Ornery Musings

Progress

2012-01-30T18:52:00.001-06:00

I've been keeping up with my goals pretty well. I'm not obsessing over work and constantly stressing over every thing I still need to do, OR ELSE. Normally I would be at home trying to grade papers or adjust lesson plans or do paperwork, but today I stuck to my goal of focusing on family. I did homework with Max. He's learning about reptiles, so we watched a brain pop video and read some more about different animal groups. Then he watched a Magic School Bus video on reptiles. After homework we decided to take advantage of the weather and took the kids to the park. I tried to break in my new running shoes with a little walking. They're a lot cushier than the shoes I was wearing, but heavier too. I'm anxious to try a run in them. Hopefully Saturday I'll be cleared to run! I wanted to be up to 5 miles by now, but I can't control that. The old me would have rushed Max through his homework and sent him off to play so I could work. I like the new me better, I bet Max does too.

52 weeks of me- Weeks 3 and 4

2012-01-27T21:37:00.002-06:00

Week three- Morning.

It took forever to get a shot for morning. I'm having a hard time getting my shots in focus and composed the way I want them. This shot is just the best of the worst. Isn't it obnoxious when you have a particular shot in mind, but you can't get it? I didn't really want the electrodes from the Holter Monitor in the picture but getting dressed wasn't really the "morning" look I was picturing. The wires did make it into this picture, but at least it's not the full on bionic woman look.

Week four- Close

Can you see the grey hair? Probably not, but it's there. I can see it. It's my first grey hair, documented at age 31. I definitely think Zoe is to blame.

52 weeks of me- Week 2

2012-01-16T12:48:00.000-06:00

I followed the theme (favorite color) this week. My favorite color is and always has been GREEN! It's not my favorite color as in everything I own, wear, love or buy has to be green. I don't drive a green car, or have green walls in my house, I don't wear green clothes and have green shoes, in fact most of the things that I call mine aren't green at all. But, I do love the color green. It's always been my favorite crayon in the box. Something about coloring with a brand new green crayon makes me happy.

Ahh, to be young and ignorant!

2012-01-16T11:03:00.001-06:00

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not OLD, but I'm older than I used to be, and while I may have nothing to complain about in someone's eyes this is my blog and if their eyes don't like it they can take a hike.

A year ago I could eat yogurt, ice cream, cheese, or any other dairy that I desired with zero consequences. Now if I want to enjoy any of these things I have to take a pill first. I never realized how many of the things I used to eat have cheese in/on them!!! I can get away with small amounts of cheese, but not ice cream and forget yogurt, I swear I get cramps just looking at the stuff.

Five years ago I didn't have to worry about whether or not I could start distance running, I could just do it. When I was about 25 I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse (mvp) It's basically a congenital heart defect with varying degrees of severity. Mine is pretty mild as far as I know. Most people don't even know they have it. I only noticed it in pregnancy, I assume because of the increase in blood volume, or weight. I would have heart palpitations every now and again, but those went away after birth. But now, just when I decide to take up running I've been having these palpitations daily, particularly when at rest. I didn't worry until I read that a runner died suddenly mid race and it's being blamed on MVP. Grrrrrreat. I mean c'mon! I just decided to like running!
Sugar and caffeine make the palpitations worse. MVP makes me more prone to depression, mood swings, headaches, faintness, dizziness, shortness of breath and anxiety/panic attacks. Cool. I made an appointment to make sure it's okay to run. I signed up for my first 5k, but I'd also like to train for an 8k in March and possibly even a half marathon in October, and I don't really want to drop dead running. That would be lame. I also want to ask if my intolerance for alcohol is related, because when I drink any amount of alcohol, even a sip, I feel like I can't breathe.

I'm trading my younger body for a wiser brain.

a heart wide open...

2012-01-08T22:30:00.000-06:00

even if your hands are shakin'
and your faith is broken
even as the eyes are closin'
do it with a heart wide open
say what you need to say

I'm not a writer. I can put thoughts into words, and words to paper, but I don't have that magical ability to bring those words alive. It's okay. I won't mourn something I've never had, but isn't wonderful that so many other people DO have a beautiful way of saying the very things that you have thought yourself? There's such a power in words, they can inspire or defeat a person. Words can make you feel invincible or cut deep wounds that never heal. It's amazing, really. Don't you think? There's also a real power in unspoken words. Whether good or bad, I don't know for certain. I find myself drawn to people who, like me, don't share their every thought or feeling. Or maybe they just have an alternative way of expressing them; paintings, poetry, music, lyrics, photography, sculpting, architecture... So maybe, in the end, it's those words unspoken that create the beauty that surrounds us.

I grew up in a house where there were no real conversations. We talked, but not about anything real. I guarded my thoughts, not so much because I didn't want to share them, but rather because no one really listened. That turned me into an adult that has trouble talking about things, good or bad. It's so bizarre to hear other people express their feelings with no hint of uneasiness. My stomach turns somersaults, my palms get sweaty, my heart beats harder and faster, I avoid eye contact, it's all around uncomfortable. I heard this song on the radio the other day, I stopped and listened to it because the kids were singing along (adorable!) the words above stuck with me. Particularly "...do it with a heart wide open". The vulnerability that creates makes me uneasy just thinking about it.

I'd like to find a balance between the two.

I'm in repair, I'm not together, but I'm getting there

(all things italicized are the words of John Mayer, not me)

52 Weeks of ME- Week one

2012-01-06T12:19:00.003-06:00

Taking self portraits is HARD. The composure, the focus point and the taking shot after shot to get one that you're okay with sharing. Why is that? People see me and all of my imperfections everyday, why is it so hard to take a picture of my self and be okay with posting it? I suppose that's what makes it a challenge. Easy things aren't challenging, are they? Here is week one of me and all of my imperfections. The imperfections that my children, who love me, don't even notice, or care about. THAT is what is important and THEY are why I'm doing this. If they're okay with me taking a gazillion and one pictures of them and posting them here there and everywhere, then I should be okay with it too.

Week One

Family Ink- Mom

2012-01-05T19:13:00.000-06:00

Family Ink. This is a project idea I came up with quite some time ago. Most everyone on Nolan's side of the family has multiple tattoos. I love that it's par for the course in his family. My kids don't see anything wrong with people that have tattoos, it's quite normal to them, which I love. Tattoos aren't equated with gang bangers or criminals, everyone they love has a tattoo and none of us are either of those things. To my kids tattoos are just as normal a part of us as our hair. I want to photograph each tattoo and have each person tell the story behind it. It seems fitting to start with my own.

My first tattoo

I got my first tattoo just after my 20th birthday. I was home from school on Thanksgiving break. Nolan and I were having some relationship issues. (I had recently cheated on him...not my proudest moment) We decided to go get tattoos. Ya know, to bond, lol. We picked a place in Indiana, because you didn't have to be 21 and didn't need parental consent. Nolan had an image from a tattoo magazine that he planned to get, I on the other hand had nothing. So when we got to the shop we browsed through the sample drawings they had and I picked a little cherub. Cute, right? Why on earth I picked this thing I don't really remember, but we altered it a little, so that it would be more....fitting. I had the artist draw some devil horns poking out of the blonde hair, and a halo in hand hidden behind his back. I went first. I chose my left shoulder blade and mentally prepared for MAJOR pain! It wasn't bad, though. About 40 minutes and no tears later I was the proud owner of a sweet little cherub that was both good and evil. Just. like. me. It represents the way I was at the time. I chose the bad over the good. Over time, it has faded and most times I can't even remember which shoulder it's on. I've considered getting it covered up with a big, beautiful, colorful, something, but haven't made up my mind, I'm indecisive like that. Come to think of it, that's probably how I ended up with a good & evil cherub.

An intentional life

2012-01-02T17:32:00.001-06:00

Life is to be lived, not endured, or tolerated.
This was shared on FB. It really spoke to me and came at the right time. It talks about how to live an intentional life. I've outlined a plan to have ALL of our debt paid off in 5 years. It will take self control and dedication, but it will be completely worth it. This plan is based on our current situation. If things change in the future, jobs lost, children born, life's hurdles, it will also change, but it feels really good to have a plan. I'm on a me changing mission this year, and it will take quite a bit of effort to accomplish the goals I have set out for myself, but again, it's another thing I think is completely worth the effort. As the article suggests, I have made my list of goals for the year. "Goals not written down are just wishes" So, here are my goals.

1- Be a more positive person- Daily mantras, inspirational quotes, complain less and manage more
2- Find a balance- This is something I have struggled with since having children. I love my job, and strive to be the best teacher I can be, but that leaves my family feeling neglected. I need to balance the two better. I will stay after school, and go to school early so as not to bring paper work home. My home time will be family time. I also need to make sure there is adequate me time, I've not quite worked that out yet, but it will involve going to a gym.
3- Follow through- I have great ideas, at work and at home, I just don't always follow through. I make excuses about time, and the truth is there isn't enough time in a day. But, I will make a better effort to follow through with projects and ideas and hold myself accountable. Specifically- take more videos. Right after I miscarried we watched home videos of the kids, sadly, there weren't enough. The kids enjoyed seeing younger versions of themselves and so did we. I am also dedicating myself to a 52 week self portrait project and a 365 instagram project. I'm not putting pressure on myself to take great photos, but just to take photos, period. All other projects will be paced. I will pick one project a week from pinterest to complete, be it home, school, self, or kid project. One per week.
4-Finally, I want to be a better friend, mother, wife, etc. I will call my grandma once a week, and try to visit once a month. I will call me aunt once a month. I will open myself up more to my friends and reach out to them rather than push them away. I will make a conscious effort to make time for my husband. Of all my goals this will be the most challenging. I'm an introvert. I'm happy being at home, I have little need for socializing, but I think it's an essential part of life, and I don't want my children to become little introverts. I push them to be brave and talk to other children and ask them to play, but I don't set that example for them. In an effort not to be a walking contradiction, I will work on this.

I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday.

A year from now...

2012-01-01T22:25:00.000-06:00

A year from now, what will I wish I had done? What goals accomplished, boxes checked, memories made? Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try. What will I decide to try this year?
If I am being perfectly honest, I've let myself sink into a funk. I felt it happening, I sat teetering on the edge, as I often do. I let myself lean in the wrong direction. I allowed my feelings to take over, I don't often let this happen. To me it is a weakness, to allow oneself to be so controlled by feelings, (sadness, self pity, woefulness) that life becomes a series of actions. A going through the motions rather than living in life's moments and truly enjoying them. I need to get myself out of this funk I've let myself fall into. I don't need to be one of those super shining happy people that shits rainbows, but I could do with a little less cynicism.
I want to read more, record our everyday life more, appreciate more, follow through more, balance life and work better, and find joy in the simple things. I want to stress less about things I can't change or can't control. I want to put less pressure on myself to please other people or look for others' acceptance. I will try, and the things I don't accomplish, I'll just have to try harder at. Of course, there's a slew of other things, all things that I believe will happen naturally as I become the person I want to be. Right now, there's a couch with my name on it.

Spaces: Day 10

2011-02-13T22:10:00.000-06:00

Max can be found in this exact spot every weekend morning, watching tv, waiting for mommy and daddy to catch up to his early bird instincts. In fact, practically any time he's in his room this is where you'll find him, watching tv, reading, playing with Zoe, or playing with his toys.

Now this isn't the only spot you'll find Nolan in, but it is a very common occurance. Despite my relentless begging, he refuses to get rid of the television in our room. He'll often go upstairs to watch tv and fall asleep. This space is a favorite of all of ours.

This is Zoe's space. Odd, right? Let me explain, every night Zoe gets tucked in, just like her brother. But, being the stubborn child she is, she will repeatedly sneak down the stairs to spy on us, afraid she's missing out on something. If we look in her direction she'll cover her eyes, thinking we won't see her.

Eyes: Day 12

2011-02-12T21:46:00.000-06:00

Eyes: Window To The Soul

I'm aware that my opinion may be a bit partial, but I think all of my loves have beautiful eyes. Heck, even the family cat has pretty green eyes! I did all three of my loves, and here's why. My friend, Candace is completing these daily challenges for each member of her family, with the intention of creating a book when it's all done. I'm leaning towards that same idea. I think it would make a beautiful Mother's Day gift to myself =) I'll be playing catch up, even more so now, but it'll be worth it in the end.

This makes me happy

2011-02-11T23:18:00.000-06:00

Some people believe that photographs should be kept unedited, and that the true art of the craft is in the ability to capture the perfect subject, to compose the shot perfectly and to have extensive knowledge of the relationship between ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture. Other people believe that editing is an art all its own, that a person who turns an okay picture into a breathtaking photo is equally talented. To me, an artist is someone who creates something that evokes emotion. This particular photo makes me happy, so by my own definition, I am an artist. I once read that "It's none of your business what other people think of you" I rather like that quote. Happy Friday =)

Gift From The Heart: Day 8

2011-02-11T20:37:00.000-06:00

Gift From The Heart: Blankets O'Love

Zoe has three "blankets" that were made especially for her. They are truly a gift from the heart. There's the purple fleece no sew blanket I made for her to use during the tummy time of her baby days. There's the quilt that was given to her for her second birthday by her grandma, it comes with a matching pillow. Zoe calls these her "grandma blanket and grandma pillow". They must both be on her bed at bedtime along with her beloved Daba and her new favorite, the pound puppy. Finally, there's the afghan she received this past Christmas from her great grandmother. They were made with love, and she loves them!

I'm close to being caught up. I have ideas for days 3,6,9,and 10, all I need is some daylight. I'm still at a loss for day 7: generations, and day 11 dreams. I peeked at tomorrow's challenge, eyes of your loved one, I can't wait! All three of my loves have beautiful eyes! It may take me to the middle of March, but I will eventually complete this class. The hard part is trying not to fall back on photos I've already taken. I'm working on purposefully capturing the joy of love rather than fitting existing photos into it.

What They Wear: Day 4

2011-02-10T20:07:00.000-06:00

What They Wear: Smiles

No matter the weather, this little boy is always wearing a smile. He's such an easy going, happy go lucky kid. Max's smile comes easy, even when he's in trouble he has to work hard to hide those pearly whites. Drives me crazy when I'm mad, but warms my heart when I'm not.

What They Do: Day 1

2011-02-07T22:14:00.000-06:00

What They Do: Boys

Do boys ever grow up? This is a classic capture of how Max and his Daddy interact. It's constant horseplay. Sword fighting, wrestling, pushing, shoving, monsters or some other made up in the moment game of attack. It's what they do, and I love it!

How They Look: Day 2

2011-02-06T21:24:00.002-06:00

How They Look: Curls Galore

I love my girl. She's a beast and a half, fiery, unwaveringly stubborn, fiercely independent but also loving, cuddly, sweet and quite charming. She's like me in many ways, but much more self assured. While some of these qualities may make it tough to parent the little monkey, I do hope they will serve her well as she navigates her own journey in this world.

Love to Hate: Day 5

2011-02-05T23:00:00.002-06:00

Love to Hate: A Man and His Guitar

Nolan loves to play the guitar, I love that he knows how to play the guitar. I hate that when he plays the guitar he is oblivious to the world around him. I hate that even though we have wall mounts for his guitars he leaves them lying around the house including, but not limited to, the bathroom.

www.willettedesigns.com

I'm participating in a finding the love class called the joy of love. It's easy to find something to complain about or get irritated by, but in doing so I miss out on the somethings to LOVE. Everyday of February I will take a photo following the theme of LOVE. (I will be backdating posts for days 1-4) The class is free and can be joined by anyone anytime, join me in finding the love!

Max turns 6!

2011-01-14T23:28:00.001-06:00

Max's birthday fell on a Monday this year, bummer! He didn't mind too much. We made it home by 3:30 and the rest of the afternoon & evening were all his. His activity of choice? A trip to the movie theatre to see Yogi Bear in 3D. He hugged the popcorn bag and sucked down as much pop (a birthday boy only event) as he could while sitting at the edge of his seat, the screen owned him. He chose McDonald's play land as his birthday dinner. Mommy and Daddy convinced him that he would rather go to a restaurant (wrong?) it backfired and he chose Chuck E. Cheese. We pretended they were closed and listed a gazillion options, he settled on Red Lobster (??). For the first time in her almost three years of existence, Zoe slept right through dinner. THIS is a good thing! After recieveing a few phone calls Max informed us that it would be better if he just held onto our phones so that when his family called to wish him happy birthday he wouldn't have to wait for us to pass him the phone. Sheesh. After a plate full of mac n cheese, a chocolate banana smoothie and the freedom to pick off the adult plates he was full and ready to go home to open his presents.

Cards first.

For the first time ever, he was able to read (mostly) his own birthday cards

We tortured him a bit longer...

Even birthday boys have to do their homework!

He waited patiently for the candles to be lit

...had a goofy moment with Daddy

Max opened presents (I'll spare you the 20 pictures of that), played for a little

and then had to go to bed. It was a school night, and all.

It was a great night, even Jack had fun, can't you tell?

Zoe's birthday is next!

52,584 days

2011-01-10T22:34:00.010-06:00

or in other words, 6yrs.

6yrs went by in a flash.

day by day, inch by inch

at one fifth my age you're three fourths my height

I barely remember life without you

you're the sweetest son a mother could ask for

somedays, you're a better person than I

I couldn't ask for more than that

I love you

happiest of birthdays to you my sweet boy

may they get ever better from here

Helloooo new toy!

2011-01-02T21:57:00.000-06:00

My main reason for opening my ETSY shop was to fund my potentially rather expensive hobby. In the two months I've been open for business I earned enough profit to purchase my first real prime lens. I haven't had a whole lot of time to play with it since I waited till the last moment to work on "school stuff" but I do think I will grow quite fond of it over time. Here's a few shots to enjoy before I have to face the everyday grind of non-vacation life. I'm embracing the imperfection...slowly...

My sweetie pie

I wish I had time to edit this one, but can you see? It says donate food for POT!

"yaaawn, ok, enough pictures, mom"

"Cheeeeeeese!"

"I'll get you, tree!"

Followed by some sword fighting. I'm not sure who was more tired after this bout...

Time to settle down for NYE

<3 <3

Feel the love!

More castle building

Four years...

2011-01-01T15:17:00.001-06:00

I just realized today that my blog will be four years old in a few days. First reaction-shock. I can't believe it's been four years since I started this blog. Second reaction-regret. I regret all the moments I didn't write about. I thought about how great it would've been to go back and read my thoughts of the past four years, to see how the children have changed over time, or to see how my outlook on things changed over time. It's hard to look back on things that aren't there. Since I can't go back and fill in the blanks, I tried to find the reason for the lack of consistency. In short, it's life. Now, there's no way around life (other than death) and since I'm not really willing to make that trade I thought a little harder.

It's taken four years to figure out, but if I want a running record of our lives for my children to look back on I need to let go of some things.

First of all, I need to stop writing this blog for other people. Sure, other people can read it, but I don't want to write thinking about how others will receive it. I need to write for the purpose. The purpose of my blog isn't to entertain people (I'm not that great a writer) or to teach anyone how to do anything (I do enough teaching at work). It's not to sell something, or review something, or describe something (I don't have the time or the dedication for that). The purpose is to record our lives for Max and Zoe to look back on and never have to wonder how they acted as a kid, or how they talked, or what they looked like, or what mom and dad were like as young parents, or how we handled situations that they may one day find themselves in. I will write my blog for my intended audience-my children and myself.

Secondly, I see so many cute blogs! They're so fun to look at, everything is cute, the font, the colors, they're so perfectly coordinated, the writing is witty, the photos are perfect, they have a gazillion followers, loads of comments etc. I need to embrace the fact that my blog won't look like that unless I sit plugged into my computer for hours on end. But if I'm living at my computer what would I have to blog about? How to make my blog pretty? Seems silly. My kids won't care how cute my blogged looked. I prefer ugly and full to cute and empty. I don't have the time for cute and full!

Thirdly, I love photography and am a bit of a perfectionist. The two don't go well when short on time and big on ideas. So I must either concede to the fact that all my posts won't be accompanied by photos or that the photos won't be perfect. I know, imperfect photos are better than none, but even as I type that I can feel myself clinging to the fact that I neeeeeed both. This one may be a little harder to let go.

I won't say it's my New Year's resolution to blog more, because resolutions are destined to fail. I will, however, make it a goal to blog as though there is no audience. Maybe at some point I can develop a template where I can record, reflect, and include photos in very few steps....there goes my ambition again.

Happy New Year!

Here's to one step towards imperfection

(Blurry Max is BUGGING me!)

us, at midnight exactly

Ignore the obvious

2010-12-31T00:30:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I haven't visited my blog in months, but really, that's par for the course, so no biggie!

Vacation is coming to a close, along with 2010. I really have nothing profound to say. I'm sure there were moments that made me cry, smile, scream, laugh, swell with pride and every other human emotion one can name. I won't revisit them in a beautifully written post reminiscing about the loveliness of each event, not because I don't want to, but because I can't swallow the idea of spending hours thinking, drafting, editing, searching for pictures etc to accomplish it before we ring in the new year. I'll just pick up right where I left off many months ago. I wish I had blogged Max's first day of kindergarten, his first football season, turning 30, Halloween costumes, Holiday gatherings and so on, but there's really no use in crying over spilled milk. So today's events are as follows...

-wake up very late because the little monsters sleep in (mainly due to the fact that the current bedtime = the moment Mommy and Daddy get annoyed)

-pretend to clean up (I got as far as making the bed)

-get everyone dressed and fed

-Run meaningless errands

-Take Zoe to the doctor (she did awesome, no tears and no screaming despite her history of tantrum throwing from the moment we enter the office until we are all buckled back up in the car)

-More errand running (there are a LOT of January birthdays)

-Karate class for Max

-Dinner at Chi Tung (Zoe's reward for doing so well at the doctor's office)

-Some QT with the boy, we built this

My little super goalie

2010-08-16T23:40:00.000-05:00

Today was Max's last day of soccer.

Good game, good game, good game...

The kids played one last game, final score 2-1 Bluebirds win! They finished the season undefeated.

For whatever reason, Max's favorite position was goalie. He was pretty darn good at it, too. He made quite a few good saves these past two games. He did let in one goal today, but it was the only one all season! I was proud of my boy for not crying at that point, he didn't let it get to him and he kept playing. Nolan thinks it's because he had a crush on his coach, I like to think it's because he's a self motivated child who never gives up ;) I wish I could've captured the look on his face when he saw that he was getting a trophy, he was SO excited!

Good job my little super goalie, you did awesome today!

He was definitely the BEST player on the team, and I say that in complete honesty, no bias AT ALL!! Ok, that Sergio kid was pretty awesome, but other than that, yup! Max was the best. =)

Goooooo BLUEBIRDS!

It is now officially football season!!

Day One

2010-08-11T23:44:00.000-05:00

We loaded up the car and left Chicago @ around 10:30am. We (well, I) drove and drove and drove some more. We passed the Welcome to Wisconsin sign (which by comparison is loads better than the measely litte sign that let's you know you are back in Illinois) and drove some more until someone had to pee. We stopped off at a rest stop which we later discovered was only 20 mins away from our destination, ah well. With our bladders on empty we loaded back into the minivan and drove a little more to our final destination...Hotel Rome. Tim, Moon and Fe pulled up right behind us. The men folk went in to see about our reservations. We were too early to check in but we were each able to get fitted for our bright neon yellow wrist bands that would grant us access to Mt. Olympus for the next four days while at the same time marking us "tourists" better than any camera around the neck. We grabbed the essentials...sunscreen, stroller and a variety of contraband (water, juice boxes, snacks for the kids) and headed through the steamy indoor water park to the land of go carts, wooden tracked roller coasters and overexposed bodies in bikinis.

My little speed demon

We took the kids on the go carts. My little girl LOVED them, she giggled and laughed the entire ride. In typical Zoe fashion she shoved me over and tried to take control of the wheel, then she cried when our ride was over. The big kids (Nolan and Tim) took off to ride the real roller coasters while the rest of us went from kiddie ride to kiddie ride. Max was tall enough to man his own go cart, which he didn't do too bad on. Zoe was pissed that she wasn't big enough to get on the rides with Max. She kept telling me "I'm big, can I go with Maxy?" Good thing a juice box will distract her long enough for her to set her eyes on something else she wants.

You can't see them, but they're on it, in the back

Max went off with Daddy and rode his very first REAL roller coaster, he was a smidgin too short for it, but somehow Nolan managed to get him on. I'm told he LOVED it! I believe it. He is his father's son.

It was finally time for us to check in, we packed up and went over to our room. It was perfect. The best part? WOOD floors!! There's something a little gross about hotel room carpet, you KNOW they don't steam clean after the previous guest.

We spent a lot of meal time playing with phones

I discovered a cool photo app for my Iphone and spent the trip using it instead of my dslr...oops

We unpacked, cleaned up and headed off to Famous Dave's for dinner. It was delicious! It was the beginning of our good vacation food spree and Max's crush on Moon. From this point forward Max sat next to Moon at every meal we were together for and held her hand as often as he could.

The sun setting over our super cheap parking spot

After dinner we drove over to the "downtown" strip where we were able to pay $1 and park for two hours. Take that Chicago!

As the sun set we perused the shops, bought the kids a sucker, you know, the kind you would only buy on vacation, and looked for something to do.

This was the only wizard we didn't find

We decided on Wizard Quest, a fun little game where you look for clues and answer questions that earn you glimmers. You have to then find four wizards and hope you have enough glimmers to free them. Sounds corny, but it was so much FUN. We were only able to find three and free two. We were going on three hours past bedtime, plus we were a little worried that our 2 hrs in the parking lot were up. Turns out a parking ticket is only $5!!

We headed back to the room, the kids took their breathing treatments and tried to go to sleep. Nolan went off to Tim's room and I took a nice loooooong hot bath! I love how the hot water at a hotel never turns cold! Nolan and I foolishly made plans to wake up the next morning and do a little cardio before starting our day...um yeah, that didn't happen.

Finally, at about 12:30, the kids were asleep and Mom and Dad weren't far from it.

My first photowalk

2010-06-08T19:51:00.009-05:00

The brains over at iheartfaces.com hosted a photo walk across America on June 5th. Candace and I showed up ready to go despite the cloudy skies and rainy forcast. About 10 minutes into our walk it started to pour. We were confined to inside Navy Pier until the rain slowed to a light drizzle, then we headed out to lunch and broke off into our own mini photowalk. I took over 150 photos, and am pretty happy with what I came home with, despite the rain. Here are my favorites, I have to pick my top three to enter into a contest, I'm not sure what I'd win, it'd just be cool to win ;)

Can you help me pick? Which do you like most?

Free speech in all it's glory

2010-05-25T20:52:00.008-05:00

Hundreds, maybe thousands of teachers

parents

and students

from small to tall

We rallied together in a sea of red

We walked,

We shouted,

We chanted

We spoke our mind and stood up for what we believed in

Stand united or fall divided In the end the consequences are ones our children will have to live with. Choose your side and take a stand. By remaining silent, you perpetuate the behaviors of those who treat education as a business rather than a fundamental human right.

in the wind

2010-04-02T21:07:00.004-05:00

Boy was it WINDY today, the perfect weather for flying a kite. Unfortunately the wind was too strong for our little $3 kites, but they did last long enough for the kids to have a good time.

None other than a Gabba character for Zoe. The string broke twice and poor Brobee blew all the way across the field, but Daddy rescued him.

The only moment when both kids had their kites in the air, we spent a lot of the time chasing them down and trying to get them back up. Here Max's is taking a nose dive. I was pretty shocked that Zoe could handle it all by herself, but she did pretty well.

Zoe got tired of her kite's antics and went off to play in the baseball field, Max kept at it until his kite broke.

The attachment broke on Max's kite, but he took it in stride and hung out while daddy flew the rescued Brobee.

Daddy's such a pro that he can fly a kite with his big toe.

Max thought daddy was pretty cool, so he tried to fly his kite with his toes as well, it didn't go very well, I guess you have to have monster size toes to accomplish that feat. Pretty soon, kid! Your feet grow faster than weeds.

It was a pretty good day, spent some QT with the kiddos and grilled outside for the first time this year. Max said a couple times today "Mommy, it was a fun day, right?" It sure was.

Two peas, one pod

2010-03-10T19:34:00.003-06:00

With today being the warmest day of the year (to date) I knew we'd be spending late afternoon OUTSIDE. I had some ideas as well as a challenge from a friend to capture some catchlights. While I did manage to take over a hundred pictures AND capture some pretty good lights in the eyes, I won't be sharing those. Instead, I'm choosing to share ta little sibling love. These kids adore each other. Of course, there's the whinining and bickering over who has what toy, and how much of each snack who should get, but the sweet moments far out number those. Zoe idolizes her big brother, she wants to do literally everything he does. She repeats what he says, laughs at what he laughs at, wears his clothes, steals his blankets, hides in his room, and tries with all her might to do what he does. I don't look forward to the day that he becomes so bothered by her that he excludes her. I sincerely hope it never happens.

A little game for you...

2010-03-04T19:54:00.004-06:00

Guess the grade level of the following question...

Create a new figure that has the same perimeter as the figure pictured but covers a larger area.

Feel free to solve it as well.

The winner gets nothing, except maybe a pat on the back.

Happy Monday!

2010-03-01T16:50:00.006-06:00

For those of you who are reading this as a note on Facebook, please know that it is automatically imported from my personal blog, I am not ON Facebook creating notes ;)

I had a little mommy/offspring time today thanks to General Pulaski. I suppose, like Max's teacher, you could call it "playing hookey". We baked some yummy banana bread this morning, the kids were great helpers! Max had to peel and mash bananas while Zoe helped measure flour and dump ingredients into the bowl. Mommy was the all important mixer! I was a little surprised at what little mess was left to clean up when we were finished. The kids helped clean up by licking the beaters and bowl clean, don't worry I used soap and hot water later.

It wasn't too cold out, and I'm sooo tired of sitting in the house, so we put our rain boots to good use today. While the bread was baking we took a little stroll around the neighborhood. The creative juices have all but dried up and I've been running low on things to take pictures of in the house for my seven52 challenge, so it was good to get out with my camera. The kids had fun stomping in puddles and kicking the snow around. They begged to go the the playground, but I wasn't feeling nearly that brave. Zoe made it about 2 1/2 blocks then had to be carried home. We timed it perfectly, the timer for the bread went off as soon as we walked in the door!

We had lunch, snacked on the fruits of our labor and then ALL took a nap. Fresh air does a body good!

Zoe it's your birthday...

2010-02-28T17:56:00.006-06:00

...happy birthday to ya!

February 26th Zo-zo turned the big TWO!!

To her, that meant that she needed to fill her two little hands

with as many things as she could hold and no one

could tell her not to bring them to school.

On the eve of her party, Dad set to work on her Elmo cake. It turned out pretty good, you'll have to trust me on that, I didn't get a picture. In fact I hardly got any pictures, but it's okay. It's on video.

Cake round one...

Cake round two...

Post party remnants of mostaccioli and Elmo's face.

The baby cousins wore themselves out, all four of them parked themselves

on a soft surface and watched a little tv.

The birthday girl got a big girl bed and

a beautiful quilt made by Grandma to go with it

(along with about a gazillion toys that she and Max spent

the entire next day playing with)

Love you too, baby girl!

Intro to actions!

2010-02-15T13:56:00.005-06:00

Actions, meet Nichole. Nichole, actions.

Before: Just a crop and frame After: Using the Color pop action.
After #2: B/W action

I soooo don't have time for this!!!!

Happy Four Day!

2010-02-14T22:56:00.007-06:00

The only thing better than a four day weekend is being on the one of 3 seasonal breaks of the school year. The first three days were well spent with family and friends.

FRIDAY: I learned how to make tamales!!!

Celeste and Zoe had liquid consumption covered.

Spread the masa, fill 'em up, and drop them in the pot, not too hard!

YUM!

SATURDAY: My kids' first visit to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate Boston turning the big FIVE!

This guys are a little creepy if you ask me

Yay rides!

The Birthday girl!

Cheese!

Deep in conversation...

SUNDAY: An afternoon at Oak Lawn's Children's Museum. It's AWESOME for little kids! We spent THREE hours there, there wasn't one complaint or one ounce of whining. The kids loved it! It was nonstop fun, seriously!

Wheeeeee!

The water table was a hit, especially with Zoe

Magnetic shapes were fun, too

Max learned how to hammer, drill, saw and screw!

Zoe bullied some other poor kid off the piano

There's a whole stage with costumes and puppets galore!

Daddy and Max went camping. Clearly, Daddy was having a GREAT time!

Monday won't be nearly as fun, I have to grade papers and finish up lesson plans, but I'm glad to have had the weekend to have a little fun with the kids. It's nose to the grindstone from now till spring break.

Sleep tight

2010-01-19T21:49:00.003-06:00

Ever have one of those moments where you miss the kids after they've been put to bed? I had to go check on them and give them an extra kiss goodnight. (This may have a tiny bit to do with reading this story ) In typical Max form, 1 1/2 hrs after bedtime, he's still awake.
Zoe baby was knocked out cold. How can you not want to squeeze her?!?!?

Goodnight babies. I love you!

Birthday #1

2010-01-18T15:20:00.008-06:00

A bowling bash for Jordyn! What more fun than throwing a ball (there was only rolling after it hit the floor) and knocking down pins? Doing it under blacklight and having cake and icecream afterwards!

I remember these shoes being much uglier as a kid...

C'mon SPARE!

Just a small portion of the party!

So many options...

Bowling Rule #1- you must not pass the foul line, you will fall.

Bowling Rule #2- You must, without fail, watch your ball until it knocks down some pins.

I wish you could see J THROW the ball down the lane! It was too funny!

Obeying rule #2

Ohhhh ball! Where are you?

Mateo threw the ball down every chance he got, Aly tried and tried to beat everyone on her lane.

But alas, Crysalis won! (and Max came in a distant 2nd, not bad for being the youngest one)

Happy Birthday Jordyn!!

Birthday #2

2010-01-18T00:24:00.004-06:00

The kids had a ton of fun at their cousins' birthday party at The Little Gym!

Erin took some time to warm up to the place, she preferred to climb on her momma

They swung... They ran... They climbed... They slid...
They learned how to smash the cheese... They smashed the cheese...
They rested.... They bounced balls... They stole "gold" from the sleeping dragon...They rested a little more... Then it was time for CAKE! Mmmmmm...cake Just give me my cake, people!
Happy Birthday Nick and Erin!

Thanks for inviting us!

Typical Thursday

2010-01-14T19:42:00.005-06:00

My boy was mighty proud of his artwork. Yes, that is me, curly hair and all. He informed me that he had to draw me with curly hair because "I don't know how to draw straight hair, that's too hard"

How do you keep a one year old busy long enough to braid her hair? Let her transfer noodles from bowl, to bigger bowl, to soapy dishwater ;)

I look forward to the day when her hair is thick enough to have braided pigtails, or better yet, fishtails!

"My Camera!"

2010-01-05T20:23:00.002-06:00

Zoe has taken a liking to yet another thing that doesn't belong to her...my camera! I suppose I can't blame her, it is shoved in her face at least once a day. I gave her one of our old camera digital cameras to "play" with.

Now where is that shutter release?

"Cheese, Mommy"

Home Haircut #1

2010-01-04T21:39:00.000-06:00

I did pretty darn well! I'll have to wait and see it in daylight to be sure, but it has to be an improvement! Plus, it was free!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T12:45:00.001-06:00

My babies stayed up past 2am. I can't believe they didn't crash and burn before midnight! We rung in the new year at my BIL's playing board games while the kids ran around and kept each other awake =)
By the time we got home they were both knocked out cold, they were already in jammies so we took off coats and laid them in bed. Max stayed sound asleep till almost 10:30 thank goodness! Zoe didn't go down so easy. She was up till 3am, and then up again at 5am thankfully she didn't get up again till she heard Max.

A little pre festivities dress up

I cracked up for a good 5 mins when I saw this picture!

Here's hoping for a wonderful year for us all! May you smile more than you cry, rest more than you work and enjoy life more than you complain!

Miss Independent

2009-12-30T23:48:00.006-06:00

Within the last three days Zoe has gone from happily sleeping in her crib in her room to sleeping on a blowup air mattress on the floor in Max's room. After the throwing of many fits Zoe got her way and didn't have to sleep in her crib. I have to wonder what made her decide that she needed a change of venue. Little bugger. I checked on them when I heard her singing, Max was passed out and Zoe was on the floor "reading" a book. That girl is going to give me a run for my money.

OMG! I just had a scary thought! What if she's making room for number 3???

The number one reason to have kids...

2009-12-29T20:55:00.004-06:00

To share your heart and the world with a new person? NOPE
To relive life's best moments through someone else's eyes? NOPE
To fill a void in your life? NOPE
To take on a new challenge? NOPE
To have someone who will laugh at all your stupid jokes? NOPE

The number one reason to have kids is...

...eventually they will be old enough to do the work for you!

The only trouble is, by the time they're old enough, they'll have stopped wanting to help

Let's simplify!

2009-12-28T21:48:00.006-06:00

After much searching, saving, tweaking and creating I've managed to simplify my blog. I've been wanting to change it for a few months now, but haven't had the time or motivation to get it done. The best time to get things done that you want to do is when you are avoiding doing ~~lesson plans and grading papers~~ things you don't want to do.

Heh heh heh. Here's Max putting his disguise kit that he got for Christmas to good use.

p.s. In the process I lost my blogroll, so if you happen across here please leave a linky so I can add you back!

Finally!

2009-12-27T22:11:00.003-06:00

We've been watching the weather WAITING for it to snow enough to go sledding. It didn't happen in time to sled on Christmas day, but we didn't have to wait more than two days! We had a blast! Zoe wasn't into the cold butt, or the snow touching her skin, but she did like sledding. We do need to get the poor girl some snow pants, though.Zoe's first time sledding. Down the hill with Daddy!
Max was all smiles the entire time, even when
he dropped off the curb and flew across the parking lot!

Zoe took a break from sledding to play at the playground.

Mommy watching Zoe

She zones out a lot...

My favorite shot of the day.

He likes it as much as the kids.

Max didn't mind the snow at all, he spent a

good part of the time just rolling around in it!

Zoe stayed at the playground for quite a while.

Back to the top to do it again...

2009 Ornaments

2009-12-26T21:36:00.000-06:00

Max's Nolan's
Zoe's

Mine

All cookied out...

2009-12-24T11:15:00.004-06:00

Cookie tins for 7 people, 6 different but equally delicious cookie recipes, 16 dozen cookies and one large mess later, I am finally done. I'm glad I only do this once a year!

Helloooooo Winter Break!

2009-12-19T22:46:00.005-06:00

Two weeks of doing whatever I want!!! Well, not quite whatever and not quite two weeks, but damn close enough for me! While I am anxiously awaiting the arival of Christmas morning I am trying not to look forward to it so much that a whole week of my vacation disappears right before my eyes. I tend to live my life looking forward to the next big thing rather than enjoy the now. I get tunnel vision and don't take the opportunity to enjoy the moments I am living in. It reminds me of the song in Mr. Holland's Opus (the title of the song escapes me) "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" I'll be trying to focus on life rather than making other plans.

First on my list...enjoy the hell out of the chestnuts I just pulled out of the oven!!!

The chestnuts aren't quite done yet. While I stick them back in the oven I'll move along to number two on my list.... look through some of my photos and see if there are any worth sharing.

The most recent set was from the weekend after Thanksgiving when I was attempting to get a picture for our Christmas card. Below are the outtakes =) enjoy!

The chestnuts turned out a little disappointing, but I enjoyed as much of them as was possible. The pictures made me laugh, though! Max likes to kiss and hug Zoe. Zoe likes to kick and sit on Max!

Gorgeous!!!!

2009-11-08T21:44:00.003-06:00

Gorgeous is just one adjective I can think of to describe this weekend's weather! It was the PERFECT weather! I'd move to a place that had this kind of weather four seasons of the year. It took some summer like weather to inspire me to visit my blog. Well, not entirely. In truth, I was looking at some Christmas ornaments online when I had to prove a point to Nolan. I had proof that the ornament I got for him last year was indeed the leg lamp from A Christmas Story. I spent some time browsing through the archives and felt a pang of guilt for not keeping up with my blog. I got a chance to take some pictures today, so I threw together a storyboard.

I'd love for the weather to stay this mild, but I'm sure this was our last taste of anything above 50 for a few months. I'm glad we got outside to enjoy it.

First Day!

2009-08-24T18:16:00.004-05:00

I think today was as hard on mommy as it was on baby. Max is a pro, he only hesitated a little, but as soon as he saw his old friends he was off! I'm expecting it to be a lot worse tomorrow. This time Zoe will know I'm going to leave her. Poor girl. Her eyes were all red and swollen when I got there to pick her up. I knew this would be hard for her, she's not an easy one when it comes to transitions. Ah well, it'll become routine...eventually. I hope my heart can handle it until then. On another note, isn't it ridiculous how fast babies GROW??? I pulled up Max's old first day of school pics. It's insane how much they change in just a year.

2007

2008

2009

sneak peek

2009-08-23T15:48:00.004-05:00

Here's the beginning's of the ABC photo book. (it's a screen grab) It's going to take a while, I still need a few letters and some photos of "things that start with" each letter. I figure it'll make a great Christmas gift! I'm really excited, I think it's going to be AWESOME!

Happy...

2009-08-22T20:29:00.008-05:00

Hello Blog!

I haven't seen you in a few weeks, and with school starting soon, I'll be seeing even less of you. Such is life, my fairweather friend.

I couldn't let my anniversary slip by without an entry! It's been a ~~looooong~~ great five years! Seriously though, I'm not the mushy type, but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have traveled this road with. Gush, gush, gush.

As with most things in life you get what you put in, and I think we've both done our share of giving and getting, sometimes unequally, but more often almost perfectly in sync. There are still plenty of kinks to work out before I'd call us a well oiled machine, but I'm confident that that will come with time. So, honey, here's to a wonderful ~~five~~ twelve years! Kiss, kiss!

Did I mention he bought me a tripod?? I played around with it a bit before we headed off to dinner. After all, a family photo IS on Zoe's school supply list =) I couldn't very well send her to school with an old one!!

After all I could eat (about three lbs! YUM) of these...

(I was SO ready to dive into that second plate, but I paused too long and the "STOP EATING YOU COW" message that my stomach was frantically sending north finally reached my brain, so I took this picture instead.)

and about three sips of this....

(Alcohol and me DO NOT mix, I try, it doesn't work. I wonder how many years will pass before my husband stops ordering me a drink...)

I was ready for BED!!!. But we headed off to see ~~a movie~~ Inglourious Basterds Yeah, SUPER romantic! Totally fitting for an anniversary date, NOT. However I enjoyed the poop out of it! It was hilarious, and I'd actually like to see it again (I rarely if EVER say this about a movie).

Now, while I had a fine evening with my hubby, I'd like to spend my next anniversary on a beach near a wonderfully warm ocean, sans kids. Hint, hint.

Love you baby!

XOXOXO

p.s. I'm still need some practice with manual focusing =)

Letter Hunt

2009-07-29T20:54:00.006-05:00

On my forever long list of things "I'll do over the summer" was an ABC book that Max and I would make. I gave him my old, old, old Kodak easyshare to take pictures with, but that didn't pan out too well. The batteries wouldn't stay in, and most of the pictures were too blurry, so 4 months later I decided that he could help search out letters and things that start with "enter letter here" and I would photograph them. I was surprised at how good he was at finding letters!Here's what we found in the backyard today, can you tell what the letters are?

Bonus: What do you see here?

Need a hint??

"S" is for sea turtle

Vintage hand tinting and Masks

2009-07-09T12:44:00.005-05:00

I'm having too much fun with these techniques! Here are assignments #3 and #4. I tried to use different subjects since most every project is done with photos of Max or Zoe. However, I couldn't resist the last one of Max =)

Day 3 assignment: Create a hand tinted vintage look. Challenge- Use the star brush to create stars in the photo

The first one looks more vintage than the second, I think only because of the colors in the first photo were not as vivid as the second. I played with adding in color to the second, but decided to just leave it desaturated. I don't know how I feel about the stars in theNavy Pier photo. I added frames and word art to both. I just used a text box for the first one, I need to find some word art, or figure out how to make my own.

Day 4 assignment: "Clip" a photo onto the clipping mask shape to create a scruffy edged border.

I love it!!! I've been trying to figure out how to get this look for at least a year! I only followed the lesson on the first one, other than cropping the photo, I din't change anything else. On the picture of Max I used the vintage technique again, plus added a little rose to his cheeks like lesson 3 suggested, mostly because there were no cheeks in the photos I chose for the lesson and I wanted to try it out. It may be hard to resist adding this edge to all my pictures!

Sippycup graveyard

2009-07-08T22:21:00.011-05:00

When Max was 7 months old, he went from using these to using these

no problem, he never even noticed. Zoe on the other hand approached the 7 month mark still nursing 5-7 times a day, and having pumped bottles at grandma's. I had just started back to work and didn't want to put her through the trauma of transitioning to a sippy cup. It should have occured to me then, when she would only drink from this
bottle, that future transitions may be difficult. Or maybe the fact that she virtually starved herself for two days before finally taking that bottle would have tipped me off. However, it didn't, and here we are at 16 months. Oh, but it's a happy day in the S household. My stubborn little girl has finally gone from these

to these
...but only after refusing to use these

Hopefully this latest sippy will never see the sippycup graveyard. Hopefully.

Brush, brush, brush and frame to your heart's content

2009-07-07T21:01:00.004-05:00

I don't know how I've had photoshop for so long, and never discovered the world of brushes!! They're awesome! I'm taking an online class that teaches how to use brushes and frames. It's only day 2, but I'm in love! Here are my "assignments" from Day 1 and Day 2. I have to say I'm having a hard time pulling myself away from my photos and all the free downloads I can find, but alas, there are children and a house to take care of. Where's that maid, nanny, and personal chef I ordered?

Day 1: Frame a photo and add wordart, poor choice of word IMO, but my options were limited

Day 2: Use brushes to embellish a photo. I added a frame as well because I like the effect, I feel like it brings the focus to Nolan and Zoe. I was in love with this photo when I saw it, but I really like it with the frame.

Cuddly quilt and I spy bag

2009-07-01T16:35:00.003-05:00

Zoe's cuddly quilt is done! It's adorable! I love it, she loves it, all is right in the world. Of course I had to make something for Max as well, he was quite upset when he saw that I was making a quilt for Zoe. So Max gets an I spy bag! So simple to make, my stiches are kind of sloppy because I was in a hurry to finish it before Zoe woke from her nap, but Max doesn't care!
Zoe is a funny girl, I gave her quilt to her today, and she hasn't let it go, even taking it with her in the car! It's like she knows I made it for her =)

Max wasn't as thankful, lol. He played with it for about 2mins, and then went back to his Transformers.

Land of Lincoln Reader!

2009-06-30T22:10:00.006-05:00

This is the first of many summers that Max (and eventually Zoe) will participate in the Public Library's Summer Reading Program. I'm not fond of the theme this year, as it makes for a very boring storytime for the kiddos, but nonetheless, Max will be participating, and choosing non-Lincoln related books, I'm sure. He completed his very first book report today! The mommy/teacher in me was proud! It was almost painful, as he has a very short attention span when it comes to drawing and coloring, but he did push through and complete it! Whether or not he will push through 24 more remains to be seen.

He got this poster at Play Camp yesterday. I read him the information and he chose the corresponding sticker, he did well, only needing help with what a mossasin is. It got him all hyped up about going to the library the next day.

He listed to me read his book, then "read" the book a couple more times. It was called Bone Soup, a ghoulish parody of Stone Soup, cute story, very "boy".

Then drew his picture for his book report, all happening in his tent. Where else would he do it? At the table? Pshhh, not a chance!

Then he read some more! Wonder how I'll bribe him into doing a book report on that book... Kinda puts a damper on reading if you have to do a report on every book, doesn't it?

Making progress!

2009-06-29T21:59:00.005-05:00

Two weeks into summer vacation and my first summer project is almost complete! I'm excited, I no longer fear my sewing machine, but it's still a little intimidating. You truly do learn by doing, I think I need a little more practice before I start Max's baby clothes quilt, but I'm definitely getting there.

Phase two:

All six rows are complete, they're a little uneven, I need to practice sewing with a 1/4" seam, it might also help to know what setting all the knobs should be on.

Phase three:

All rows are (not quite perfectly) joined forming the front of Zoe's cuddly quilt

The unintentional Phase 4:

See that vertical seam in the middle? It wasn't supposed to be there, but somehow when I cut the fabric, I accidentally cut it into two pieces instead of one. Oops. Ah well, lesson learned. Luckily I measured generously the first time, which allowed me to have enough to sew the two pieces together with plenty of room to sew the two sides together.

All that's left to do before cuddling can commence is pin the two sides together and sew baby, sew!

When left unattended...

2009-06-28T10:47:00.003-05:00

Zoe can be quite the trouble maker. She's drawn to water, all water, whether it be the toilet, or the cat bowl. It's rather gross, but for whatever reason, the girl loves water! Apparantly she especially loves the way water dissolves cat food, and the way it feels when she squishes it between her baby toes. And the smell! There's definitely something attractive about the smell of soggy catfood. I see an new perfume on the market soon. Or not. Blech.

iHeart Faces Week 24

2009-06-22T14:12:00.003-05:00

Here's My favorite boys!

My "Man" entry

My "boy" Entry

Check out the other men and boys here

Happy Daddy's Day

2009-06-21T10:06:00.000-05:00

Shoot for the moon!

2009-06-20T22:40:00.006-05:00

I took these pictures back when we went up to Miluakee. We were killing some time in the hotel and Max decided to become Superman. So many of the shots were blurry, but I couldn't resist making a storyboard of these.

I made this storyboard when Max was about 17 mos. old. I wish I had the photos, they are some of my favorite of Max, but they were lost when my old computer died.

The No.2 Zoo

2009-06-18T21:01:00.008-05:00

We did the Budget Friendly Zoo Trip today. Lincoln Park Zoo, shall from this day forward be referred to as the No. 2 Zoo. It just doesn't compare to Brookfield Zoo, Nolan calls me a snob, but it's true. The number of animals, the realism of the habitats, the wide variety of habitats, the children's zoo...I could go on, but you get the point. But to go to Brookfield Zoo it would've cost us $40 for admission and parking, Lincoln Park was only $17 for parking with free admission. We made the best of it anyhow. We didn't stay very long with the chilly weather near the lake, and the lack of animals.

The Zebras were super active, chasing each other around and galloping in cirlces around their home, it was fun to watch.
The best exhibit there was the primate house, there were tons of gorillas and monkeys to observe. It was doubly cool to see because Nolan helped build the exhibit.

The Children's Zoo was pretty sad, having only some turtles and other empty exhibits to occupy Zoe while Max climbed throught the big whatever you want to call it.

Some of the best sites weren't even animals...

Nolan likes anyone that plays an instrument, and this guy played two!

Zoe loved the seagulls and screeched loudly everytime she saw them (and believe me, we saw them often)

In the end, I think we spent the most time watching the juggler on our way to find the giraffes (or rather the one giraffe, gazelle and ostrich exhibit)

Summer Project #1

2009-06-17T23:43:00.002-05:00

Step one:

Cut squares...check.

I'm sooo excited about this project, I hope it turns out. It'll be my first attempt at quilting, and if it goes well I'll be making one for Max out of his old baby clothes!

Drop shadows

2009-06-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

Photoshop is HARD! Okay, maybe I just suck at teaching myself. Here's a little play with drop shadows. After following a link sent by a friend, and working on that FOR.EVER. I set out to find an easier tutorial. As it turns out, there's a simple little layer style that does it all for me. My little ole brain is fried for the night. It's not bad, I defintely need more practice though!

The Kiddie Pool

2009-06-15T16:10:00.004-05:00

A staple of every American family summer. It wasn't quite warm enough, but when filled with warm tap water it can be loads of fun! Today was officially the first day of summer vacation. Max's fever is gone, and the kids spent the day between the pool and drumming on Rock Band. It must be great to be a kid. I'd better get crackin' on planning some summer activities! I don't think the pool and drums can adequetly entertain them every day.

Girly girl?? Not my baby!

2009-06-14T22:48:00.003-05:00

She has the girly parts,

the sweet smile and the princess attitude,

even the curlies in her hair, but my girl ain't no girly girl!

She's got football pj's lovingly donated by her brother,

Daddy's drumsticks and hi-ya's...

My girl's a little rough around the edges, but ain't she sweet?

Fun with Photoshop

2009-06-11T20:15:00.005-05:00

In the past I've always looked at other people's photos and wondered how the hell did they took such great pictures, and what am I doing wrong? Well it took awhile, but I finally figured out the trick, it's photoshop!!! Here's a couple I played around with recently. I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert at all, but I enjoy it all the same.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

The Pleasure of a Paleta!

2009-05-30T20:37:00.007-05:00

Max can hardly contain his excitement when he hears the bells of the Paletera, or ice cream man. And truth be told, neither can I! Max, Mommy and even little Zoe had a Paleta for dessert. To my surprise, Zoe finished hers before Max! The price has doubled since I was a kid, but they're worth it. I'm happy for Max and Zoe to have the memory and pleasure of what those ting a linging bells bring!

Yes, I know my Zoe looks a mess, but she's one and stubborn as can be! No worries! Bathtime quickly followed her spaghetti dinner and watermelon dessert!

Temporarily offline

2009-05-23T22:13:00.003-05:00

Our desktop has pooped out on us, and is sitting at the "shop" waiting to be repaired. Hopefully it's an easy, inexpensive fix and the hard drive (with all of my photos) can be saved. Until then Nolan hooked up my OLD laptop and as long as we don't unplug it, close it, or turn it off we'll have online access. I can't upload or edit any of my new photos which is killing me!! But, at least I can blog (read and write) pay bills, and do all the other things I need to do, lmao. This old thing hasn't been used in like three years! I had fun going through the old pictures that are stored on here. I look at Max, who is just a couple months younger than Zoe is now, and can hardly see my little four year old in them. In every few there is the vacant stare that covers Max's face when he watches tv, and the eyes are all his, but the chub and the hair and teeth...it seems so long ago! I definitely see some Zoe in there, though! These are from our first ever digital camera, a Kodak easy share that we thought was SO cool at the time!

Piggies, boo boos and bumblebees

2009-05-06T19:51:00.005-05:00

Zoe got her first boo boo today. She was playing with Max on the back deck eating some fruit snacks and climbing in and out of a crate, when she fell over and took a chunk out of her lip.
It didn't stop her for long, after getting cleaned up and playing in the sink for a bit, she was all better! While she was busy "brushing her teeth" I played around to see if her hair would fit in little piggies, and it does!!! YAY!!!!!
And we can't leave Max out! He's more about seeing the pictures I've taken than sitting still for any, but he did ask me to take a picture of his new Bumblebee hat. His ball was wearing it at the time, and I have to say it looks a tad better on Max =) He's had a few hats over the years, and he always wears them constantly at first, but then they disappear. Any bets on how long he'll keep this one?

I heart faces! Week 17- hats!

2009-05-04T19:47:00.005-05:00

To me, a hat is anything that rests on the head, so I hope this counts as a hat! We're not a big hat family, so I don't have many pictures with hats (that I thought were okay enough to enter that is).

So here's my kids Hat entry, little Clifford, otherwise known as Max....

Want to do a little more hat shopping?? Head over to I ♥ Faces and peruse the headgear to your heart's content!

Eye see you!

2009-05-03T22:12:00.002-05:00

Family Reading Night FUN!

2009-05-02T22:17:00.006-05:00

Thursday night was Family Reading Night at my school. I didn't volunteer, but took the kids to have a little storytime fun! The kids had a great time. Max loved it all...

the stories,

the crafts,

and most of all, the characters!

Zoe enjoyed the freedom of wandering all over the place...

I love this next one, it's Max with my sixth grade teacher! Sadly she will be retiring this year.
Their smiles say it all!

Aleida's Challenge

2009-04-29T20:14:00.003-05:00

I'm not a scrapbooker, but a good friend shared with me a challenge that is about more than just getting blog traffic. The message Aleida wanted to get across is both meaningful and sincere. Instead of avoiding the camera because of appearance insecurities that your children are oblivious to, take the opportunity to take photos with your children, not just of your children and leave behind a history that they and their children will treasure for a great number of years longer than you live on this Earth. Not only do I accept that challenge with gratitude to Aleida for sharing it, but I challenge you to make an effort to be in the pictures as often as you ask your children to be.

Here's two with me and my Zoe.

I hate....

2009-04-28T20:40:00.001-05:00

going to the dentist. Not a complaint, just a statement of fact.

A trip down I-57

2009-04-27T20:25:00.005-05:00

We went down to spend some time with my old college friends, and Max's Godmother this weekend. It was good times, except the part where Nolan puked on me, but even that part was kinda funny. It was nice to get out of the city and for Max to spend time with his Godmother and "cousins" I took almost 400 pictures, but I'll spare you 392 of them...for now anyway =)

Max and Boston
Great Buddies

Max right after Boston ditched him to go play with some other girls. Poor kid cried until Boston came back for him. I hope this isn't indicative of what's to come in his teenage years

Happy Go Lucky Kid

Pretty girl
I was playing with getting some "Natural Borders"

The old Block II gang, three of us are third grade teachers now, the other, a stay at home mom.

The only picture I got with Max and his Godmother. Ah well...that's typical Max!!

My family and a little experimenting with aperature

2009-04-25T09:44:00.003-05:00

I absolutely love the photo of Nolan! I wish a Max had been a little more cooperative, but I've been accused of favoritism, so I had to include some of my pouty little man.

Part deux

2009-04-23T21:02:00.006-05:00

Original

Edit 1

Edit 2

By the way, that's my baby's first piggy!!! I actually went out and bought rubber bands. I'm excited. I wish I was taking another personal day tomorrow =( The past two days have really made me wish I could stay home with my kids.

There's really just SO much to learn. I should be writing lesson plans, but have spent the last hour playing with the photos I took today. I'm more interested in what I will be learning rather than what I will be teaching. Shhh. Don't tell!

And I'm totally not favoring Zoe over Max, it's just that Max was at school all day. I'll get him this weekend =)

My girl and Me...

2009-04-22T20:12:00.006-05:00

We had a little Mommy/Daughter time together today. I played with Zoe AND the new camera. I thoroughly enjoyed my personal day, pity I never really use them. I think I'll make this a new tradition. Well, okay I felt guilty just typing that. I suppose I won't be making this a new tradition. Anyhow, here are some of my favs from the 213542154 shots I took today :) Enjoy! I can see the next problem I will have...resisting the urge to share every picture I take! I can't wait till summer break when I'll really have time to play with the manual settings!

You want to do what??

2009-04-08T22:05:00.000-05:00

My sweet, sweet baby boy, my little man, my FOUR YEAR OLD asked me today, as he was rifling through my jewelry box, if he could have my ring to "give to Stephanie so we can get married, because we need a ring to get married" Picture my feet coming to a screeching halt, Wha?? What's a mother to say. I've heard Stephanie's name come up often over the past couple of years, but never so much as this year. Stephanie is Max's little girlfriend at his school. Cute, little blonde, squeaky, high pitched voice, and an it'saboutdamntime you outgrew that mullet little thing.
Max refers to her as his girlfriend, and she's usually mentioned when he discusses the people he wants to marry (among Mommy, and Ms. Kathy, his teacher) but I'm starting to get a little nervous. He'll be with this girl for another two years! Can you imagine the damage that little harloquin can do to my sweet, innocent precious little boy's heart???

Okay, just to be fair, he might break her heart too, but she probably deserved it...

Back to the bikini and BFL...

2009-03-31T21:11:00.000-05:00

Sooooooo.... Nolan and I decided to do the Body For Life thing again. We were pretty successful when we did it last summer. We never completed the 12 weeks, making it only to 8 if I remember correctly, because of me going back to work. But, it's time to get back on the train. My skinny jeans aren't tight, but there seems to be quite the muffin top forming. My motivation this time around, to feel confident enough to wear a bikini...in public. So, I actually went out and bought a BINKINI!!! Yes, I think the last time I wore a bikini was when I was like 7. It's actually my profile picture. We took the week 0 pictures yesterday. Not too scary, but not too impressive either. And, NO! I won't be posting those, unless I have a kickass body in 12 weeks ;)
Wish me luck!! I'll update every Sunday after weigh in.

Bikinis, BFL, and

2009-03-30T20:38:00.001-05:00

aw hell. Come back tomorrow, I can't remember my witty title. Or even really what I wanted to say.

Saturday Mornings...

2009-03-14T08:20:00.000-05:00

are the best! Some biscuits and some cartoons, life as a kid doesn't get much better...

Sugar and Spice

2009-03-13T20:46:00.001-05:00

and everything nice???
That's not what my little girl is made of! More like Chilli powder, if ya ask me! She's a pistol that girl! But I love her immensely. I'm amazed at how one heart can love both children without preference. I always wondered if parents preferred one child over another. I mean I have favorites among my students, I was admittedly expecting that I would love Max more than this "new" child. But amazingly enough, I love both children in almost the exact same way. I wonder if that will change as they get older...

So anyway, my spicy little monky is been busy this past month. She's been walking less than a week, and is already trying to run. She's such a stubbron little girl, I wonder where she gets it. She's picked up two signs this week "more" which she perfected today when asking for lotion (she mistook it for some sort of creamy whipped something) and "milk" which to her doesn't mean cow's milk, it means momma's milk. I'm not sure when this whole nursing thing will come to an end, but Zoe doesn't seem interested in giving it up at all. She only nurses at night, and I have to admit, it's easier than finding a bottle (we only have three) washing it out (because she didn't drink what I tried to feed her the night before) and trying to get her to take it, only to set in on the windowsill because she violently shoves it away with her hands. Eh. whatever. She'll eventually get tired of it I suppose.

She had her well baby visit on Monday, screamed her head off as usual. I'm actually afraid that if there ever is anything wrong with her we'll never know because the doctor is in and out as faster than hell on wheels. She doesn't deal well with a screaming child. Even the sweet little nurse brought in backup when she came back to administer the shots. I outta buy the woman a pair of ear plugs for the next visit, lol. But Zo is 50th percentile for head, height and weight. Good, I was afraid she wasn't growing well because she isn't taking in much milk.

And what's a baby brag without any photos??

Let's go fly a kite!

2009-03-05T20:44:00.005-06:00

Today was PERFECT kite flying weather. Sadly, there wasn't enough time before dark to load up the kids and go to the park, but we played outside for a bit before dinner. It's March 5th and it read 66 degrees in the van! If I focus on only this part of my day, it wouldn't be a stretch in labeling it perfect.

A little up,

a little down,

to and fro she crawled, gathering sticks along the way

The tears started flowing when I tried to get her to walk on her own

in the end, she was happy to walk with her push toy

He reeeealy wanted to fly his kite
Introducing M.C. Silas~
stay tuned, he's almost ready to unveil his uprock to the public!

I'm loving the warm up, I think I may sink into a deep depression if I see another snowflake..for real.

one hundred sixty six dollars!

2009-02-28T21:27:00.002-06:00

That's how much money I SAVED today while shopping at Carson's. I hate clothes shopping, unless it's for the kids, so I rarely get new clothes. But I really needed some new clothes, I can pick through my closet and find clothes I wore in college, or while student teaching, then there's a ton of pants I wore between Max and Zoe that are a little too big. I didn't enjoy it, but I did enjoy the hell outta saving a shit load of money :) The most expensive thing I bought was a belt at $18...and that was for NOLAN! Just some new unmentionables and I'm set for the next 6 years!! Okay, totally kidding. I can adjust to not wearing the same thing every week!!

Happy Birthday Little Zo!!!

2009-02-26T19:30:00.003-06:00

Life has gotten in the way of blogging again. But I couldn't let my baby girl's birthday go by without a little post in her honor!! But what to say?? I'm reminded of that poem, you know the one Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of... I think Zoe is 2 parts spice to one part sugar. She's a feisty little thang! She's got her mommy's temper paired with her daddy's patience (as in none) but I love her to death. She's a lovey little thing, laying kisses on us, and snuggling up softening us up so she can get her way...smart girl! She's a homebody, likes to shake her booty, clap and sing along to the radio (just don't change the station in the middle of a song) I could go on and on, but I won't. Here's a few pictures of her low key celebration at home tonight.

A new hobby and a little culture

2009-01-31T20:32:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is our Chinatown's Chinese New Year parade. I planned to make a Mommy&Max day of it since the weather was going to hit above freezing. But alas, those plans were sidelined by a Super Bowl/Birthday party, no dragon dancing or evil spirit chasing for us. However, since we had no big plans for today, other than a grocery store trip (which coincidentally got sidelinded by our new plans) we decided to make a family trip out of it. I learned a few things today, allow me to share...
1) Metered parking in Chinatown is CHEAP! 25 cents an hour! Awesome!
2) 40 degrees, while warmer than freezing, is still cold. It didn't take long to realize we wouldn't be hanging around very long
3) Chinese waitresses are much more helpful than any we've encountered before. Nolan ordered Chicken in wine, the watress says albeit not very politely "Are you sure? I don't think you will like the flavor" No waiter/waitress we've ever had has told us ANYTHING about the meal we were ordering, be it good, or bad. But we do have awful luck in that department.
4) A camera is a GREAT distraction for a preschooler!
Here's a couple of Max's better shots (not that I'm an expert). He's still gotta learn to keep his finger outta the way. But not bad for his first go!
This was funny because as Max was taking pictures at the table, a man offered to take a family picture. He did the whole "photographer" thing. You know, move closer, put your arm here, etc. After we thanked him and he sat back down, Max stepped up and did the "photographer" thing :)

Our waitress :)

The infected

2009-01-30T22:27:00.004-06:00

Ever seen the movie 28 days later? Well I spent most of the day looking (and feeling) like one of the infected.

I got a few looks, even my own husband kept backing away from me. hmph. Wuss. Here's my slightly exaggerated eye of death. I shoulda just went to work. Do you think anyone would've noticed?

When it rains....

2009-01-24T21:05:00.002-06:00

...it pours. But, the sun does eventually come out again. After being laid off for two months, Nolan finally starts back to work Monday. Hopefully there won't be too many snow days, or cold weather days. We could use the full 40 hr checks, especially since we'll have to repair the roof, and probably replace the ceiling in Max's room. On top of that I got a letter in the mail today notifying me that the teacher loan forgiveness application I sent in a few months back has been approved! That's $5,000 off my graduate loans! AWESOME!

Thief??

2009-01-23T21:18:00.004-06:00

So whaddaya call a person who takes other people's ideas, and makes them better? A thief?
Dictionary.com has the following definitions for thief...

thief
noun
a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it

{Can an idea be categorized as "property?"}

thief

(thēf)
n. pl. thieves (thēvz)
One who steals, especially by stealth.

{It's not really stealth if I'm not intentionally concealing the fact that I'm taking an idea, is it?}

thief

–noun, plural thieves. a person who steals, esp. secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.

{Hmmm...again, no secret...right?}

I guess thief isn't the right word. Now, occasionally, I have some pretty good ideas. I'm particularly good at coming up with things on the fly. ( A decidedly handy skill for a teacher) But many times I see an idea I like, (insert appropriate verb here) it and modify it, or in my (biased) opinion, make it better! So what would I be called, exactly? A modifier? Is that a word?

While browsing through blogs, I came across this meme. Cute, right? I thought about it and thought it'd be a really cool project for Max, seeing as how he asks me 8 zillion times a day "What does A start with?" translation... "What starts with an A ?" (Changing letters depending on what letter they're doing at school) The wheels start turning...I have an old digital camera he can have, and he can take pictures of things that start with each letter of the alphabet, we can make an ABC book, and even include a cute little alliteration, right?? Right.
So......cute idea+my brilliance= Awesome keepsake for Max! I think we'll start tomorrow.

Worlde No.2

2009-01-21T08:04:00.000-06:00

1st and 44th

2009-01-20T20:14:00.011-06:00

Luckily CPS did something right today. The screen was set up in the auditorium and the whole of our student body was invited to witness the swearing in of our 1st African American president and our 44th president. Honestly, my students probably couldn't have told you a thing that was said. They unknowingly clapped when the people in D.C. clapped, but they were there, and they saw a people's dream come true. I was slightly disappointed in the fumble of the oath of office, but it is what it is, or was as it was, I should say. I was so excited when President Obama made a reference to the American Revolution, and Washington crossing the Delaware because it was something we learned about in class, and I thought the students would have made the connection, but nope. Ah, well. At least I got to watch it live instead of having to wait till I got home.

p.s. I LOVE wordle :)

I heart faces! Week two

2009-01-19T11:56:00.002-06:00

I take pictures for fun with my little 'ole point and shoot, and I barely know where to begin to edit them, but I still wanna share :) This is one of my all time favorites! I love the colors!

Check out last week's winners and share your kid face!

Sweetness times three

2009-01-17T21:40:00.006-06:00

My second Storyboard ever, the last being done when Max was just about 18mos. It's been awhile, I've forgotten how much I love them! I can't take credit for the photos, but I take full credit for the cutie in them ;) I can see this becoming an obsession!

HUTH!

2009-01-15T19:35:00.002-06:00

Wahooo!!!! I've officially decided to stop pumping!! I'm HANGING UP THE HORNS!!! I've been pumping for just under 5 months. Twice a day for 2 1/2 months, and then once a day, on my commute to work for the remainder. I have the below zero temperatures today to thank, even with my remote start, the car was no where near warm enough for me to whip out the twins this morning! So this is it! Once the two bags left in the freezer are used, it'll be formula (when we aren't together) till her first birthday! Well, a little later since I'm fairly certain she has a milk sensitivity. She didn't fare well with the cream of wheat, or mac n' cheese she had this past weekend. I haven't decide yet how long I'll continue to nurse, the four new teeth Zoe got on top this past two weeks are making me consider weaning. As it stands, she still nurses 3-4 times a day. The teeth are really only a problem at the bedtime nursing. She's not biting, but I can definitely feel them. It doesn't hurt exactly, but I'm not looking forward to the day that it does hurt. But, since I'm fairly indecisive I'm sure we'll make it past the one year mark! MUCH farther than I ever thought it would go! YAY me, well YAY US :)

And in other news today...part of my molar cracked off just after lunch. I find it a bit annoying that my dentist, or rather the recptionist, didn't deem it important enough to neccesitate an appointment sooner than my already scheduled March 2nd cleaning. I hope I don't have any trouble with it before then.

Wordle Wednesday No.1

2009-01-14T23:00:00.002-06:00

We've heard of Wordless Wednesday, but I usually can't be relied upon to take a great picture that needs no words, let alone remember to post on Wednesdays. Nor can I shut up long enough to let the photo stand alone. I stumbled upon Wordle while browsing through the blogs and links of strangers. I like it! So I'm starting Wordle Wednesday! Behold! My first Wordle...

I heart faces!

2009-01-14T18:05:00.005-06:00

Tina shared a new website she found.
They have a weekly contest where you can share kid faces, or adult faces. Check it out here: www.iheartfaces.com It's fun to look through the entries! Some are pretty humorous, especially in the adult category!

Here's my entry
Zo baby doing what she does best, shoving snacks in her mouth :)

See any resemblance?

2009-01-12T18:16:00.005-06:00

Nolan asked "What's it like to watch yourself grow up?"