Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The End...

Just to let my 3 readers know...I have decided to do all of my blogging in one spot: ArtSmith

BlogSmith is my first blog; my baby. I can't even remember when I started this...2004? Maybe.

Then I created ArtSmith, because I wanted to keep the arting and crafting separate from the daily life. Believe it or not, however, it all kind of spills over into the other on both sides, and it has gotten hard to decide what should I say here and what I should say there when I really want you to read it all but I hate to duplicate.

So...one blog it shall be. It's just weird, because I feel like there is a huge part of my life here. But...my life has completely changed within the last year so it just makes sense that the blogging should go along with it. But I'll be back to read and remember all of those little things: the "Conversations" especially!

Good times, good times....

Link over and join me on ArtSmith!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

I think I needed a break!

Sometimes there is just too much life in your life. I have a lot of that. This has been THE WORST Spring Sickness season EVER...even Ethan ended up with pneumonia and he's my healthiest one-I think he has only been sick two other times in his whole ten years. Allison has been ok suprisingly! She's the one with asthma, but we've recently found a new specialist for her and whatever he is doing is totally working! I think this is the first time in her life that she hasn't ended up with pneumonia or bronchitis or something during this time of year...I'm very pleased with him and he is now my NewFavoriteDoctorInTheWorld! Claire, however, is another story...I know the first year of public school/Kindergarten can be tough on their little immune systems but, she had been in Mother's Day Out (until we moved to SA) and she is ALWAYS running around with her big brother and sister's friends. She's not afraid of anything and is no stranger to germs and bacteria! lol! But from the time she went back to school after Christmas until Spring Break she has been sick with one thing after another...a virus here, Strep Throat there, even some Tonsilitis thrown in for good measure. Hopefully, all of the germs in the school died out over Spring Break and we are all good to go for the rest of the school year!

*Knock on wood here*

Plus, I just haven't been feeling very much like doing anything. I have a gabillion ideas, just no energy. It's starting to come back though, and I spent 4 hours in Claire's room yesterday cleaning out EVERYTHING! I also cleaned out and organized the closet in the gameroom...there are a couple of games and puzzles I left in there that I'm not sure we actually have all the pieces for (like 'Mousetrap. Who actually has all of the pieces for 'Mousetrap'? lol!), but, I didn't want it to look too empty, if you know what I mean. Oh, and going back to cleaning out Claire's room...she has this really old Care Bear blanket that I have NEVER been a fan of. I had planned to throw it out. But, it must have gotten left behind somewhere between the giant garbage bag and the dirty laundry pile because there it was on top of her bed this morning! grrrrr....

Anyway...we are all still here, alive and mostly well and Lucy's wardrobe is steadily growing! (I think that's where Allison spends all of her money.) I just want to say "Hello!" to everybody that comes around here...I really do appreciate all of you and I do plan to be back more regularly.

Friday, February 08, 2008

How did they get this picture of Lucy???

funny pictures
moar funny pictures

I think she's been cattin' around!


Then I made this one of Frida, when she was a kitten...
funny pictures
moar funny pictures

Now I know why everyone loves the 'I Can Has Cheezburger' site...it is so funny!

Monday, February 04, 2008

Yes, we did survive last week...

Barely. Ethan and Claire started out with the flu, then Claire went on to Strep Throat. They were home. For many days. Then Steven decided that THIS was the time to paint. After two and a half years of me begging it finally had to be done last weekend. After many days of children at home. So...children at home and man painting. I just locked myself away in my studio and pretended not to hear all of the yelling and screaming.

It worked!

Of course, he's not even close to being finished with the painting, so that will be all next weekend, too. But, Saturday I am teaching my very first sewing class! I still can't believe that. It's a kids' class, and we will be making a pillow, so I can handle that. No zippers involved!

As for Sunday...I see a road trip to Austin in my future! lol!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

BLOGGING FOR CHOICE!

*This is not my best work. I usually write much better, more coherent...but, I'm in a big rush, and I really want this out there one way or another! Because I am DEFINITELY Pro-Choice!*

I am a firm believer in Pro-Choice. Like you didn't know, but...I want that right out there. No question.

People think that that is weird, considering that I am adopted. However...that wasn't my choice to make; it was my bio mother's choice. She was the one who had to be pregnant for 9 months, hiding out in a 'Home for Unwedded Mothers" for 5 months, then go through labor and delivery just to hand the baby over to someone else.

The choice she made-adoption vs. abortion vs. keeping me herself-worked out in the best way possible! For me, anyway. I would have had no problem being aborted, and I KNOW that if she kept me for herself my life growing up with her could never have compared to the life I had with my parents...in a good way! And I truly believe that giving your baby up for adoption has to be, MUST be, the single most self-less act a person can do.

I know I could not do it. Ever. I know that if I had ever gotten pregant before I was ready to handle it on my own, and had accomplished the goals I wanted to accomplish in my life before I had children, I would have been in the fast lane all the way to Planned Parenthood!

Even now, after having given birth to 3 live children, I still believe I should have the right to make my own choice. I am the one who has to deal with the consequences for the rest of my life either way...why should that choice be left to someone else?

I certainly don't see any legistatures or people in the general public jumping up to help out mothers who don't have any support! Financial, Pre-natal, medical help for the mother and the child, diapers and formula, food, clothes, roofs over their heads, education in decent schools...I could go on and on Why should they have the right to force me to have a baby who isn't going to have the best in life? The people who campaign against it are nothing but a bunch of hypocritcal liars; many of whom feel it is perfectly OK to take out a living doctor or an abortion clinic full of living people to "save" an embryo that isn't even viable! I'm not saying that abortion should be a regular form of birth control, as repeated abortions can do damage to a female; however, saft abortions should ALWAYS be an option!

And don't even get me started on what WILL happen if abortions are made illegal! (Well ok, a little bit...) There will always be the option for abortion, legally or otherwise. If people are forced to have illegal abortions there are more complications that could arise from that than I can even come up with. Including, but not limited to: infection, ruptured uteruses, scarring and damage so severe that if she ever wants to have another baby it won't be possible, and death.

Remember what it used to be like? Let's not go back there. Vote Pro-Choice.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Target and Other Thoughts

Yikes-I know...no posts since before Thanksgiving! Believe me, it's not because there is nothing going on here. In fact, it's because there is too much! lol!

So I received this Target add in my email. It features gifts for men, women and children.

Gifts for Women: A Gilligan & O'Malley Robe for $14.99; and a Turtleneck Sweater for $24.99.

Gifts for Men: A $179.99 Camcorder and Leather Jackets ranging from $99.99 to $109.99.

Gifts for Kids. Because they've been EXTRA GOOD this year. One of these is the Exercauser Triple Fun Activity Center for $119.99


Now...these are my thoughts on the matter:


How come the gifts that are featured on this Target add for women are a $15 robe and a $25 dollar sweater, and the featured gifts for men are a $180 camcorder and a $100+ leather jacket???

Hmmm...ever think I'd like a bigger lens for my Nikon (although I know they don't have those at Target), or a new and bigger TV that shows all of the colors equally and not just focus on red??? How about that Zune? I want one of those, too! And while you're at it, add that camcorder to my list, too. That Kodak 12 mp camera for $250 would be really cool if it really worked, but, I am having serious reservations at the ability of it actually being a 12mp camera-Point and Shoot, no less.

Seriously-men take one look at that add and go, "Hey! There's a Target 2 miles from here and I'm in and out and done for fifteen bucks. And look how happy she will be in that big bulky robe! Woot!"** Shit. Might at well throw in some pots and pans or a vacuum or crock pot or something. And the baby gift is some big noisy thing that would drive any adult over the edge! Then they wonder why their wives are mad at them all the time.

I think my favorite part of the add is this quote: "Gifts for kids. Because they've been extra-good this year." I think Santa has turned a blind eye to this house. You know they (the kids themselves) know they are in trouble when, while standing in line to see Santa last Sunday and they are hearing all the things about how Santa watches you all year and knows if you've been bad or good, and Claire leans over and you can hear the desperate whispering in your ear, "Ummm, Can Santa read your mind, too?" (Just might be time to bring this one in for confession! I think it would be very beneficial to her soul to let her skip a few grades!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, because I ALWAYS love to learn new words and their definitions-seriously. I love dictionaries!

**The word "Woot" has just been chosen by Meriam-Webster as the new "Word of the Year" for 2007! I just learned that this morning, and I'm already using it in a sentence. To be totally honest to the point that some people may think I'm a freak, the word "woot" has been in the pop-culture for years now, and I'm not so sure that it's timeworthy of 2007. Maybe something more like 2001. Personally, I think a more appropriate word would have been something like 'selflessness' or 'charity' or 'coexist', even 'sympathetic'...something to remind people that it's not ALL ABOUT THEM. Like it or not, we live with millions of other people, and the things I am trying to accomplish are as important to me as they things others are trying to accomplish. Take "Little Driving Man Talking on Cell Phone" this morning...just because you are dressed more nicely (and talking on your cell phone) than the woman wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt who had just dropped of one of her children and her child's friend at school, does not make you more important than she or anyone else at the intersection where you blew through the STOP sign, and would have caused an accident if the other driver hadn't been paying as much attention. Get a sense of equality, will you?

Not to even mention doing good things for others, no matter how small. *Totally not to brag on myself here, but...* I was in line to check out at Target last week, with a basketfull of who knows what. I just know it was A LOT! A man walked up behind me with a package of diapers and a couple of other baby type things. I knew it was going to take me a long time to check out, and he could be in and out in about 2 minutes so, I told him to go ahead and get in front of me and check out first. He looked incredulous and asked if I was sure. I said of course...I'm gonna be here a while, you go ahead. He was very grateful and said thank-you several times, THEN he told me that his wife had just had a baby and they were on their way home from the hospital and had to stop for a couple of things...he ran in to get them while his wife and the baby waited in the car. The moral of this story is: do something nice for someone at least once a day, because sometimes you get incredible stories like this one! So totally worth the extra few seconds of waiting! And just from my own personal experience, I know how extremely grateful any woman trying to get in a doorway with a stroller will be if you will hold the door open for her!

My mom always told me to live by The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I still try to live every day like that (sometimes I lose my temper, yes; I won't say I'm perfect!). But, living that way makes life that much easier for everyone, and sweeter, too. And it will all come back around to you!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Lucy, Claire, etc...

Lucy is still my favorite dog...


And the cutest one, too! Plus, I just cannot get over how friendly and loving she is, to everyone, including the cats. Lilly and Molly think she is great, even if Frida is still a little weirded out, and Annie is just plain not having anything to do with the whole thing! lol! Lilly and Molly also like the kennel, and are either inside it or on top of it all the time. I just wish I could get a picture of all 3 of them-Lucy, Lilly and Molly, all there at the same time. Here's one of just Lucy and Lilly:


And I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week already! Tomorrow is the last day of school. Tomorrow is also the day for Kindergarten's program...some kind of Pow-wow. At least I don't have to go for lunch and eat the cafeteria turkey dinner! That's one thing to be thankful for!

Among other conversations I've had with the kids, there was one in which Claire was talking about wanting to go visit my Aunt Carol and Uncle Rusty. They have a big pond that my Uncle keeps stocked with fish, so the little ones can always catch something, and Claire wants to go fishing...

Claire: If I catch a fish...(she pauses, because something else has caught her attention)

Me: I'm not gonna clean it!

Claire: NO! We're not going to eat it or anything. I'm just gonna get one of Uncle Rusty's boards, because I know he has some around there somewhere, and I'm gonna nail the fish on the board and hang it on the wall!

Ummmm...anybody out there have some air-freshener they need to get rid of??? lol!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Conversations with Claire

*Just a quickie-because I keep forgetting!*

So...mom was here last weekend and we were working in the yard, planting some flowers. Mom had been using the hoe to 'chop up' the dirt, for lack of a better term because a farmer I am not!

When mom was done, she laid the hoe down in the grass, and eventually Claire came along and picked it up and said:

"Aw! You're a dirty ol' hoe, but I love ya anyway!"

I about busted a gut trying to keep it in...and I do know she meant "hoe" and not "ho", but it comes out sounding the same! And I am still laughing about it!

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Because 2 Adults, 3 Kids and 4 Cats weren't enough...


We got a dog!

And I wonder why I never have time to sit down. Well, now I have to sit down a lot though...to cuddle with Lucy and all. Dogs like to cuddle a lot more than cats! Oh! And they like to be dressed up and wear clothes, too. Really. Just ask them. And they also love to have 13 year old girls paint their claws with bright red nail polish! rofl!

Don't ask me how this happened, because I really don't know. I never wanted a dog, and neither did Steven. We have been telling the kids "no" for years now. Then all of a sudden, I just had to have one! The only requirement was that it had to be female and small. So, I started "The Search". And there are so many cute ones out there! But, we finally found just the right dog for us, at the Animal Shelter in San Marcos. Lucy was one of 15-yes, that's right, 15!-Chihuahuas that had been abandoned in the Wal-Mart parking lot there. Fifteen Chihuahuas of all ages. Personally, I think someone decided to get a couple of dogs and breed them and make lots of easy money, then finally realized it wasn't as easy as they thought it would be, and just left them all there in the parking lot one night. Luckily they were rescued before any harm came their way. We went and visited with them and realized that Lucy was definitely meant for us! She is about 3 years old and has had more than one litter of puppies. She is so calm and quiet; she never ever bothers the cats; she RARELY barks (we've only heard her bark about 5 times in the 2 weeks we have had her)and when she does bark it's just for show-you know, that 'Chihuahua Attitude', she is so easy-going and never runs off...just an all-around great little dog! You know, I do believe that people, animals, things, etc...come into your life for a reason and right when you need them. I think Gayla sent Lucy to me. I lost Gayla forever and Claire to Kindergarten right around the same time, and suddenly found myself alone, with no one to talk to or interact with except the Scotch Tape I did have a long conversation with one day, and Gayla decided I needed a dog! lol! And although I still instinctively pick up the phone to call Gayla, I do think Lucy helps...and I can take her places with me, carrying her in her little baby carrier with her cute little clothes and blankets...although her little ears turn red when she starts getting hot in there, just like Ethan's and Steven's! lol! And when we are home, she is either right at my feet (I've actually accidently stepped on her a couple of times) or sitting on my lap the whole time. Definitely my dog.

*Really-I'm not insane. I don't think.*

So anyway, here are a few-okay, a lot-of pictures. And no, I didn't deliberately keep Ethan out of the pictures, it's just that by the time we got home with her after she had been spayed it was around 8:00 (because we had to stop at Target for cute stuff), about an hour and a half after his bedtime and he got out of the car and went straight to bed and we never heard another peep! lol!








She's a Daddy's Girl!



This is Lucy's kennel with the banner I made...it has her name on it, although you can barely see it. Molly the Cat also enjoys the kennel! She likes to get in it when Lucy is out. It's so funny the way she sits in there, though: absolutely straight up and looking around at everything like she may be interested in buying. It's hilarious!




There are no pictures of Annie or Lilly anywhere near the dog...in fact, we very rarely see Annie anymore at all! But Molly is just so curious about the whole thing! This first night, since Lucy was moving around too much for Molly to get a really good look at her, Molly just waited until Lucy was good and asleep, and then did a thorough checking out! lol!



Frida is just keeping her distance! However, she is coming around a lot more these days.


By the end of the day, she was one worn out puppy!



Of course, there has been so much going on around here I could never tell you everything, but, this is the biggest news by far. Well, that AND I got my hair cut! Maybe with all of the kids in school, I'll have time to do that on a more routine basis! Oh, I can give you a head's up on 'Future News'...my parents will be here tomorrow for the weekend or a month (however long I can talk them into) and Steven and I got tickets for the Spurs game Friday night!!! I haven't been excited about going anywhere in a LONG TIME, but I am sooooooo excited about this! I love our Spurs!

Oh, and of course, I Love Lucy! ha!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Just a quick update...

First of all, thanks for the well-wishes! The kids are doing better...Ethan is still on the mend, not 100%, but I am seeing progress. I'm still going downhill..."Walking Pneumonia"...what is that??? To me, you either have pneumonia, or you don't; not a whole lot of grey area, but, I guess that just means that you have pneumonia, but the doctor doesn't want to give you a hospital vacation. lol!

In other news, Steven and I had our 15th Wedding Anniversary yesterday! We got married on the 10th day of the 10th month at 10:00 am. Sounded like good and lucky to me, and it seems to have worked so far. We didn't do much because I haven't been feeling well, but, he did take the day off and we went to P.F. Chang's for lunch. Mmmm...I love that place! Before we went, we were thinking how nice it would be to eat like adults, without kids...but the whole time we were there, we were checking the time hoping we wouldn't be late picking them up from school! LOL! And OF COURSE a date for us wouldn't be a date without a stop at a bookstore, so we stopped off at Barnes & Noble on the way home. I picked up a Jane Austen novel, "Persuasion", and a book of Kate Chopin's work that includes her novel "The Awakening" along with some of her other short fiction work. I got home and immediately started in on the Kate Chopin book and had a hard time putting it down! After that HUGE lunch I was sure I would fall asleep, yet I was still going strong and blowing goodnight kisses to the kids from my chaise while reading. lol!

Steven didn't get any books but...he did look at a lot of books with pictures! Ha-haaa! Old joke of ours...he doesn't read anything that doesn't have pictures in it.

We also got an old Five for Fighting CD-America Town.


I don't know why it took me so long to get this one. It was made in 2000, and it is wonderful...I love every song! I think I tend to just get lost in whatever I'm listening to at the time, and in 2000 it was probably MatchboxTwenty, so this one slipped right by. If you like bands like Train, Matchbox Twenty, Sister Hazel, Maroon 5, that type of stuff, I think you would like this and I would recommend it...if there is actually someone out there even farther behind in musicland than I am!

And now I have 2 more hours before I have to pick up the monkeys, so maybe I'll have time to work in a nap...or some 'Law & Order'.