Smiley Face

I've got a bag of balls and they all have smiles!

'Course I have two real-live smiley faces 

that can take my day from gray to rainbow in two seconds!

Gray, Gray go away...

I've been coloring my hair ever since Caitlin described my hair as "white with some brown"...

I make tinfoil look goooood!

The next part is my favorite... Candice washes my hair.  If I were a gabillionair I would have someone wash my hair every day!

Booboo

This morning Caitlin dropped a bowl in the living room.  I thought I had gotten all the bits... but apparently one and flown across the room and landed in-between the cushions of the couch.

This afternoon her knee found it.

The cut bled a bit and the eyes watered a lot.

Super Daddy had some Peanut's band aids... not the boring ones Mommy buys.

We explained that glass is sneaky and little bits scatter... bad move... she started crying that she'll never be able to go into the living room again. Hubby cleaned another round.  hopefully we've found all the bits. Or we'll have to move :)

Family Game Night

Beware!

We take no prisoners!!!

And sometimes we gang up on daddy!

Strummin'

Girlies are at a a sleepover.

We are two old folks ready for bed (at 8:45pm.)

He's strummin' the blues on his gi'tar.

Check out my handsome boy's blog for today.

He is hi-larious. Wish I could write the way he does.

Just got home.  But gotta go to bed so I can be in the studio at 6:00am!

Today was good.

Bonus - Bumper Car

Bumper

Bumper may refer to:

• Bumper (automobile), the part of an automobile designed to help it withstand the impact of a collision.

Oh contraire mon frere!

I have evidence to disprove this definition of a bumper!

The big picture.  My left rear bumper... 4 spots of bumper failure.

Bad driver or bad bumper.

Bad bumper I claim!

1st incident... at the Dr. Office... 

as I was slowly backing out of my space I tapped a truck.

Bad driver or bad bumper.

Bad bumper I claim!

2nd incident... hit hubby's car while backing out of the drive.

 Bad driver or bad bumper.

Bad bumper I claim!

3rd incident... I have no recollection... 

although that does not mean I wasn't driving.

Bad driver or bad bumper.

Bad bumper I claim!

4th incident... backed into the fire hydrant at mass on Sunday.

Bad driver or bad bumper.

Bad bumper I claim!

As the judge and jury... there is no doubt that this bumper is not up to snuff!

That's LIFE

Well, we just finished playing a 2 hour+ game of Life.  I retired first with the highest savings and then my blood thirsty family started SUING me every other turn.  Caitlin would even tackle me so I couldn't wiggle my wii and try and win the lawsuit.

Hmmmm.

Hubby had today off and there was a very elaborate world in my living room... And I was NOT allowed to move anything!

Barbie is the leader of the troops. She leads with style!

These are the superheroes.  Including Star Light, Star Bright Madame Alexander Doll...

not sure what her super power is.

This is the prison.

Oooh.  How I would have put my litigious family in prison tonight!

Epic

Me: Do you think you look cool? Because I think you look really cool.
Siobain: Um, I don't really like to use the term "cool" (air quotes used) I think I look epic.

Aunt Siobain took the girls to get feathers in their hair.  She met up with Sarah and her girlies.  All the girlies got feathers... except for Mia? I assume Mia didn't get a feather.

Presenting... my EPIC girlies!

Many thanks to my sisters for giving my girlies such a good time and great gift.

Cheating

Yes, this is a total cheat.

But I'm... having issues.

So I took a screen shot in lieu of a photo.

The more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards A

***

From the "All Reference Libraries" dictionary thingy I like this definition/meaning of "cheat" the best:

2 [ trans. ] avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill : she cheated death in a spectacular crash.

I think that when most honest people cheat at something they are really trying to avoid something else.  So really, they are avoiding... which is a much more positive way of phrasing something and ALSO a clue to examine what you are really avoiding.

Eeek. So this cheat represents my avoidance...

- to leave the house.

- to clean the house so that I can take a picture.

- to go outside and be around people.

- to acknowledge that my weekend is passing unproductively while I hide in my room.

Also, I need to go wash cloths or I can't go to church tomorrow.  So right NOW I am going to go do laundry.  Or that will be a cheat into hiding all day tomorrow.

I didn't do it...

She came this way.

Seriously, her head was already missing.

You know you love me.

TGIF

Cuddle Monkeys

Got home to a quiet house tonight.

My girlies were cuddling on the bed watching a movie.

Bonus - Checkers

Stayed late at work the last two nights and desperately wanted to see my girlies tonight. So I met them at the library for some family fun! Fun?

Hubby and Siobain playing checkers... 

clearly hubby sucks since Siobain is also reading a cartoon.

Hubby does love the goofball photos.

Caitlin met a new friend and played much more sedate matches of checkers.

Lunch

I. always. spill. lunch. on. my. shirt.

This is me.

I am 37.  I should not require a bib.

And yet I do.

What's green and white...

And f-ing melted?!?

Ribberta in coveralls.

You see where Ribberta's hand is sticking out?

Well, that hole is NOT supposed to be there.

Talk about a wardrobe malfunction!  We have 6 shoots going on right now... okay, way more, but 6 that are on my plate TODAY... and one of them needed a white coverall... for a "caddy" uniform.  So I picked up one of those disposable painters coveralls and it was gonna work perfectly for this cheese-ball shoot.

But it was all wrinkled... and we have high standards.  So I thought I would steam it.  OMG. 2 seconds into this fiasco and I have a giant hole!  Now I gotta go buy another one!

Ribberta keeps calling me a dumbass.  Oh well. A twix fixed everything.

Yes, I do keep an iron in my cube... what do you have in yours?

You're a DRIP...

Dad used to call us "drips"... which means "a tiresome or annoying person"... but it was always (to my recollection) said with affection.  And so I now have my very own drip...

...and I l-o-v-e her!

Gorgeous at 62

Gorgeous turned 62 on Friday.  We all got together to celebrate today.

Gorgeous and her grandgirlies

A quick interview... with many interruptions and wise cracks from the boys...


What is your favorite memory?
Just being able to remember anything is great.


One word to describe yourself?
Loved


If you could be any animal?
Giraffe. 


If you could have had a different career?
Ummm, I'd be a Senator's wife. (Note that she doesn't want to BE a senator... just the wife of one.)


What is your favorite thing to do?
Be with my grandchildren.


What is your favorite thing/attribute about each of your grandgirlies?
Siobain: How smart she is.
Caitlin: How kind she is.
Eleanor: How theatrical she is.
Mia: How much she worships me.
Katherine: How lucky we are to have her. She's technicolor.


Favorite...
Color: Pink (or Tiffany Blue)
Subject: Peter (Son-in-law)... It's NOT Peter.  Bargains. Grandkids.
Movie: Somethings Gotta Give
    side conversation...
    Peter: Which one is that?
    Sarah: The one with the really old people
TV Show: Either The Mentalist or Castle
Book: Oh my God. That's a tough one... skip that one.
Sport: Biking
Friend: Leslie
Food: Mexican
Restaurant: La Hacienda
Place: Home, my tree house.

We spent the time in her favorite place.  And ours too.

Gorgeous' magic tree house.

Gorgeous received a Tiffany's charm for her bracelet.

All the grandgirlies love it.

Mia waits patiently for her tea party.

Beautiful picture of Siobain and Kate.  LOVE her peacock bow and big lashes.

Gorgeous is as beautiful now as the day she got married.

This is one of my favorite pictures of her.

Watermelon Haiku

watermelon smile

tasty summer green gourd fruit

cool refreshing fun

Caitlin is feeling goofy tonight.

Kelli...

I am so excited for Kelli.  She's got a great full time job to start on Monday.

BUT

I'm going to miss my favorite free-lancer!

She's the person I call when I'm in a pinch.

Or need someone who can do half my job when my work load is tripled.

Sigh.

Goodbye.

But not to my friend!

We'll be able to see MORE of each other now!

Ribbert's Revolt

No Ribbert, NO!

Riiibbert... let go of Peter!

Apparently Ribbert, full of yummy Scensty "Perfectly Pomegranate," does not take kindly to those who won't give him a sniff. Just FYI...

We all had a very busy day and my boss Peter was willing to contribute to my goofy blog. It is so awesome to be on a team that works hard AND has fun.

Walking Mommy

The fam took me for a walk tonight.

They are going to help me get healthy!

 'Course I wore pajama bottoms tonight... 

And I went so slow the girlies could wear flip-flops.

And hubby turned into a toy soldier...

But we had fun and it's a start!

Yes, I am doing something wrong with my camera and it is not sharp.

Yes, Caitlin wears this shirt every day.

Thank God

I have a lot  to thank God for.

Big things and little things.  My life is full of joys and blessings.

i have my girlies

my girlies are healthy

and happy

and smart

and kind

and safe

i have my husband

my husband is wonderful

and hard working

and funny

and smart

and kind

he takes care of me when i'm afraid

he loves our girlies more than words can express

he teaches them to be happy

and smart

and kind

i have my mother

my mother loves me

and prays for me

and worries about me

and she is healthy

and smart

and kind

and she is gorgeous to my girlies

and makes their lives fuller

i have spartacus

my handsome boy

is warm

and cuddly

and fierce

and brave

and loving

i have kitty

who is here when she wants

and hides when she wants

and purrs if you pet her

and her purrs heal us

and make us happy

i have sisters

who are always there

no matter what

and they are inspiring

and role models

and friends

they are who i want to be with

and who i trust

and they are healthy

and smart

and kind

i have a job

that is challenging

and fun

and meaningful

it is a job i love

and work hard at

and wish to keep

i have a house

that is a home

and a haven

and safe

it has a kitchen with plenty of food

and bedrooms with warm safe beds

and bathrooms with running warm water

and a backyard for my family to play

i have health care and insurance

and doctors that care

and medicines for our ailments

and someone to talk to

who is teaching me 

to live and not just survive

and letting go of the bad

and keeping the good

and letting God take care of me 

and i have God

who saves me

and us

and i'm learning to talk to Him

and i have so much more that i am thankful for

and i will tell Him

as i talk to Him

It was cool.

Spent the day on a shoot in a sauna, aka our Studio.  Jeepers, thought I was going to pass out at about 3:00 and I wasn't even under all the lights.  Paula is a better woman than I...

While my brain was melting hubby took the girlies on a Bureau of Engraving and Printing tour.  It sounds like they had a great time... in a temperature controlled environment... "it was cool"... maybe they meant fun... but my brain no longer processes "cool" as anything but a temperature.  I will seek all the "cool" places in this Texas heat :)

Speaking of cool places...

Barnes and Noble has an EXCELLENT air conditioner.

If you ride the escalator there is an extra breeze.

Girlies couldn't get their eyes to relax enough to see the pictures.

... I was so tired it took my eyes about two seconds to register the images.

Then we hopped across to the equally air conditioned restaurant to have a family dinner. Lots of fun!

Caitlin: Look under there!

(I look but can't see anything.)

Caitlin: No, look under there!

(We are at a table, there aren't a whole lot of places to look. I don't see anything...)

Caitlin: Look under there!!

Me: Under where?!

Caitlin.... giggling maniacally.

After dinner hubby took the girlies to see a movie and I headed home.  Too old to stay up late on a school night.

Freebee 6

Super Boy

Took this picture on the 4th.  My handsome boy flew! He is so funny when he runs.  I love this photo because he is flying towards me and his shadow is flying with him.

Unfortunately I had auto-focus on... so the tree is in focus.  

Oh well.  I still love this photo.

Off to bed. Oh wait.  I never left it. Off to sleep. 

Long day tomorrow. Hopefully very productive!

Anne with an "E"

My sister Sarah invited us to see Anne of Green Gables the musical tonight.  This is my favorite book from childhood.  I loved it.  Still do.

Anywho, it was good to get out of the house.  Hadn't planned on leaving my fortress but I do love Anne Shirley.

4 of my 5 girlies.  Siobain is getting so tall!

At intermission the Artisan has a drawing.  Eleanor and Caitlin were asked to draw.

Caitlin is so shy and the stage is a 2nd home for Eleanor.  She was so sweet and took Caitlin around.

Okay.  Mia sat with me for the first half of the play. We had so much fun... until she started choking on Skittles.  We both panicked a little but she was able to spit them out into my hand.  She was safe. And now we were both covered in chewed-up-skittle-spit-juice.  Gross. By intermission my hand had a fruity hard candy shell. Yummm.

Ribbert Haiku

Ribbert full of scent

sniff, aroma therapy 

does not work for me

But he's cute. And smells good. So I'll keep him.

And swallow 5.5 a day to keep the demons away.

I'll be less... morose... tomorrow.

Jello

Caitlin was weepy this morning and wouldn't leave the house... which is problematic because she's 8 and can't be left home alone.  She couldn't articulate what the problem was... she just NEEDED to be at home.

Since I am border-line recluse I completely understood the NEED to stay in the house.... turning my baby girlie into one is not on my To Do list.

Gonna have to figure something out for this shiz. Is crazy contagious? Because I don't want my girlies catching it.

Sooo... in the meantime, I'm having a big ol' cup of jello with lunch today...

My big cup o jello.

Also my cute desk lamp and pad... 

In fact, we just rearranged our cubicles and I love mine!

Hope to stay in here for a long long long time.

My humpyt-dumpty, prop-rock, and Ebbers!

So glad they let me keep a half wall so that I don't feel claustrophobic.

Plus I have a distant window.

My crafty clock.

My green desktop to match my green lamps.

My green mirror... I have my back to the door now... and startle easily.

Keith agreed to model for me :)

Hubby just called.  I am in big big big trouble.  I am really sorry.  Forgot to tell him about this morning and we went to the wrong place to get the girlies.  Eeeek.  Sucking as a wife and a mother this today.

Must eat more jello.

Cheesetasticiest!

Sarah Jessica Parker

Helen  Hunt

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

When I was 12 we watched it over and over and over at Aunt Colleen's house. The most fantastic movie ever... okay, seriously, I have to watch it whenever it's on tv.  And netflix just put it on Instant Play.

This is approximately what I looked like when I added it to my queue...

Share my joy of the cheesetasticiest 80's move ever!