christmas. *shudder* Is anyone starting to decorate yet? I think I probably would have gotten a jump start on it if it weren't for the fact that I LOATHE entering the crawl space where the boxes are located. I wouldn't say I'm phobic... but I do really REALLY hate confined spaces. But yeeeah... I'll probably venture into the abyss of mice turds, cobwebs, and dust to retrieve my probably-broken decorations sometime before Thanksgiving.

Feelin' Crafty

The blog redesign went more smoothly than I'd anticipated. I'm all IE compatible now. :D

Anyhoo, somebody got me addicted to the slideshows of crafts and such on BHG's site. Just waiting for payday so I can go to Michaels! hehe!

We're making these for Minky's teachers...



I LOVE this idea for an quick and easy advent calendar!
















I still have to find a snazzy craft for the kids to do for the grandparents, but between BHG and craftbits.com and, of course, my beeyotch Martha, I'm sure to find SOMETHING before Christmas. :)

Blog re-design

Bear with me while I redesign my blog... things should be visible (albeit, borrrring) for IE users now but it appears as though my old design wasn't IE-friendly. *shakes fist angrily at IE* This will give me something to do in the 2 days that the Sweet Shoppe Designs forum is closed anyways :D LOL!

Had a bad morning :(

I haven't had a day like this in a LONG time. I'm not an "Oh, woe is me" kind of person so I apologize in advance if it sounds like I'm just being a whiny baby.

First of all, Bomb was up with growing pains a few times in the middle of the night so I didn't get a whole lot of sleep-- I assume that Minky didn't either, cuz she cried about EVERYTHING all morning! She cried because I wouldn't dress her (seriously, she's almost 5, she's not an infant). She refused to put her coat on, then cried because it "didn't fit" (it does), then cried because the zipper got stuck, then went into a fit of hysteria because her mittens wouldn't go on, ultimately refusing to wear them or put them in her backpack. Well, the mittens got forgotten... luckily it's not really cold enough for mittens, just snowy and wet. Anyways, we got out to the car and she pitched another fit because the door wouldn't open, and yet another because it was too hard to close. Then we got to school and she cried because she had the "crying hiccups". *sigh*

So, I let the teacher know that we had a bit of a rough morning and that we forgot her mittens. If looks could kill. I don't understand these teachers, they are so stand-offish and condescending. Anywho, she gives me this dagger look and says "Well, I guess we'll just have to see what we have in lost & found, won't we?", I replied "I can run back home and get them" and then she says in a rather irritated voice, "That's pointless, she'll be fine." I'm human, I had a rough morning, I forgot mittens... effin' sue me.

I don't get it... they're awesome with the kids, not so good with the parents (or maybe just me, cuz they seem to like the rich parents that bring them gifts for their birthdays and donate $300 in craft supplies... the tuition money we can barely afford isn't enough apparently). Oh well, DD loves it. That's all that matters, right?

Here's hoping the rest of the day goes better...

Happy Veteran's Day!

Lots of love and appreciation for the men and women in our armed forces, their spouses, their children, and their entire families for enduring the hardships, and even the losses... not just today but every day.

THANK YOU.

Ugggh

DH has an abscessed tooth that he bit down on and now he's in tons of pain.... I think I've got some stomach bug.... and both of the kids have runny noses. Is it really gonna be one of THOSE weeks? *sigh*

Must. Think. Positive. Thoughts.

*yawn*

Nothing to report on this fine, fine Saturday. My plans include browsing Goodwill for any fun trinkets and grocery shopping. Good fun :)

Here's my latest LO...
(click for full preview)

Fond Friday

I'm fond of Brazilian Blend coffee (Folgers) with just a little spoonful of french vanilla creamer in it.

I'm fond of quality digiscrap freebies!

I'm fond of hooded sweatshirts.

I'm fond of CHRISTMAS!!

I'm fond of my pug, Goliath. He's come so far since we got him. He was the runt and had Demodex (mange)... now he's kicked the mange, he's filling out, and is sweet as can be. I love that ugly little turd!

I'm fond of my husband... he always makes sure I get the best of everything. If we split a cupcake, he gives me the bigger half. If there's 1 soda left, I get it. If we both needed socks but only had money for one of us, he'd wear holey socks until his next payday. If my car was acting funny, he'd insist that I take his... even if it's nothing big. This is totally what marriage should be.

And last, but not least... I'm fond of blogging and digiscrapping. Because, seriously, what the heck else am I gonna do all day?! :)

New LO...

I couldn't wait til tomorrow to post this one... I love how the photos turned out.


(click for full preview)

Thirsty Thursday...

My all-time favorite hot, alcoholic beverage for autumn and winter is Gluehwein! My dad used to make this quite often around Christmas time when I was a kid and I loved the smell... occasionally he'd make an apple cider version of this for my brother and me. As an adult, the wine version definitely trumps the cider version ;)


From AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.
2. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy.
3. Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)

I gotta no subject

With winter creeping up, it's high time I begin planning my painting projects. I had every intention to get the rooms painted last winter but it never got done. My distaste for plain white walls is surpassed only by my laziness... as is usually the case with everything. LOL Anyways, I'm going with some colors from the Arts and Crafts Movement (since our house was built in 1906)... http://www.behr.com/behrx/inspiration/historical_3.jsp

How dull the life I lead....

Aaaand, on that note, a LO from today:

(click for full preview & credits)

Just some LO's

Just a few layouts I've done lately... in no particular order... credits are in my descriptions over on PB...

Are. You. Kidding?!

It's 2008 folks and network television is STILL homophobic... UGH!

Say goodbye to Dr. Hahn on Grey's Anatomy.
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2008/11/brooke-smith-le.html

HAHAHA!

The word of the day on Sesame Street is "Lazy"... DS was listening intently to the definition, processed it a bit, then says "Mama, you're laaaaazy." He's so proud of his new word.

Me? Not so much.

My children... the mini lawyers

Just some funny arguments they've made:

"I had the toy first because I had it."

"Your toy is my toy but only a little."

"Mom would say I can have it."

"But DAD does that!" (referring to something like throwing toys... which DH does not)

"I can't change my clothes because it's 20-30 o'clock."

"You're a boy!!" (Bomb to Minky... the worst insult ever, apparently)

Good times.