2.for.Tuesday

I think I should just change the name of my blog to 2.for.Tuesday!

As this year is coming to an end I've been mulling over what I want to accomplish this next year. I'd say that this year has been pretty much swallowed up in new baby and damage control. I'd like to be more proactive and do less aimless wandering and "where to start" wondering. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist on the 19th. I hope to determine if the ADHD diagnosis I was given a couple of years ago was just a crock or if it's a hopeful jumping off point to more sanity.

Today I want to share something that was in my inbox this morning. I think you've probably all heard of this. I've been told how great it is numerous times and never did check it out. Once I turn on the computer all bets are off. Someone needs to create a "waste-not" big sister control where each time you get on the computer you have to type in the websites you can visit before the internet will open up the world to you. I frequently get lost in the world wide web (It's been two hours now since I logged on and I'm finally back to my inbox and getting this post done... )! That would ne such a help to me. I would have to think about what I wanted to accomplish and then be done once I accomplished it. So... back to my inbox and what I wanted to share:

one: Fly Lady. That may be all I need to say, but more specifically, this.

This is actually something I put on my "32 things to do..." list that I've yet to share with you. #31: go to bed with an empty sink.

two: a party hat template to make fun hats to bring in the new year. It's from Scholastic. I think the kiddos would have fun with this. Just gather up random art stuff and let them go. If I get around to doing it I will post some photos.

Enjoy the Journey!

2.for.Tuesday

craziness!

one: 365 project. Yes. Again. One of these years I wll actually accomplish this. Does anyone want to call me daily and ask if I took a photo today? The project is not news, but I have a link to a list for you: 365 Days/365 Ideas for Photos from Creating Keepsakes. A big thank you to them!

two: A super cute button wreath ornament from the 12 Days of Christmas Memories by Jeannette Herdman. I don't have a picture to share, but I can forward the e-mail with picture and instructions if you'd like them. Just drop me a comment. Sorry! I really wanted to share a picture, but that would mean that I've made one... hmm.

Enjoy the Journey!

If this is it until Christmas have a happy one!

I never sent any Christmas cards out. Costco cropped them wrong (even after I adjusted the cropping pre-ordering) I'm bummed about them. *B* says we still need to get them sent and he's right. I've lost my fire about it. So maybe you'll get them, maybe I'll sneak them into the trash in a few months. Whatever. Here's what you'd get if I sent them:

Merry Christmas! (the overlay is a slightly altered one from Ali Edwards for Designer Digitals).

Remembering

5.9.2008 - ultrasound
5.22.2008 - found *I* chilling under the neighbors apricot tree doing "nothing."
6.21.2008 - baby born. 8 lbs 6 oz. Doctors said she looked older... I was shocked she was a girl.
6.22.2008 - The girl loves to sleep on her daddy's chest. My milk arrived in the late night.
6.23.2008 - leaving the hospital. Grandma Mick comes to stay
8.6.2008 - *I* asks *B* how much it cost to have The Girl.
                  *B*: $10,000
                  *I*: You don't even have that much money...
                         It wouldn't even fit in your tiny little wallet.
9.20.2008 - He said, "you know I love you no matter what you look like", but I don't.

1. I want to sing like this: Dream 2. I want to be injected with follow through drugs. 3. I want to be consistant.

2.for.Tuesday

Wow! I say this every week, I know, but honestly... I can't believe it's Tuesday again already! For you viewing enjoyment today I have one incredibly cute yet obnoxiously involved project and one really easy made-from-found-sticks project. Enjoy!

one: A Paper Holiday Village. Claudine Hellmuth caught my eye a couple of years ago when I first saw her collages. I think they're quirky and fun (my sister thinks they're creepy). These houses are super cute. In all honesty, I will probably never make them. I will just hold on to the link and think that someday I will.

two: This one is from Molly Irwin. I love stars and I love stick stars even more. Today you can take a walk with your kids and gather sticks to make these stars. They're fun and easy and then you can hang them on your tree. Easy peasy. F.Y.I: I have made these. It is easy... I just liked Molly's photo better. Her stars are bigger!

Hope your all having fun reveling in the Christmas spirit!

Speaking of Christmas spirit. We had an angel drop by our house last night... A phone call + a message to look out on the porch + a mini tree dressed up with money = a huge blessing for us. We've had a lot of little (well some are not so little) things taking a huge toll on our financials this year and, well... whoever did this for us... Wow!

Spread the joy in whatever way you can.

Enjoy the Journey!

Snow Is Falling All Around...

Our true first snowfall was Saturday night but the boys didn't get to see it so it doesn't count. besides, a few snowflakes isn't much to sing about. Today... well that's another story entirely. It has been snowing all day and some of it is even hanging around. It's really is begining to look a lot like Christmas.

Here are some of the photos I've taken of our 12 Days project. It's been a lot of fun and they are so excited to write in their journals. Well... *I* is. The other little man just wants to color pictures of random things that he somehow always manages to tie into Christmas. i.e. he was coloring monsters and calling them snow monsters. He wants a gingerbread man for Christmas. I'm not sure where that came from or what it's all about, but I can do that. I can definitely do that.

So, tonight we're going to hit Target and let the boys shop for each other for FHE. *B* and I could really use some good guidance to get the shopping done for Santa and we're not really sure what the boys are asking for. Letting them shop for each other is great for Santa's helpers since mostly they want to get each other what they really want themselves.

Hot chocolate on the menu again tonight. What do you think of those candy cane "straws"? I love them! They're Bob's Sweet Stripes they have them at Wal-Mart this year. Wahoo! Try them. Try them. Try them!

Enjoy the Journey!

Twelve Days of Christmas Memories

I signed up to get e-mails from Jeannette Herdman (of SIStv) for making and preserving Christmas memories. Today the boys started their Christmas journals. I bought them a few of my favorite things: new composition notebooks (the cool kind with kindergarten style lines and space on top to draw/ color pictures), a fresh box of crayons, glitter glue, and a brand new pencil. They were so excited. *I* said, "Mom, this is the greatest surprise ever!" They wanted to fill the entire book up tonight, but I had to explain to them that these are their Christmas journals. They get to write/color something in them everyday. They can only work in them with me. They can only fill them with Christmas/December type stuff. When Christmas is over they will be packed away until next year when hopefully they will think they are fun and new again and in 10+ years we can all laugh and enjoy what they have written + drawn. Today they did, "What I really want for Christmas". Tomorrow I'm hoping to start on my own. I've been tempted for the past few years to join Ali in her December Daily project but still haven't given in. Maybe this will be good enough. I'm counting on not being able to remember anything when I get older since I can't remember anything now. I need to do something to keep these times alive. I took pictures. I'll come back and post them... Enjoy the journey!

2.for.Tuesday

I've been setting aside things to share on Tuesdays and I actually did something today so I wanted to share it before the day was over! Here you go: one: Have you seen the photo overlays that Ali Edwards sells on Designer Digitals website? I love them and I've actually used them a few times (that's what I used for the thank you postcards I sent out for The Girl). Today I made our Christmas cards. I'm not sure if I want to show the project or not though. I'd rather you be surprised... hmm. Tell you what, e-mail me (or leave me an extra comment that I won't send through to post... make sure it's extra. I want to post your comments but not publicize your address). I'll send you a Christmas card if you send me your address. Then you can see the project of the day! Deal. two: It's cookie week at Martha's. I know... Martha, Martha, Martha. But, you have to admit they still comes up with some really great stuff over there. Anyway, back to the sharing. It's a quiz. What kind of cookie are you? You'll never know unless you go find out! This is me: "You are undoubtedly Molasses-Gingerbread Cookies. You're warm, spicy, and multifaceted." Ha ha! I love gingerbread cookies! So, now you know what I am. What are you? Enjoy the Journey! P.S. I just made *B* take the quiz: "You are undoubtedly Sugar Cookie. You are simple and sweet, but can be jazzed up with some extra attention." Yep, I would say that's him in a nutshell. P.S.S. He whole-heartedly agreed with the spicy part of mine.

Caution: Long Post Ahead.

The universe is conspiring against me! I can't seem to keep any of my committments or get anything done. It's maddening. Just to catch you up... We spent part of Thanksgiving with *B*s family and the other part in the hospital. The girl had been sick for a while and she just kept getting worse and worse. The day before we were to leave for the holiday she was really struggling so I called to get her into the doctor. We got an appointment for the next morning. Wednesday: Murphy's Law dictates that even the sickest of children will be fine in the doctor's office. She was all blue eyes and smiles. We went home with the okay to travel up the mountain and an antibiotic Rx just in case... even though he could find nothing wrong with her. She continued to be happy and smiling the rest of the day. I started to relax a little. That night we didn't get much sleep. I don't think she slept for more than 10 min at a time and *B* & I alternated sitting up with her. It was nothing obvious; a low grade fever, super fussy, and a really strange new cry. Thursday: More of the same fussiness. We tried to get as much sleep as possible in between the fun. She slept a lot more this day, but still having a really hard time. We tried to see if the Instacare was open but I guess they get Thanksgiving too. Friday: More of the same only much, much worse. She didn't have the energy to eat or cry or lift her arms. I can't believe I let it go that far. I have this misconception that the ER is for people who are bleeding buckets. We took her to the Instacare. They listened to her lungs, looked into her ears etc., would you believe, at first it seemed like they were going to tell me it was viral and there wasn't anything they could. Thankfully, we had a wonderful doctor that I knew from my stint at the Instacare here in town. She is very thorough and she thinks out loud. The Girl was slightly dehydrated, her oxygen saturation was a little too low. Her heart was beating too fast. The doctor checked and rechecked until she decided that she needed an x-ray to ease her mind (or mine). In the words of the good doctor, "she has a very significant pneumonia" and they needed blood work. We were sent to the hospital for labs while she contacted our family doctor at home. When The Girl's white blood count results were posted on the computer our doctor called and told them to send us home, he was going to admit her to the hospital. That isn't something you want to hear. Ever. And no baby should ever have to be poked with a needle or have an IV or get shots of stinging medicine. And they should be allowed to sleep... All said, we spent four days in the hospital and they sent us home because her IV collapsed and they thought she was doing well enough to try it from home. She had more blood work on Wednesday and mostly it's back to normal except for the CRP (C-Reactive Protein) portion. I guess it's still really high and our doctor is concerned that when she finishes the antibotic course she'll start going back down hill again. I guess we'll deal with that when it comes. More labs on Wednesday. I'll try to get back into the swing of things, but no promises. Life is running over me. We are currently trying to set up Christmas while simultaneously running damage control. I tried to do it systematically bet the boys beat me to it. I am not the only tornado in this house. Enjoy the Journey.