Chippity chop

I finally bit the bullet and after 4 long years without bangs and growing my hair out I decided to chop it all off. Not Sinead O'Connor style but short for me- I guess I should clarify- short for Cody. I haven't really cut my hair since 2003 besides the once yearly small trim. I've been talking about cutting it for awhile but I just woke up this morning feeling the really bad urge to whack it all off. I called mom for some support so I wouldn't talk myself out of it before the salon opened and even dad gave me a word or two about getting it cut (mostly because mom told him to LOL). I actually LOVE IT! Little Mrs. Cooper did an excellent job and gave me exactly what I asked for, so nice for a change. This is just a wash and go type style so maybe I'll actually look like I fixed my hair for church tomorrow. I'm not so sure about "embracing" my wavy hair since I've spent the last 7 years and lots of dollars trying to straighten it but it's nice to know I can wear it curly if I want to and that's the way she fixed it so I might get used to it. I'm going to straighten it tomorrow though and see what I think. I asked her to save my hair so I could donate it to locks of love so now I need to mail my tail off. It actually feels really good to know that my shaggy mangy pony tail can be put to good use instead of just holding up my baseball hat. My head feels like it just had a baby it's so light back there. Did I say I love it, cause I do!

I can stitch!

I'm still learning so much as far as computers and scrapbooking combined are concerned but I finally learned how to stitch my 12 x 12" layouts together today, hooray! That's never been an issue because I used to scrap 8.5 x 11" but now that I almost always do 12 x 12" it was becoming a real problem. All I have to do is hit one stinking button- go figure. The ironic thing is that I was looking for a page I hadn't photographed yet and all I could find was a checkbook cover and an 8.5 x 11" page I did at Melissa's house last Friday. Now I really want to scrap some new pages just to try and stitch them together on the computer. Off to find some cute pictures- in the meantime here's the page I finished and the checkbook cover. I had to scan the cover because my camera is MIA so the ribbon inside really isn't crooked and I swear the browns are all the same color. Some things are better photographed.

Run girly!

It was Ashlyn's first game yesterday and there is just something so cute about watching the five year olds play. For most of the kids on Cody's team it's their first year playing so the goal is just to get them to kick the ball in the right direction, that's about it! Ashlyn also had to learn that dad is different than "coach dad". Ashlyn was really good about going the right way but the first time she was faced with opponents her and her other 2 teammates just sat there and watched them run to their goal. We were all cheering for them to run and get the ball and you could just see the light bulb moment go off when they realized "oh yeah, they are going to make a goal". It was so cute and a few kids even did hand stands on the field during the game. I just love watching this age group. I love watching Jeremy's team play for the fun of watching him actually use what he's learned so far and try his best but there's just something so cute and funny about watching the five year olds skip and sing instead of running and kicking after the ball.

Ashlyn has another game tonight and that's it for this week. Next week Jeremy is playing here and Ashlyn has an away game so I won't get to watch her play but the ornery side of me that hates traveling to that particular town is glad. It takes me all day washing uniforms and getting snacks and washing water bottles and finding cleats and shin guards and and and... so the last thing I want to do is drive 45 min in the wrong direction. Hopefully it will cool down next week, holy smokes it's hot outside when you're sitting and baking for an hour with no shade!

Some cuteness

I just love these little twerps! They keep me in stitches almost daily, between the fits anyway. Yesterday was dress-up day for Ashlyn. She came downstairs donning her princess gear and looking so cute asking me to put on her tiara. That sums her up pretty well actually. We had to go get some groceries yesterday so I got Kaci ready to go and found some sun glasses that actually matched her outfit. She looked so cute and left them on until the kids kept taking them off for her. She kept fake laughing while I was taking her picture like she was modeling, I think we're going to have our hands full with this one.

Mary and Jeremy were camera shy yesterday but I thought I would include some pictures of them that crack me up. Mary came to me a couple of weeks ago wearing a tie skirt she made all by herself. She was so proud of herself and I thought it was pretty clever for a 2 yr old. I was really impressed that it went all the way around like a little grass skirt. Jeremy loves to dress up but he's embarrassed when I want to take his picture so usually all I get is a little flash of him. His favorite thing to wear is his mask, his bathrobe, a belt, his snow boots, and a sword or weapon of some kind. Usually he's still in his jammies when he plays this so it's so funny with his little chicken legs sticking out of his p.j. shorts and then you see his big clunky boots. I love these kids!

Sunday we made big soft pretzels and can I just say delicious!!! I thought I would add another installment of Tasty Tuesday and type up the recipe for those of you who haven't asked me for it yet (you will). The picture doesn't do them justice but they are just like the ones you buy at Costco or the fair. We eat them with salt on top and cheese dip but Mom told me they are pretty good with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top and I'm guessing you could make a cream cheese frosting for dipping.

Jumbo Soft Pretzels 450* makes 12

4 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

melted butter

course kosher salt

Solution:

1 Tbsp. baking soda

2 c. water

Mix until soda is dissolved

Mix water and brown sugar (I use my kitchen aide) until brown sugar is dissolved. Add yeast and mix. Let sit for 3-4 minutes. Add flour and knead for 10 min. After kneading raise for 30 min. Pinch off golf ball size pieces of dough and roll into long ropes and form a pretzel. Dip into solution and put on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 min. (Check at 7 minutes because they are usually done by then). Take out of oven & dip in melted butter then sprinkle with salt or cinnamon and sugar. Viola` and enjoy!

Soccer Mom

I'm a real soccer mom, I don't feel that I should be because I rarely wear women's button down shirts and khaki pants with little tennis shoes and I don't drive a mini van but the sad truth is that I am just that- a soccer mom. A suburban driving, pony tail wearing, clapping and yelling, snack packing, sweaty player hauling mom. I like to think I'm one of the younger hotter ones though! Jeremy's first real game was today and now that he's getting older he gets to play on the big field with goalies. He did extremely well. Last year he did the chicken dance during the games and made grass angels and this time he stayed focused and really enjoyed the game. I'm so proud of him! He's quite the go getter and in every picture he's the one in the yellow shirt sliding in to kick the ball, even if he did fall down several times "on accident". He kept asking me over and over "did I do good mom?", of course he did- he's the best!

On a side note I finally finished a pair of p.j.'s for Ashlyn. I made them huge so she could wear them forever and I smocked the top with elastic thread so it would grow with her to. Now I just need to make a few more but by the time I get sewing again it will probably be flannel pants weather. I did make this without a pattern though so I'm patting myself on the back. Now Mary wants some. Gotta love $1 a yard fabric, I might have enough to make all of them 2 pairs.

Unfinished business

Last night Cody felt like being extra nice and watched Kaci for me for a couple hours so I could lock myself in my "office" and scrapbook. It was nice to just sit and organize my stuff and think of nothing but finishing a few layouts. Cody had a really long day topped off with soccer practice in the 100 degree weather so he was really wiped out but he even helped me hang some lighting over my craft table so I could see better, I just love him sometimes ;o). He was supposed to put my a.c. in but he was too tired so he helped me maximize my scrap area instead. *Fingers Crossed* He said he'll put the a.c. in today. That's one of the downsides to living in a quirky house- No a.c.!

Here are some (bad) pictures of the layouts I finished last night. I started them in April so they've sat unfinished for a few months. I didn't like the direction they were heading so I left them to sit but last night I decided my unfinished pile needed whittled down, so it's a start. They aren't exactly what I wanted but if I wait for the magic layout fairy to finish the perfect page for me that I absolutely love they'll be sitting for a very long time! Now I only have about 4 dozen layouts left to go, uggghhh.

The journaling reads: You love to be outside exploring your surroundings. Given the chance, and a stick, you would stay outside for hours. It amazes me how involved you are and how much you enjoy building habitats and looking for any sign of life no matter how small. Like a true boy I can always count on finding you, stick in hand, digging a "frog pond" in the mud.

Oh, and something completely random but very tasty. My recipe for instant chunk of heaven-

Chunk of Heaven

Place in refrigerator for exactly 37 min. and 2 seconds. Make sure you are all alone (so as not to share) and peel back wrapper. Give a good sniff and enjoy the moment. Eat and repeat. Viola, instant chunk of heaven!

Hot and happy family

We had a great fourth yesterday, once we left our house. It was slow going at first but we packed everything up and spent a day at Boulder Park about an hour and a half away. We had a hamburger barbecue with frog eye salad and chips and other various junk foods and then we lit a raging fire and roasted marshmallows and had smores. It was still around 90* up in the mountains so by the time we sat around the fire I think we roasted more than the marshmallows did but it was still fun.

To cool off we took our shoes off and played in the creek. The water was super cold so it helped cool us off really quickly. We stayed up there for most of the day and then headed for home and did a very small fireworks show in our driveway that consisted mostly of sparklers and snakes. Kaci was clapping after every one and the girls thought the sparklers were fun once I convinced them that they would look like the fairy from Cinderella. Ashlyn waved hers around saying "bippity, boppity, boo". We don't have police in town anymore so it was also really fun for the kids to watch all the illegal fireworks that people were lighting right off main street. Another perk to living in the middle of town I guess. Jeremy thought it was really cool and I'm sure he has all kinds off ideas now!

Although the day really wasn't my cup of tea because I usually like to be where all the action is and I hate the woods, it was a great time and we'll do my big "bang" show next year.

My day...

My day summed up in two little painful words - ROOT CANAL.

What's olive and pink and tan all over?

Answer: The sneak peek of a new nursing cover. I absolutely Love this Amy Butler fabric but being the cheap skate that I am plus the fact that I frequently have buyers remorse I've just never committed to buying it. I talked a friend into buying enough of it to make a nursing cover for her plus extra for me to make the girls a skirt set if I I would sew one for her instead of buying one for the same price. I think it turned out well and it was so fun to sew, we'll see if she ever wants me to sew anything for her ever again though lol! Now I just need to deliver it before she has her little bambina.

Goodies all around!

Yesterday was so fun, thanks Melissa! We scored some major scrapbook bargains because the Scrapbook Station in Pendleton was closing. It was just by luck that we ended up going there anyway and it was their last day. Everything was 70-75% off and it's the newer stuff including some new idea books. The Daisy Bucket wasn't as thrilling, everything looks expensive when you've got bags full of bargains. Now I have some major organizing to do. It all looks so pretty fanned out on my new craft table (thanks Cody!!) that I don't want to put it away just yet ;0) .

I also got my replacement sewing machine part in the mail. HOORAY! To break it in I made the kids each a desperado mask. Jeremy had to have a matching plastic knife holder so I whipped that out to. I feel so happy - I can sew, I have a table full of new shiny fun stuff, and the kids are happy to. Does life get any better?? Now to put it all to good use!