Cakes

Random Update

I've been meaning to sit down and write for quite some time now, but I've been highly preoccupied with teaching and crafting, that blogging has been put on the back burner.

Found at a thrift store for $1. Repainted.

Leah lost her first tooth about two weeks ago. Milestones!

The kiddos started their first and third grades earlier this month. We're already on Lesson 16. I was going to start teaching them in September, but we've all been so restless that I decided to go forth a month early. Earlier lessons means earlier summer break means no school on two birthdays. I've got two vacations planned out (Disney and Christmas), so hopefully everything goes smoothly.

"Spin us!" "Don't spin us!" "Why aren't you spinning us?" "I'm scared!" "I'm hot." "Let's live here."

As for crafting, I've decided to jump into the yarn, fearless, and create something difficult. I'm making the kids a sweater, hat, scarf, and mittens EACH, and hope to be finished before September. So far, Jac's sweater is half-way finished and I just started it two days ago. I brought Zac and the kids with me to Hobby Lobby on Saturday and the kiddos picked out their own yarn colors (which, interestingly enough, are the same colors I had in mind). We had a nice brunch at Cracker Barrel and were sad that the weekend didn't last long enough.

It's just one of those days...

When I woke up this morning, there was a series of unfortunate events.

First: Last week, Jac had some allergy issues from my parents' visit. Those allergies lasted about two days and aside from the sniffles, he was fine. Next, Leah started complaining of a sore throat. By Thursday, she couldn't breathe through her nose and couldn't stop coughing.

Last night to this morning was spent with two-hour intervals of attempted sleep, between which I was getting up to coax Leah back to sleep and argue the health benefits of cough medicine while trying not to spill it down her face. At 7am, the "Wake Zac Up" alarm went off, so I had to force myself up, wake the kids, and take Zac to work so I could have the car. The dogs had appointments with the vet to get sterilized at 9. I dropped Zac off and headed home, managed to get the dogs and kids into the car... but the car wouldn't start. The next hour was spent waiting for the Roadside Service, learning it wasn't the battery,  but the starter, then waiting for Zac to pick the dogs up from home and take them for me.

The kids wouldn't go back to bed, I was afraid that one more cup of coffee would give me a stroke, and I had to work this evening. So Sean brought Zac to pick up our car, then came to my apartment and sat with the kids so I could leave. Zac picked up the dogs. I was barely late for work, but the day went by quickly. Now if only the kids would go to bed and we could start over tomorrow...

Good news: My marigolds have started budding.

Random Update

I stepped on my scale last week and was disappointed in the numbers. A few months ago when I started the 30 Day Shred, I lost about ten pounds super quick and kept it off. When I woke up one morning after a Shredded workout and couldn't handle the muscle pain, I passed on the workout that day. And the next. And the one after that, so forth and so on. Needless to say, I gained all that weight back. I started working out again last week. My muscles are sore, but I'm working my way back to the Shred by starting with Pilates and going from there. I've got a dry-erase marker board calendar, so I'm able to keep track of my weight daily, plus what I'm eating. It helps to see the progress. I also feel more productive and energetic after a workout, which is beneficial. Otherwise, I sit and play on my computer and end up doing nothing when I could go out with the kids and do fun things.

My parents came to visit over the weekend. We visited my eldest sister, Karen, and organised our Disney plans while avoiding a mouth-lick from any of her five dogs. I brought a cake for Kylie as a late birthday gift, which luckily, made it's journey from work to home to Metairie without getting ruined or dropped.

Mom went with me to get my tattoo finished. Growing up, she was very much against body modifications of all types. When I had my upper-ear cartilage pierced on my 18th birthday, she was furious. She has never been in a tattoo parlor before. Now she's thinking she might get one in memory of her brother. It's a little weird to me, but oh well. Jessie worked her magic and my leg is red, swollen, sore, but finished. It's beautiful. I decided on tourmaline instead of opal. I never knew if Baby was a boy or a girl, so the tourmaline and turquoise are the pink-and-blue. 

I've been feeling creative lately, so I've looked to Pinterest and Hobby Lobby (my two best friends) and have started making and decorating things. A few years ago, I found this how-to on Pinterest of turning placemats into pillows. I put my project off for the longest time because of crochet or drawing, or laziness, but decided to buy some brown thread and sewing needless and tackle it. I found my placemats at Hobby Lobby, not Walmart. I still have had no luck finding them at Walmart and this year, they weren't even at HL. I'm still on the prowl looking for other colors, though.

I also decided that Autumn is an ideal theme for our apartment, year-around. The colors are gorgeous and my family and I love fall. Since I don't have a fireplace, I've looked for ideas and used them on my entertainment center.

I'm far from finished, but eventually everything will be autumn.

Cakes

Random Update

I spent the weekend with the family at my parents' house to celebrate Dad's birthday a few days early.

I held Brendan, my newest nephew. It was uncomfortable. Rachel insisted I take Brendan's late birth announcement home and when I refused (politely), she stuffed it in my suitcase anyway. I threw it away.

I went shopping with Jena the other day. It was refreshing. I miss working at B&BW very much. Unfortunately the local store isn't hiring. Dawn said she missed me and asked when I had my baby and told me I should come back because nobody does floorsets as quick as I did. Oh, if only...

I gave Jena the Maleficent painting and she gave me an Eiffel Tower necklace: late gifts for birthdays.

I'm tired of working with cookies. I like the decorating, but my hands are aging faster than I am.

Frog

There's been a little tree frog living in my flower pot on the balcony. The kids named him Alfonso. At night, he's usually climbing up their window screen, but during the day he's sitting in the pot's water.

Tattoo #7.

I finally got started on my newest tattoo for my miscarriage. It looks much better than what I had originally pictured.

I'm going back in about three weeks to get it completed and I can't wait.

Cakes

Cakes

I'm going to try to stay on top of these so I don't have such a cluster to post.