Crafty Friday

Posted on | September 30, 2011 | 2 Comments

Had the most fabulous time making cards today with a few village folks.

I am not going to post much here about that. Next time! Right now I just want to share some of the digital pages I did using kits from Jessica Sprague and head on the bed. Tired! Did a lot this week!

Laters!

Jovie and I

Posted on | September 29, 2011 | 5 Comments

It’s not bad to be #2. Especially when mommy doesn’t work.

Almost a month now since Emma went back to school and Jovie and I are starting to get back into a routine. After drop-off we’d have breakfast and after that it’ll be “school” time. School isn’t anything formal but it has to be very educational and fun. We don’t do this every day though. We have play dates and also gymnastics. Jovie LOVES gymnastics and it’s something she looks forward to every week.

Before I had Jovie I thought about how little one-on-one time I’d have with her. Even though I worked full-time and had other commitments, M and I spent a lot of time together. Now and then I’d take a day off just to take her on a mommy and me adventure. We looked forward to our bi-annual dentist visit in Kansas City (an hour away). I’d either take half a day or a whole day off and just do whatever she wanted to do. M went almost everywhere with me, even to all day crops because she loved going and being with me.

With two children I thought that everything has to be equal but then I realised that it doesn’t have to be so. There are things M gets that Jovie doesn’t get and vice versa. The good part is that M is ok with it – Jovie, not so much. Kind of hard to tell a two-years-old that something is just not hers.

The weather has been fabulous the last few days here in the UK. Today was 80 I think and for this area, it’s a heat wave! We are trying to take advantage of the last bit of sunshine!

Last Tuesday Jovie and I went to Anglesey Abbey. We went because my friend showed us pics of the gorgeous dahlias that are blooming right now. Of all the National Trust properties I think Anglesey Abbey is my favourite because the garden and park is just beautiful. Not only that, the place is only 10 minutes away from us. SCORE!

I took lots of flower pictures and I also took Jovie’s while we ran around, played and just laughed ourselves silly. We had a great lunch too and Jovie didn’t have to share (I think that was a big deal for her to not have to share with Emma). We had a fabulous time and I think the highlight of my day was when Jovie and I snuggled in the middle of the park, in front of a pond, watching the fish swim around. Here are some pictures of her from that day:

Oh, here’s one of my many flowers:

Just a note, the above card was created using Waltzingmouse’s sketch for this week.

I’ll post more later. Had a lot going on this week that blogging took the back burner. Will get back on again in a few days! Laters!!

I Don’t Run

Posted on | September 23, 2011 | 3 Comments

I used to run in college and a bit after I graduated. It wasn’t because I loved, or even liked, it but it was due to vanity. I’ve always pride myself in being skinny (or is thin the PC word for this?) but I gained a few pounds, 20 to be exact, the one year I lived in the dorms. Freshman 20 was no joke!! So after I found an apartment I not only went to aerobics I also ran. I’d run a good 30 minutes every other day and even though I lost the whole 20 lbs within a few months (three months I think) I kept running for a few years.

Now, you’d think running would get easier and I’d come to like it after a few weeks (or even months), but nope! I quit running a few years after graduation. I didn’t quit because I was ok with my weight or that I found something more enjoyable to keep myself in shape. I quit because my ex-husband said I ran funny. He wasn’t serious but ya know, being self conscious (and vain) I freaked out and quit. Since then I would only run on a treadmill and my workout routine consisted of high impact aerobics and weight training. For a few years, until before I got pregnant with M, I had a BMI of 13.

Now at 18 (BMI) I feel a bit large but, I haven’t seriously worked out since Emma threw up on me after Jovie was born. We were still in Missouri. I was doing the P90x and the whole “banan-superman” routine made M sick. I did try to get into it again but after one P90 and a few days of Wii Fit with Jovie all over me I lost motivation. I can’t wait to go to a real gym and do circuit training or something!

Back to running… I still won’t run. Lately a lot of my friends have been getting into running for all sorts of causes. Now and then a few of my friends would post on Facebook about finding a partner or two or three for some race, or just to run with for practice. Now and then I’d post a smarty pants comment like: Have fun but I only run if a Libyan terrorist is after me. While the comment was meant as a joke (I am full of sarcasm and smart ass-ness) I really have no motivation to run unless I have to. I do wish I have the want (and a slight like once I get going) but I don’t. There’s nothing enjoyable about the pressure I feel in my lungs when breathing while running. The only thing I like about running was that I sweated and I did loose weight. Ahh… too bad cause running is so cheap too!

Page above created using Scarlet Lime’s September kit.

I Am E-Challenged

Posted on | September 22, 2011 | 5 Comments

E, short for entertainment.

I have a BA in mass communications. My emphasis was advertising and public relations. Through out my college years I was encouraged to read as much as I could and to watch TV. The radio was briefly mentioned and so I never really got into it and the Internet was still in its infancy – I was happy just to get e-mail!! But, while my reading was limited to Danielle Steele and my TV was stuck on Supermarket Sweep, I can say that I was pretty well rounded when it comes to celebrities, TV shows, ads, a bit of news and music back in my days.

Then M was born and something happened. I decided, and persuaded hubby too, to not have cable/satellite, to listen to NPR and to get my news and entertainment from the Internet. My taste in reading material improved too and I started to read more non-fiction and to stick to classics like Agatha Christie and Jane Austen for the fictions portion.

As years went by I become less and less connected with the media world and it was obvious today when at meet the teacher evening one of the parents rattled off a TV show and I went: “Who?” (Obviously I have forgotten what this TV show was or I’d tell you what the TV show she mentioned was).

Some people tells me I’m blessed. It was just a few months ago I learned who the Kardashian sisters are. I had to Google one day because one or all were in so many magazine covers. I had no idea what Jersey Shore is. I just thought it’s a shore in Jersey. Had to Google that one too.

This last week I’ve been thinking about getting cable back into our house so I can learn about British shows and learn more about the British culture and people through the television but after some more thought: Naaah!

We do miss it now and days, I wish I could watch FoodNetwork or some home buying show and hubby wishes he can watch Top Gear or even Antique Road Show. But I know that if we get it we’d all want to watach TV more often than we do now (I let the girls watch DVDs now and then) and I’d hate to wait until the kids go to bed for hubby to watch a show. So I figured it’s still best not to.

In the meantime, until I get to thinking about getting TV again, my friend has gotten me into watching Downton Abbey, a British early 20th century drama, and looking forward to watching a remake of Jane Eyre with a few gals. I am still entertainment challenge and I’d just completely look blank when one throws in a lot of reality TV show names. But oh don’t forget, I now know who Kim Kardashian and what Jersey Shores is!

I failed to publish my Waltzingmouse sketch post. I didn’t realize it until earlier today. So here it is and I hope you play along with this week’s sketch! You still have time!!!

Reflection of a SAHM

Posted on | September 20, 2011 | 10 Comments

It’s been one and a half years now since I quit my full-time job and almost three months since I became completely unemployed and I feel great. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do want to get back to working again when Jovie starts school but for the time being I am really enjoying the time at home with the girls and hubby.

I really am grateful for this opportunity in my life and my blessings were all that I thought about while creating the above project for WPlus9′s All Eyes On, Season of Thanks. For the envelope above (to send out wallet size photos) I used WPlus9′s new die-cut and stitching. For extra fun I added a bird nest from the C’est La Vie set. Everything else came from Scarlet Lime’s September Frugal Fab kit.

If you’re interested in my reflection, you can keep reading…