Made for my 4

Spirt day shirts and Cheer competition

2011-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Last week was homecomeing. Friday was spirt day. Spirt day is an all out do what ever you want as long as clothing is to school code. Thursday night about 15 kids on the street all made thier shirts to wear on Friday I didn't get pictures of them all since my memory card was not in my camera for some reason. Here are three of our shirts

My girls funny that the taller one is the youngest

Of course the cheerleader had to have a cheer on the back she did not get to wear her shirt to school since all pop warner cheerleaders had to wear their uniforms for spirt day which was also the beginning of their big weekend

The front of her shirt she made a pompom with her hands in the middle of it

Today was the cheer leaders. They had CNY Cheer Competition today. They are a large squad, which means that they are always competing against the innercity squads of Syracuse which are very hard to beat. Especially one squad which our girls have nothing but trouble with everyyear. There cheerleaders will tell our girls they suck and stuff like that their parents are the sameway. I was down looking at pictures after our girls performance and thats all I heard from this other squads parents that Fulton was no competition because the girls routine sucked today. Which it did not and we knew it. Well when results were read we beat them hands down, no ifs ands or buts about it.

This picture was right after they were on the mat. Apart of thier cheer is "A Cheerleaders face looks like this" and what a great group of cheerleaders faces theese are

I had my camera ready just incase as I always do when they are doing results and wouldn't you know when they called our squad for second place, I got to excited with baby girl to take a picture of her hands on her face crying for joy. This was after the tears stopped, and they had gotten their ribbons

Some Halloween crafts I got done

2011-10-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of things I got done on Wens. This ghost still needs eyes he stands on is own but on this table its smaller so wont stand right. For today I have to get moving on Spirt day stuff for the kids tomorrow
Same thing with this one about standing and of course next to my messy desk

My new halloween/fall tree. This was actually one of the table decorations we made for the family tables for my brothers wedding

My mini ghosts I made for my tree

another thing done for the girls room

2011-10-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday I finally got another thing made for the girls room a necklace holder, the knobs were from thier dresser that I changed out because I didn't care for them but thought they looked ok for this

And of course little miss had my camera yet again. I think that we just may spend the $165.00 and have her hair straightened again because her curls are back and she hates them but hates spending an hour straighting her hair.

A couple more fall things I got done

2011-09-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

First off this is what I found on my camera while putting pictures in the computer this morning, I don't even want to know with this child I never know what I am going to find she is too into herself.
My mini acorn wreath I made two of them but of course my friend already has one hanging in her window.

My candy corn thing I threw together yea the same friend snagged one from me also you never know it may be painted green for christmas because to me it looks like a tree.

Fall things we made last week

2011-09-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday night I had a craft night with one of my good friends. And these are the two things that we made but we made them by the dozen because everyone had to have one of each. I went andbought out the dollar store of these pumpkins for something else but liked this idea better. We have another friend that is heading to another dollar store today to see if she can find more pumpkins I did notice thatI need to clean dust webs off my ceiling in this picture ooopppps.

This next one is the leaf door hangers we made which we are doing more of today because there are a couple more of people that want them. I had all this wool in my garage and my friend seen this leaf door hanger idea on a blog we just combined the two and came up with this we all love them.

Today another friend is off of work and we are going to make some butterfly's out of milk jugs and do more leave hangers and what ever else we can come up with.

My baby girl is growing up too fast

2011-09-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

I can not believe every time I see a picture of my baby how much she is growing up. Yes I know she is 12 and in just a few months she will be a teenager but I still think of her as a baby. This is the child that I was lucky enough to have a second girl. I am the only girl in my mothers family out of 14 grandchildren. My mom has 4 granddaughters and 9 grandsons. All the girls are very spoiled in our family.

My Makayla was her grandfathers(my bio. father) everything as she was my grandfathers. I used to have to tell my grandfather to watch what he said to my cousins whom had kids after she was born. Because he would say yea their cute but you should see how cute my KK is. For a guy that had 36 grandchildren and 42 great grandchildren he had his favorite of them all and Kayla was it. My Kenny also held a special place in his heart but not like his sister.

Last night when I took her to cheer practice pictures where in I opened it and could not believe this picture where have the past 12 years gone and why is my baby growing up. Cheerleading is the girlest sport she does. Softball (only because they will not let her play hardball with the boys), lacrosse, those are what she likes. But cheer she loves. I still wish she would try football but she won't. I have learned this season more than past seasons how athletic cheer really is since they are into more intense stunting. I guess her shirt is right "If cheer was any easier it would be called football" I love you baby girl please stop growing up on mommy, my beautiful babygirl

Wooden pumpkins and Pop Warner Night

2011-09-20T05:15:00.000-07:00

My wooden pumpkins which of course I copied and can't remember where I copied from. I really need to start remembering this stuff. I have these 4 sitting in my front window and have about 12 more sitting out waiting to finish spraypainting. I thought they were cute to use up extra 2x4's laying around the yard. And I can put them anywhere in the house or even outside.

Every year at the second or third home game for Varisty football is Pop Warner night. Our Pop Warner field is down the road from the highschool. Pop Warner players and cheerleaders are invited to the Varisty game they section off one part of the bleachers for them to sit as an organization, during half time the players and cheerleaders are brought down to the field and introduced. The older girls cheer with the Varisty cheerleaders during the first two quarters of the game. It is a fun night, especially for those that don't attend the Varisty games (ha I am one of those invisable parents at every home game, guess that's what I get for raising a future Varisty player and cheerleader) The kids start at their field and parade to the varisty field. Cheerleaders cheering all the way. Pop Warner in our town is the biggest childrens sports orgainzation we have 280 children that form 6 football teams, and 6 cheersquads. In the past three years we have one team that has two CNY Championship titles and one championship cheersquad title. This year we are looking for state championship for both groups. Boys are well on thier way and cheersquad lets just say girls you got the cheer and you got the dance to take you all the way to Disney this year. Here come the championship girls with the championship boys behind them

Miss Makayla freezing her butt off, why is it always so cold and they can only wear their warm up suits

On the sidelines getting ready to cheer with varsity cheerleaders which were also all in their warm up suits

being introduced

Wheres the best place in the world to freeze your butt off with family and good friends CAMP. This is what we did all day and most of the night on Saturday. Sit by the campfire for one last weekend at camp before hunting season begins. We had some good friends, family and good food. Thats my Randa sitting there reading Catcher in the Rye and having it done in one day before they even start reading it in class. She loved the book.

Two cousins and three softball buddies having fun at camp. Love that these three can have a great time together on and off the softball field. Off the field they are nut cases but you better watch out on the field because they can knock your socks off.

My brothers wedding

2011-08-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a busy day our annual scrimage day and my favorite brothers wedding. Yes I said my favorite brother. Between both my parents I have 5 brothers a step brother and two step sisters. In our family we all have our favorites.

First pictures of why every Saturday from the first of August sometimes thru the end of November is why we spend time at the football field. This is my nefhew Caleb this is his second year of football and he loves it.
My Miss Makayla this is our (I have lost count of how many years) in Cheer she is now a Jr. Midget cheerleader we are now in our final 3 years of Pop Warner then its highschool.

Now on to the favorite pictures of the day, Kenny and Cath's wedding. The ceremony part of the wedding was at our family camp. My parents bought this property 25 years ago. When the previous owner passed away my step dad said he had to have it. He grew up here and wanted the same for his kids and future grandchildren. And we have loved it ever since. Last weekend as we were down there getting some things done for the wedding he was talking to my Randa they were talking about college and stuff. Grandpa told her you know when you are done working in NYC this is the place you will have to retire. She said yep gramp and you will have my cabin built down here by then.

This is the new sign that one of my uncles made going down into camp. There has always been a sign since the first year my parents bought the place but it was smaller and up in the trees. This is the new and improved sign.

Close up of the wedding sign that was also all hand made by the same uncle

Family intial down at camp my mom thought it was a great touch and it is

Kenny and Cathrine have been together a little over 4 years and have a 3 year old daughter. We all love Cathrine to death she has been one of us since the beginning. She has just fit right in, just like my SIL Shanon. For months we have been saying that she just needs to ride off on her horse and get away (it is a big joke between her, Shanon, my sister Colleen and myself). We told her that we would have her "just in case horse" there for her She loved it

Miss Emma Grace said this was the day she was marrying her daddy and mommy, in her eyes the wedding was all about her and it was. She had the biggest smile going down to marry her daddy

Cath's turn escorted by her grandpa. We all call him grandpa he has become a part of our family also. Along with Cath's mom and her one brother we actually just met her other brother on the day of the wedding

The perfect couple this picture makes me cry

Emma Grace with mommy and daddy after she married them

Two of my favorite people in the world

Emma was done haveing her picture taken. She had no nap and was done but this is one of my favorite pictures

Now the reception, Shanon and I had to be there early to make sure that everything was done we had instuctions on how to put candles around cake and lucky we got there when we did because they refused to light the tea lights on the trees that we had already had permission todo so we had to go to all the tables and light them. The cake.

The cake topper this was a suprise for Kenny they love to snowmobile, Emma seen and said she wanted her snowmobile.

After a quick cat nap Emma Grace was finally ready to throw her flowers

First dance with dad in the background singing their song

After cutting the cake

Mom and Kenny danceing

Cath and her grandpa danceing

Brotherly love Jay danceing with Kenny and Emma during dollar dance Jay was the first person in Kenny's line, but then again all of us danced with both of them

The one in the brown is Jay he was supposed to be our DD until the after party ummm since he was on the dance floor break danceing and dirty danceing with the guy in white which is a family friend and a riot to go out with we knew that wasn't happening. Luckly there were quite a few DD's there

This is what our DD looked like right after we got back to Kenny and Cath's for the after party he even posed for the picture. Someone soaked his shirt with beer and Cath told him to go get one of Kenny's shirts out of the closet and this is what he came out in.

One of the girls nail polish holders and why I couldn't get anything done this weekend

2011-08-15T04:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of one of the girls nail polish holders. I have no clue what that spot is you cant see in on it put in this picture you can. I had already taken the other one upstairs to thier room before getting a picture of it. This one here is made out of a wooden box thing I found at goodwill for .10 and I love it and so do thay.
I had plans this weekend well Saturday to try and get things done. Well those plans got changed I happened to log in to facebook as my home phone, my cell and my daughters cell ring all at the same time. Three phone calls and a post on facebook all at the same time I am hearing and reading Hell Yea were going racing tonight. Any one that knows our family knows that for years thats what we have been doing is racing. Started with my brothers getting into motocross, they passed that love to their nieces and nefhews. Probley 12 years or so ago my brother Jay decided he wanted to try car racing. Started out at dirt track, although I love dirt racing just somewhere we went all the time when we were younger. I am so glad that we don't have to go eat dirt every weekend anymore. Then a few years of racing on dirt he got talked into by friends to give asphalt a try. He started out in SuperStocks (NASCAR type car) heck he is still reining track champion and last Classic winner in that division. The track decided to get rid of the division of the SuperStocks. What did my brother do did he try to find other tracks to race at as most did, nope did he decided to race a small block super modified like a couple of them did, nope. Jay decided he was going race with the big boys and buy himself a supermodified race car. Well he did find a partner to go in halfs with him. This was the winter of 2006. In 2007 his first year of racing the super he was rookie of the year. 2008 Tenth in points for the year. 2009 5th in points for the year. Last year if he didn't have bad luck he had no luck at all. First race was ok, second race he crashed did a ton of damage couldn't race for a few weeks because just didn't have time to get all damage fixed on car. He rented the track the day before the next race he was going to go to. Something broke he went into the wall, and something caught on fire in the engine. So no more raing while the car was went thru with a fine tooth comb and that engine was sent out to have the same done to it. Next race of the season he raced was the big one Classic weekend where the car was done about an hour before time trials started. We don't call him last minute racin Jason for nothing. Well he only made it 1/2 thru the 200 lap race some one hit him and sent him into the wall.

This year we have not raced at all. He wanted to do other things (read his partner in the car was not interested in racing this season). He has not been able to even go sit and watch the races because it is his life and he knew he wanted to be on the track. So Saturday when I got the phone calls and the post it was great. Time to get things together, which kids are going with me, it ended up being just Miss Makayla that wanted to go. He didn't do too bad either started 22nd out of 24 cars and ended up with a 10th place finish. He kept the car on the track (no crashes no spin outs) looked great out there. And the best part he had fun doing something he loves todo. He was still so excited and happy when we went down to the pits after the race, because he was doing what he loves. Great job Bub

Picute I found online the other day and starting of making nailpolish holder for girls

2011-08-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

I live in the town where the first chocolate factory in the United States was the home of. It started out as Peters Chocolate(I do believe) which of course then became Nestle's It was here for over 100 years with part of the building being the orginal first chocolate company here in the US. When they closed their doors to move the factory to Mexico (cheap labor), my father was 1 month shy of working there 36 years. I miss the plant especially when the weatherman says its going to rain. Because we knew if it was going to rain or not by just walking out our front door. If you could smell that sweet smell of chocolate thru out town you knew they were right. If you didn't you knew they were wrong. I miss the endless supply of chocolate my dad would bring home for the kids especially the Wonka bars with pop rocks you can't find them anywhere around here. I miss paying practically nothing for products made by them because of the discount prices they got in the factory store. When Makayla was a baby my dad was getting me the cans of powdered good start formula for .75 cents a can compared to what are they $15 or $16 in the stores if not more.

Well I was directed to a site that someone has with pictures of our town from years ago, wouldn't you know there were pictures of Nestle's from the beginning to the end. I started looking thru the pictures and this was the third picture I found was this. The gentleman on the top is my grandpa and right under him is my grandma. When I seen this I just started to cry I miss them so much. Kenny looked at this picture and said my great grandpa with hair that isn't grey. He started making me laugh then I asked both him and Makayla if they knew the person right below him and they both told me no who is it. I knew that Makayla wouldn't remeber but I thought Kenny would but they were only one and two when my grandma passed. I then shared this picture on Facebook to my brother, and cousins. One cousin (whos birthday was the other day) Best birthday present ever I click on a link and get to see my grandparents again
Next is what I am making the gilrs nailpolish holders out off I seen this on a couple of blogs. All the bottles were with it but this is what stayed on in the bag

This is going to be another other but have a little work todo with this one but I have a plan for it

That little eagle cut me while I was taking it off. I couldn't get the burlap looking backing off either

So it went outside and got a coat of primer after I cleaned and roughed it up a little they both got a coat of primer next is to start painting them the way I want them.

Chair redo part three and a wreath my niece started for me

2011-08-10T06:45:00.001-07:00

First off let me tell you I never know what pictures are going to end up being uploaded to my computer when I do them. This morning it was about 20 pictures of Little Miss and these two of her rat(hamster)

I am so excited no more furniture tacks to pull out of my chair. There are a few small nails that still have to come out but my hand was hurting so I had to stop. I planned on leaving the burlap that was their on but that also smelled so that came off too. Today's plan is getting it sanded down and maybe primed. I am hopeing that Little Miss will start sanding it for me when she decides to roll out of bed

Yea pictured with my kids pool that they can no longer use.

I had my niece yesturday and Kenny and Kayla were both still sleeping she started working on this wreath for me for Football/Cheer season. Ran out of green felt so this is as far as it got done. Ran to Walmart this morning and no green felt so have to find some somewhere. I can't wait til its done. She also said you know our school colors are Christmas colors also

It's official our summer is over

2011-08-09T03:49:00.000-07:00

Yes its only the second week in August, kids don't go back to school until Sept. 7th but it is official summer in this house is over. Not that really have one since during summer my little miss plays softball so we spend the summer on a softball field. I don't know how but I learned more about softball this past summer than I have in the six years she has been playing. Maybe because it was the majors, there was no longer a coach pitching to the girls, they were allowed to steal bases, coaches weren't on the field with them. Maybe because there was another team that had all been together as long as the girls team so they actually had another team that they had to actually had to use their skills to beat. We still have one more week of ball until championship game and Kayla's and one other team are tied for first place. A couple of weeks ago they had a double header with the same team and they lost one and won one. Championship game could go either way.

Now on to the real sports, not that softball isn't real but I just like the fall sports the two kids play better.

Kenny has to play Jr. High football this year (which this mom is not happy about). Kenny didn't want to have to play Jr. High either but is just happy that he is able to play. Alot of school districts have cut sports funding all together. Our school district went thru this years ago, our school sports are only funded by the school district 1/4 of the way the rest is funded by the Sports Booster Club that was started 22 years ago when sports were cut to 1/4th school funding. And they have kept all sports programs for Jr and Sr high levels going. In the next town over right now they are trying to find funding for Jr high sports they have it for this year but next year it will be on the table again. They have no youth sports programs at all they use our towns youth sports progams. After having kids that have played sports with these other kids for so many years. Lots of lifetime friendships have been made and the kids have come to count on each other. It is going to be hard to watch as they go thru you can play, wait nope we decided you can't.

Miss Makayla on the other hand will have three more years in Pop Warner cheerleading. Although how I wish she would give football a try she won't we have had coaches approch her about playing football nope not my girly girl. I think that she would be a great football player, she excels at softball, did great at lacrosse, why not football. Oh well although I am not a "Cheer Mom" its her choice todo what she pleases. Three more years of Pop Warner is what she chooses. Jr. high does not have cheerleaders at all so we have to stay were we can, to make the high school squad, which she is now telling me when shes done in Pop Warner she is done cheering. Oh no your not I won't let it be the end. No if she wants to then thats fine but I know she will change her mind by then.

This year once again they have a huge squad at least 25 girls again. At least 15 of these girls have been together since they started Pop Warner add a couple that have been higher then them but not at highschool level yet then add in a couple of new ones yearly, and you got the hardest working girls out there. Practice started last week, two days because the third day we got a huge downpour of rain and even though they practice in the rain thier coaches know they aren't getting anything out of these girls in a down pour. They can not stunt for the first 10 hours of practice, yea tell these girls that. It is the first thing that they want to do work on their stunting. Last week was all about can we remember our sideline cheers. Oh and we are going to teach the new girls and the ones that weren't at our unofficial cheer meetings our "Were on our way to states cheer" The girls decided that they need their own cheer for the boys after each win, so they made one up.

Last night was ok girls we got all the basics that we needed to down lets work on compition cheer. The coaches told them that they were going to show them the basics of the cheer once and they better hit it the first time then they will adjust from there. And they did get it the first time. WOW is all I have to say.

chair redo part two

2011-08-04T06:10:00.001-07:00

Right now I am thinking that I may have taken on more than I can handle with this chair. These little furniture tacks are killing my hand, I have a couple of regular blisters and a blood blister from them well trying to remove them anyways and the palm of my hand is bruised. Good news is theres only about 100 to 150 more to remove and I have already removed 100's of them
Bottom of the chair

Yes I can unscrew this front between the legs to get the fabric out of it. After taking off found it was just decrotive

One side of chair that is almost stipped down

Front of chair just about done except the fabric is conected to the back

I am hopeing to have this completely stripped today and maybe just maybe sanded today also

The chair redo part one

2011-08-02T06:05:00.001-07:00

I just spent 10 mins takeing the shrink wrap that was on my chair off and it is in a little rougher shape than I thought when I bought it. I was hopeing to save the padding but now I know that it won't happen because it reaks something awful. No big deal. This chair will go in my girls room once it gets its make over. Today between cleaning I am going to try and take the covering off.

70yr old hope chest, toybox now shoe storage and bench

2011-07-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

My grandfather thought this was made by my great grandfather along with a cradle, crib and armiore for my aunt 70 yrs ago. I had wanted the armiore also the only other piece that was still around but one of my uncles shot it away before I could get it. There are no markings or stamps on this so I am pretty sure he was right.

This was my aunts (my fathers only sister) hope chest the top is long gone. I never remember the top being on it. There are holes in the back where a top once was. This was also a place were it held all my aunts old shoes and purses and jewelry when me and my cousins were younger, the armiore held all her dresses that we used to play dress up with. Makayla still has some of the stuff she is saving it all her life she says.

Later it became a toy box for my kids toys that were at my grandparents house. Just about 9 years ago after my grandma passed my grandfather told me to bring it home he had something else to put the kids toys in there.

When it came to my house it held Kenny's massive collection of GI Joes until a couple of years ago when he gave them up except for a couple to his little cousin. Then it was in the girls closet holding shoes, purses, bags, and what ever.

Now it has become something else
Here it is the box I don't want to get rid of but tired of it doing hiding things on these girls
The area where shoes are kept at the bottom of the stairs someone is going to kill themselves coming down the stairs. Most likely me in the wee hours of the morning Funny thing is it looks much better than it normally does

This little table thing has been here since we moved in and I hate it. When this picture was taken it wasn't cluttered like it normally is only a couple of things that shouldn't be on it is. This is where everything gets put that is supposed to go upstairs

I spraypainted the chest black took the legs off it, I tried to save them to put on the top but I broke them all so that didn't work. I put casters on the bottom made a cushion to stick on top and made and added pillows and now I love it because shoes are in the bottom. Kenny especially loves this because he has a place to sit to put his shoes on.

A much needed challenge for me

2011-07-26T05:23:00.001-07:00

Right now I have so many things that I have started and not finished I really need to get them done. A lot of them are sitting on my kitchen table that I have been trying to reclaim to use as a table for about a month now so I think that is where I am starting. I have something going on for the bottom of my stairs that is just about done but not done yet so I need to finish that up

I am challenging myself to get these many things I have started and not finished done by the end of this week.

I have today off of work and have alot of house work todo but first I have to get this other stuff done too. So off I go to get some of these things done and clean while doing so.

Just thoughts from worn out me

2011-07-21T03:49:00.000-07:00

What have I been doing is working and working and working. I finally have a day off today. Six days straight of up at 3 am to be to work. With my dad having to go in for emerency surgery last Week I ended up working Saturday so I wouldn't loose any hours.

As I sit here at 6 something in the morning trying to figure out what we are going todo today when temps are going to be 100 and heat index much higher, am I going to take the kids to my brothers house to spend the day in the pool or am I going to take them down to camp to swim in the pond where it will be about 10 degrees cooler, or are we just going to stay in the house.

Almost time to wake David up for summer school. Yes my son that had an overall average of 98.5 all of this past year is in summer school. He hates it but with the ADD/ODD, slight mental retardation and the autism it keeps him on a schedule and unlike regular summer school it is fun they are always doing something like cooking, which one day they go buy their supplies for the cooking, they go swimming once or twice a week, go to the movies, the zoo, learn to take the centro bus (although this is not something he needs to learn he can not wait to get his license in a couple of years so he can really drive on the roads and not just down at camp) Oh and another thing that he doesn't need they teach him is life skills, he does have a mom for that and he knows them all. This kid makes me so proud that we have worked for the past 12 years of finding out all his problems to today where he is and how wonderful and smart he has become, except for the normal teenage stuff he is an awsome kid.

Also as I sit here waiting for Miss Makayla's softball uniform to finish washing and drying for her 9 am game today, I think of just a couple of months ago when my princess was the biggest brat in the world. Every year is still a different stage with her and I'm loving 12 shes quiet and not so many break downs 11 was terrible. This kid amazes me. She is my shy little one that has had a rough few months, although she often talks about her Mr. Richardson and visits his wife everytime we go to my mom's house she is takeing his death a little better. After his accident she lost a best friend, some one that thought the world of her and her him. Now with round 2 of softball going on I love watching her do something that she loves todo and starting next week will be the second thing that she loves todo CHEER. UGGGHHH there goes my life with practices 5 nights a week and games everyweek. But I would never change it

Kenny oh Kenny what can I say about my nut case son. He too has gone thru a lot this year. With the death of Mr Richardson whom he was also very close too. Also being a new teen this year but a very mature one. He has a lot on his plate one of his best friends is and has been battleing cancer for the past few years, Kenny has proven over and over again he is a friend that will not let his friend give up. He has yelled at him, cried with him, cheered with him and just been there for him in his worst times. All with being a kid with his other friends also, working out 5 days a week to stay in shape so when his true love FOOTBALL comes around next week he won't be out of shape and hurt. Once again UGGGHHH there goes my life wih practices 5 nights a week and games everyweek. Once again I would never change it.

Maranda oh wow what can I say about my sweet, to intellgant for her own good daughter. She is now studying hard to get her permit. Working hard in some classes in school others just bore her to death because she knows it all. She has made a decission that she is going to NYC for college in two years. My baby wants to go to downtown Manhatten for college. I am scared to death for her todo this but it is the best fornisic biology college there is. Well actually only one of the two in the US that focuses on the Biology part of it more than the criminal justice part of it. The other is Arizona State but for some reason she doesn't want to go there. We have family in New Mexico she would be closer too but nope has her heart set on NYC. I think alot of it has todo with her love of NYC. But now we need to teach her some street smarts because those she does not have

Cabinet and Chair

2011-07-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

First I have to say Happy 3rd birthday to the prettiest little princess I know my niece Emma Oh how I love this little girl probley even more than I love her daddy (whom is the brother that I have always been closest too.)
Happy Birthday my love

My chair I bought for 10.00 at a garage sale really needs to be redone I dont want to take the wrap off until I am ready to tackle this project, The chair I think will be used in the girls room would be perfect with an old vanity of my great grandmothers if I could get my mom to give it up

The pine corner cabinet I bought for 15.00 at the same sale is now in the process of being sanded down

Starting doll clothes for my niece and I think I have an idea

2011-07-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the first almost finished dress for my Miss Emma's clotheing for her cabbage patch doll I just need to find my velcro that I know is somewhere on the not seen kitchen table which is full of started crafts that need to be finished today. Hopeing to get them finished to reclaim the kitchen table.

This weekend my nefhew Caleb gave a request his friend has a car play mat that has houses and buildings that you can drive your cars into. The buildings stick to the mat with this white stuff (hmm Caleb its called Velcro) Aunt Kimmy do you think that you can make me one of those. Yes Caleb anything you ask of me I can try to make for you. He does have a birthday coming up at the end of August. I am thinking of useing these boxes as the base of the houses with some felt, oh I am sure some more boxes too will be used so that he has a varity of houses and buildings.

Just radom photos from our 4th of July day at camp on Sunday

2011-07-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

Makayla, Kali and their friend Tasha figuring out different ways to jump into the pond

The girls wanted a picture of them jumping into the pond

This was the first time getting them jumping didn't work out so well

Good ole dad we thank him all the time for remembering that his kids and grandkids needed the private camp to have fun everyyear. He bought this property 25 years ago because this is where he always went and wanted the same thing for his kids and grandkids

Kali and Tasha making sure that the huge water snake that has been seen lately is not around so they can swim

My nefhew Caleb(in Life jacket) getting ready to ride in the peddle boat which is the favorite thing todo in the water

Mom in the green and my SIL's mom Cathy

Miss Emma with her mom Cathrine , Nanny Kathy and her big papa (great grandfather)

Little Miss Emma playing with Randa

2 of my favorite people Miss Emma and her daddy my brother Kenny

Good ole Dad again with SIL's stepdad Pete they were getting ready to see what the kids did to the golf cart they blew a belt on it

My SIL Shanon she wasn't going to get her feet dirty for nothing and that bald guy in the back is my Uncle Bill our favorite uncle he makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world

Another of my Miss Emma stealing a chair that was just her size

Caleb playing with Bear

Miss Emma takeing break after hitting my Kenny in the face with the ball

Kenny and Miss Emma playing ball I love that my teenager can still play with his two year old cousin

My mommy again

Randa how she now enjoys camp no more catching frogs and swimming in the pond for her She is 16 and has spent the past 16 summer at camp she loves it.

Kids chillin on the peddle boat

Guess the kids wante a picture of the other side of part of the pond also

More chillin on the peddle boat it is really neat to watch the fish from the peddle boat this was taken at the other end of camp where the pond gets bigger and deeper only way they are allowed on this side is the peddle boat

Makayla sitting on the jumping rocks Grandpa made for the kids

No one will admitt to taking a picture of me because I would have kicked their butt I hate my picture taken

Same three kids on peddle boat again I think they hogged it all day, nope they all shared equally

2011-06-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

More pictures of the girls room and painting the closet. It is now done That door there I knew I hadn't started painting but when I went up to finish up the closet it was somehow half way painted the princess started painting it. I have decided that I am going to take everything out of the attic tomorrow and use the whole closet for the girls. Tomorrow once the rest of the paint is dry I will shampoo the carpet in the closet and get to work on filling it and organizing it I hate white, especially when textured ceiling paint is used which was in all the closets in this house

Yea another one

Attic door and other end of the closet not much makes it to this end of it

Very few clothes make it off one of the beds to the closet where they belong

nice place for books not shelve goes the whole length of the closet will now have a use

bottom of the closet hey part of my christmas tree is in there

I thought clothes were supposed be hanging in the closet not on the floor, and where the heck are all your clothes girls?

Girls room is getting dug out today

2011-06-29T07:25:00.001-07:00

Another sweater stocking I got done last night. This was actually one of the couple of sweaters that Makayla has worn.
Randa's poppet eyes that I am trying to get the right color green for her and they have blue specks in them

Ok on to todays dig out of the day and yes I mean dig out. I think I may have to go buy somemore garbage bags for this one. And I haven't even opened their closet doors which I am sure are stuffed to the max also. The girls room, I will say that the girls rarely sleep in here so it is basically a catch all for everything. Not no more I am so sick of my 12 year old princess sleeping with me every night and has for the past 5 years. She slept in her room one night since we have lived here and thats it. I have tried everything to get her out of my room. With Kenny I got sick of him sleeping with me I told him if he didn't start sleeping in his own room I was going to tell all his friends he slept with his mommy still heck that worked not for the princess she don't care if her friends know or not.

Hmm don't know why you have that book case if the books only make it to the dresser top Oh Randa I don't think that I have read that Stephen King yet are you done with it so mommy can read it. I just noticed books on your tv too

Mirrors for one of my dressers and the girls new dresser that was bought a year ago in January plus what is left of Marandas doliphin collection wonder where thats going behind the mirror the girls do have a vanity I can only imagine where

Maranda's bed must have broke again and her sheets must have disappeared I haven't seen them in the laundry. Then the stand inbetween their beds oh yea there is Makayla's bed somewhere under all that crap

Yea I think Makayla has a bed somewhere. Hey is that the yellow material I was looking for

Just opening the door to the girls room yea not something I do quite often oh how they are going to love me today

This past weekends stuff

2011-06-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

Just getting this past weekends projects up this is what the girls are working on. Makayla, my niece Kali and Makayla's best friend Jade are all making thier own poppets this is going to take a while for them to finish. I am making Maranda's animae one for her then she has about 3 more she wants made for herself and a few of her friends want them also so I know what I am doing all summer long

The two sweater stockings that I tried out I will be making more of these just need to find sweaters since no one in this house wears them at all I don't know why I had these two that I had, we are a hoodie family

New school note book completed.

David's graduation and Kenny's yearbook dedication pages

2011-06-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

Today was David's turn to say good bye to one school and hello to another. His last 4 years of school are coming up and man that high school better watch out for this kid. No not really he has became a fine young man after a rough couple of years I love you bub and am so proud of that english award that was a complete shock to both you and me.

Outside of Jr. High envolope holds his promotion certificate, English award and pins for different things

Kenny and Makayla got home with report cards and such being the last day of school. Today was also Kenny's 6th grade graduation party/yearbook signing party at school. One of his friends brought him in a can of pringles today for stealing his snack all year long, then she took half of his pringles. This is one of the girls that is in the group of the 5 bestfriends.

Yearbook dedication was to the most deserving person in their school. Normally it is to the retireing staff, they still got their page but this goes to show you how much they all loved their head custodian a 6 page dedication.

In the picture is his wife whom is the head of the lunch department at the kids school

getting the words they said about him in the front page

First caption says Mr. Richardson never forgot how to be a kid Second one says One day Mr. Richardson stepped into my classroom and sat down in an empty desk. He pretended he was a Fourth grader My fourth graders LOVED it.

This page was of his love of the outdoors, the love of the children and of life it self

This one was about a mouse in the building that he got rid of and didn't realize there were children around when he did it but all was forgotten

Kenny said that they asked the entire school to write down one word that reminded them of Mr. Richardson and these are the ones that got the most responses

Some how I missed one page. But you get what this wonderful man ment to these children. He is missed by all that he touched their hearts. Kenny came home today and said someone had said "who killed Kenny" in the exact voice he would say it to him and he turned around expecting to see him standing there with his great big smile on his face. My kids still have a hard time of not thinking hes there. It is strange as a parent as well as me knowing him most of my life walking in that school and not seeing him there.

Kenny's 6th grade graduation and Makayla's lip sync

2011-06-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Today was my boogie boys six grade graduation. Goodbye elementary hello big bad Jr. High. This was a very sad morning for me I hate to see these years go by since now it will fly. I am so proud of this kid. He received the presidential award which was no suprise because no matter what he says he is a very smart kid. He was also nominated with 9 other students to receive the George Davis award which is the highest award that the 6th graders can receive. One girl and one boy receive this award and it is a great honor to be nomintated for it. I am so proud of my baby boy.

Holding his presidential award his other awards are there too
Final 6th grade picture. His teacher is the same 6th grade teacher all 4 of my brothers had

Waiting for the rest of the class to recieve their certificates

My boy receiveing his 6th grade certificate from his teacher

Walking in to graduation

I never got these up yesturday but it was the 5th/6th grade softball championship game which the 6th graders won. The funny thing is as 5th graders they beat the 6th graders. Kenny was like mom quit takeing my picture

Kenny and a couple friends doing who knows what before the game

Yesturday was also Makayla's 5th grade lip sync which is a tribute to out going 6th graders from the 5th graders. This was the girls afterwards

Girls during Makayla is a very shy kid and was scared to death of doing this in front of the whole school and parents that were there but she did it.

And another of the girls during

Simple Sunday the computer games got in the way all day

2011-06-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

First off I have to say "Happy Birthday Mike" I know that you read this at some point today. I love you, my dear brother.

I played a computer game too long on Sunday so nothing really got done, this is the tye dye skirt and shirt I made for Kayla to wear on Wens. for Kenny's graduation. The skirt came out really light due to the material it was made out of. That's ok she loves it. I love the shirt and think I did a great job on it

Candy jars ready to go. Although someone keeps sneaking skittles out of them so I have to get more before I can take them to school for the teachers which I will do on Wens.

Saturdays progress no good garage sales this weekend

2011-06-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

My goofy baby boy came down stairs like this the other night and said mom I really need that haircut. God how I love this kid and hope he never changes. He is sporting his pimp hat his sister bought him in Myrtle Beach just for his 6th grade graduation.
My mom and I went to a couple of garage sales yesturday I got David a brand new pair of shorts with a $44.00 price tag on them for $4.00, Makayla a pair of brand new sneakers with a price tag of $40.00 for $2.00 but that was all I found. When I got home I found this next project sitting in my front yard for free. I have a pedistal table that the bottom is now held together with a piece of wood. A neighbor is moving and brought this over to me. So it will get sanded and refinished very soon to use for a new kitchen table.

Makayla and three friends were tye-dyeing last evening and I had to leave for a total of 5 mins and when I got back this is what my daughter looked like she tye-dyed her feet I could choke this kid of mine

Girls tye-dyeing Makayla did a bandana, a shirt and 3 tank tops

Paytons gum ball machines for her teachers my friends daughter

My two kids teachers gumball machines I did do another for my nefhews teacher also

Fumes Friday

2011-06-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Yes I am breathing paint fumes today. I need to finish up the candy jars for teachers. Once again I am doing them for my friend her other daughter in 6th grade needs them too. I have decided that I am doing them for my two kids teachers the school secretary and the second grade teacher that has been the heaven sent for Makayla and possibly one for my nefhews second grade teacher because his teacher would get a kick out of it. Tom is the head of our high school drama department, as well as being a second grade teacher is also someone that I was friends with in highschool whom I still talk to every so often. So I know he would love it

yea mom likes to have fun tye dyeing also was going to let Makayla do this but I might just do it myself

you never know you might see something become of at least two of these this weekend also.

Today was game day

2011-06-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Today was the biggest PBIS(Positive Behavior in School) celebration of the year. The annual Game day, they have only had to pospone this day once in the years my kids have gone to this school due to weather, and that was because of heat index level two years ago. The weather is always great otherwise.

First off I had camera in hand when I went to sign in this is the heart the 6th graders painted on the inside doors for their loved Mr. Richerson, I am sure he is looking down on them this day with a great big smile for continueing the tradition of makeing sure the teachers are getting in on the fun and they are drentched when they get inside.

My buggies 6th grade class one of the last pictures as a whole class

Oh how I love these kids Nicole, Zac, Kenny, Micheal, Diana and Frankie I have loved watching these 5 kids grow thru their elementary years together and hope to see them all remain the best of friends they are

these three are just nut cases Micheal, Kenny and Diana

Kenny and Micheal soaked after water volleyball

Favorite of the day is the tug of war the boys had to have a girl come on their side to win even though they have an even number of boys and girls in their class

Boys trying their hardest to beat the girls in Tug of War

Lets spin, spin, spin and run and do it again

Lets be dogs and use our heads to push the big red ball this was new this year and they had to bark pushing the ball

Lets be ducks and race including flippers it was fun to watch this one

Potato sack race

Waiting my turn for

relay to fill a bucket with a sponge at the other end of this game

then we must shoot the sponge to the next team mate using those football armsWatch out Mr. K were comeing to get you and you cant see us (Three of the 6th grade teachers were after the 5&6 graders and teachers

Mr. K's sweet revenge until he ran out of hose,Kenny and Micheal running over to soak Mr. K Zac already there trying to get the hose out of his hands for his soaking, and they got him good

Play ground time for Kaylas class

Water volleyball

Makayla and one of her close friends Alyssa

Girls in 5th grade beat the boys everytime in tug of war also and the boys even had Mr. K helping them, the girls kept saying it's because Girls Rule and boys druel

This one was fun they had to fill a bucket with a cup of water by passing it down the line by handing it over their heads, Mr. K in the back knocking over the buckets on them, he did it to the 6th graders as well and ended up with 3 buckets of water on him at the end

Makaylas turn to play doggie

Potato sack time, I actually thought that I had gotten a picture of both Makayla evenly but Makayla decided to stop Mikey and Makayla have been close since kindergarden, Mikey is going to a different school next year and is going to be missed but we will have him over and Makayla will go to his house

Miss Jade cheating at being a duck since their team is loosing

Miss Makayla's turn and her flipper came off and she put it back on upside down

Merideth helping to get stuff on Makayla in the timed race

The kids had a great time during their session of game day today I am also glad I decided not to volunteer for it because Miss Makayla was being a brat yesturday and I told her I was not going. So I didn't fill out the slip. But if I had I would not have been able to enjoy my babies day.

Indi's teachers gifts and more

2011-06-16T03:47:00.001-07:00

These are what I completed Wens. A new memo board for me
My goofy son this morning saying he is it. Wow he looks like his brother here

My other pin cushion I made the other night

Indi's teachers gifts I tried to get a picture with her but they were having a nieghborhood tye-dying party at there house when I got them over there. Man I really need to get my craft area done because I am using the kitchen table and making a mess of it this week

Tuesday's doings

2011-06-15T04:59:00.001-07:00

First a new pin cushion for me I actually made another but for some reason didn't take a picture of it. I will later both out of this awsome material that was in one of the totes from garage sale, I love the material and plan to make a few things out of it

Back of my new chair cushion I really needed since I tend to grab a pillow to sit on when sewing

front of chair cushion yep same material that I am totally in love with it is so me right now

what I started with for chair cushion

What the hell am I going to do with all these is what I asked my mom when she sent me home with them. I will never use them all

Well I did get this as a birthday gift a few years ago, it is now on its way to its new home the dump it sucked I had never used it. It worked to make 1 and a half candles

This was the test candle the 1 it made completely

this is what Maranda and I did for a couple of hours

This was all our hard work not even enough for 1 candle I think this is the 1/2 of the candle the candle maker made

Off to garage I go to look thru MIL's boxes to find an old pan I knew was in there so I finished the candles by doing this although it took all day and most of the evening It worked better

I picked up 11 jars at one of the sales last weekend for .10 each they only had the 11 so while looking for the pan I found small vases in the boxes this one is my favorite it will probley never be used but will look nice when I get my craft area set up in the garage

these are the jars that I picked up with some of the candles

the rest of the candles

I made a total of 16 candles later today I will clean up the outsides of them since I like to get wax all over everything then put them away for when they are needed. We haven't had a good ice storm in a few years so I think we may be in for one this winter now I will be sort of prepared. My mom also wants a couple of them.

Sewing Sunday and some more of Saturdays Garage sale findes

2011-06-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was going to make the girls skirts for the lip sync out of the curtains I dyed a couple of weeks ago but I hit a jackpot at garage sales on Saturday I got three large bins of fabric for $3 a bin heck the bins were worth that. I have yet to take a picture of the fabrics but they are now all washed. This fabric and lace was in one of the bins there was probley about 6 yards of each, the girls seen this and wanted their skirts made out of them instead. I am going to try and make tanks for them out of it also, plus will still have a ton more for doll clothes

Makayla's skirt done, Jade already took hers home

Again Makayla's skirt with scrunchy sitting on top of it girls loved that I made those too.

Two more books we picked up Saturday at .25 each

Patterns we picked up for .25 each

the rest of the .25 patterns these will be made for my niece

this box was picked up for .50 with no clue what was in it

and some of what was in it that we decided to keep there was alot more I think I was excited of all the pins in it the most there were probley 100 pins in the cut out fabric already

Mirror $5.00 and not even a 1/4 of the schells Makayla got for 2.00 this is now what the mirror looks like her and Jade finished hot gluing them on about 8:30 last night. We will hang this in her room, I wanted to paint the frame on the mirror before hand but she just couldn't wait.

The schell that is sitting on the side open and closes in about 6 different areas, looks like a bunch of little ones combined together. She also got a couple of fossels and coral in all the ones she bought.

Some of Saturdays garage sale finds

2011-06-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

Of course the pictures are not in the order I wanted them someday I will get it right. These are a couple of the pictures Makayla took on her field trip to Howes Caverns underground caves, she took 216 pictures this day.

This is just like the picture on their website once she seen it she knew she had to take a picture of it.

Kayla and I went to some garage sales on Saturday and spent about $30 on things we didn't really need but wanted it was about what we wanted this week. These are half the plastic canvas books I bought for $2.25 for all there are12 books in all but I just deleted the picture of the other ones

Bread pan Makayla had to have for .25 the other two were .50 each

old grater that will be hung on the kitchen wall I have wanted one since my other one disappeared moving .10

another Makayla must have brand new in the box for $1.00 this will be used alot by kids

Makayla and I seen this at the same time and both agreed we must have .50

I have not taken pictures of everything yet. The material I bought is still being washed there is just so much of it. More pictures on this weeks garage saling will be posted tomorrow

Got a couple of things finished on Sunday

2011-06-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to get a couple of things finished Sunday I am quite happy with what I did get done.

But really unhappy about my dyeing experiance, the black turned out more purple, I guess thats what I get for following the directions to a tee. A friend told me it was because I was using lace curtains, oh well Makayla and Jade were happy with the color they came out since they are being used for skirts for them.

These are the curtains before for hand I had both ivory and white ones in the mix
Funny they do almost look black here and grayish color maybe its just my eyes. I am hoping to have both skirts finished today so that I can figure out how to make their microphones they want out of felt.

My lamps for my room are done, please excuse the mess on the dresser my room is being ignored at this time and everyone in this house thinks my room is a dumping ground for everything. This is with the lampshade on, paint looks pink in the picture but its really not. Must have been lighting it is only a few shades lighter than lampshade which almost matches my bedspread perfectly

Lamps after I got them finished, now what I want

My bag holder hanging in its new home, I wanted this large and wide the worst part about it is I still could not get all the bags into it. I wanted the apple print on both the top and bottom so I cut the print out of the other curtain I was not using. I love it.

Next when I went to garage sales with my mom on Saturday, we seen this screen door they wanted $3.00 for it, I am in need of a new one, my mom looked at it and the guy told her that he had to screw the bottom part, ok I wasn't going to get it. Then he told me I could just take it because he was just going to throw it out anyways, yea in much better shape that what I have now since my screen is ripping out due to kids around here, mine included pushing on it for 5 yrs now. This is before

And then after a couple coats of paint, just waiting to be hung which will be after David gets home from school so that he can help me. He had to go work with grandma and grandpa yesturday, and getting paid overruled helping mom. Plus I need to find my green paint to redo that I like the brown and green together.

Pan rack and lamps

2011-06-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Went to a couple of garage sales on Saturday with my mom and found a pan rack I have been looking for one for awhile now. So I am happy. I also started working on the lamps that were my grandparents, that were not my style but my grandfather wanted me to have them when he passed. I love the things I got from the house because they were all things that I needed.

First this is what happens when my 11yr old gets ahold of the camera she takes pictures of herself I am always deleting hunderds of them a week

My pan rack before putting a new coat of spray paint on it. I love the animals on it but it is small but will work for now

Now hanging in my kitchen . I love it

Lamp before

first coat on one lamp getting ready for second but it took 7 coats to get the look I wanted

Now to go change out of work clothes and put the sealer on the lamps, then they are done

Pop Warner finally back in the Memorial Day Parade

2011-05-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Pop Warner finally returned to the Memorial Day Parade this past Saturday, after about 15 years of not being in it and what do our girls do they take second place of the 30 youth groups participating. Way to go girls oh yea the boys that particpated also wearing their championship jerseys.

I was taking pictures of the girls doing the routine that they learned in 15 mins for the judges of the parade and someone behind me said they never know when sign ups are they would love to get thier kids into Pop Warner. Really we only have month long sign ups every May, huge sign in front of the War Memorial with the dates and times. Full Front page of two newspapers at the end of every April announcing its that time for sign ups. I get at least 10 flyers from school announceing sign ups per kid. Of course the great Pop Warner mom I am whip out my phone and give them the number of the president if they cant make sign ups tonight, he'll take care of them.

Makayla is on injured list due to spraining her ankle in Lacrosse last week so they asked her to wear Pop Warner tee-shirt and help with banner since she might hurt herself being a base or backspot.

Ms. Makayla and her military escourt turning off the end of parade route
Ms. Makayla in parade

My baby girl in her brothers football tee-shirt hers are white and getting too small

The banner the mom that made it did a great job, it was actually two dimensional I loved it

Girls during cheer

Scary moment she went down no mats just road luckly bases and spots know their jobs and do them well

float both sides carried our championship trophies from the past couple of years

Girls in parade

2009 CNY Championship banner 2010 must have been on other side of the truck

Next year we will have State championship for both football and cheer its our year for both, as long as they schedule compitions, and state games right our boys can't do it without their cheerleaders ask any of the boys or girls and they will tell you. Everytime the team doesn't have thier cheerleaders they loose their game, even if the older girls are their, they don't have the same connection as when all 50 of them are on the same field.

My goofball child and advanced math

2011-05-26T05:06:00.001-07:00

These glasses a friend gave Kenny for his birthay and he loves them he is such a dork he was posing for pictures the other day with them on. I told him they will look really dorky when he shaves his head for football and dyes it red and green. Which is what some of the players decided they were doing this season. I hope its not going to happen I don't want a child with red and green hair.

I finally received his 5 week report yesturday in my email. He always tells me hes almost as smart as the smart kids, I always tell him honey with straight A's you are a smart kid. Yea mom I know but I don't like being called a smart jock. I think its better than being called a dumb jock, look you can get plowed over, knocked on your butt and hit with a helmet and shoulder pads and it doesn't knock the smartness out of you.

He has been scared of taking advanced Math next year ever since his teacher showed the students the list of kids that were possibly going to have to take it, and his name was on that list. You have to have an average of an A every quarter in 6th grade in Math and English to be placed in the Advanced math. His average is right now a A- in English this quarter and he said hes not going to bring it up to an A so he doesn't have to take it. When I asked why he told me because I don't want to take the regents in 8th grade. Mom thats scary to think about. My thinking is do it and get it over with its one less regents you have to take in highschool. Little does he know that he has to take the English regents in 8th grade anyways. I will keep that a secret until hes in 8th.

The Rescue truck that isn't just that and dirty girls

2011-05-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

We send alot of time at the fire department since my brother has been a firefighter since the year Maranda was born. Christmas parties, rehersal dinners, halloween parties, family reunions, birthday parties, you name it we've been there for it. The kids favorite thing todo is play in the fire trucks especially the resuce truck, it has been everything imaginable the favorite has been a space shuttle, after the Christmas party last year the kids played for hours inside of it there were about 8 kids doing this so long that we had to order pizza and wings for dinner about 8pm. That night one of the other firemen took all the kids for a ride in their newest, largest firetruck they loved it. Sirens, lights and all. All these kids are between 9-13 and love that they still have the imagination they have when playing in the rescue truck, the training dummy is also carried by them all and used when they are playing.

My pretty kitty yesturday for a little while anyways

Why we were at the fire department yesturday, they had a mud fest just Makayla and I went because the other kids had their own things todo with friends it was fun as always

This was after it was done the girls all decided it was thier turn to play, for hours in the mud obsticle for hours

My once clean niece

Never knew girls could get so dirty this was when we made them get out about 3 hours after they first got in needless to say they spent about an hour and a half in the firehouse showers trying to get caked in mud out of their hair, and is still not all out after a bottle of shampoo then they were using hand soap in thier hair

All I can say is they had fun, another day two cousins that are best friends shared and loved, after the showers they reinflated the bouncy house and slide and had fun until the wee hours of the morning

Just another thing I haven't had time for

2011-05-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

My blog is just another thing in my life that I have ignored but another thing that I feel I might have todo in part of decluttering my life. One thing that my children and myself have learned in the past few weeks if there is something we want todo or something we need todo the time is NOW!! With the news of Kenny's friend fighting for his life yet again this is the 5th or 6th cancerious brain tumor he has had, how much more can this body of a 13yr old take my son prays for him daily and has for the two years since his first tumor. That along with the death of a beloved man whom not was only a great person in the lives of my children at school he was also a family friend and neighbor. The kids at school have decided on 3 great memorials for someone whom is already truely missed at school and in thier hearts. RIP Mr. R. you will never be forgotten.

I finally found my camara to upload the pictures of the mini birdbath Makayla made my mom for Mothers day, I should go take pictures of my Mothers day present while its not raining out this morning.

First you know I have to put a picture of one of the kids up this was Easter morning when Maranda got home from Myrtle Beach Miss Makayla was so excited to get woke up by sissy she had to grab the camara and take a picture of her getting her gifts out.

this is a picture of what Maranda texted her sister and brothers while she was away

Texted I recived from her, I love that my 16yr old still misses me while she is on vacation

Of course these pictures are in the wrong order I can never get them right on here

The completed birdbath

top view of birdbath

baby girl working on birdbath

still working on birdbath

supplies she used

just another shot of supplies she used

This was much loved by grandma now I need to get the stuff for her to make me one

I finally found my camara to upload the pictures of the mini birdbath Makayla made for my mom for Mothers day I really should go outside and take pictures of my mothers day gift since it isn't raining yet today.

Yes girls you are great and have the proof you are

2010-10-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night at practice the girls got their final results from last Saturdays competition. Also watched a DVD of their performance that one of the judges voice dubbed the whole performance with what was right and what they needed to work on. Her biggest thing was they needed to smile more they looked like they were concentrating to make everything perfect. They have been told over 1000 times to smile by their coaches. And each of them knew they weren't and were mad at themselves after the fact. You girls will get there, promise you will. Judge said that they did almost everything perfect. She didn't notice during their performance that one stunt group didn't go up during one stunt but after watching DVD several times she noticed and said that you couldn't even tell that they were supposed to stunt they did what they were supposed to when you can't get up and she applauded them for that. She also told them that they have to remember the two squads that did advance to Albany have their own facilities and mats that they can set up just like competition and that before their Pop Warner days are over they will move on because they are good and with being such a big squad she knows they enjoy what they are doing and work very hard. And they do work very hard and have overcome alot of obstacles this year.

Thursday night at practice their coach handed out framed final score sheets to each of the girls and told them all they should be proud and this was their trophies from competition. They received no deductions at all at competition. In her 8 years as our cheer coordinator she has never had a squad not have any deductions at all. She said it was all them she deserved no credit for it because she is not on that mat with them and these girls make up their own routine with some help from their coaches but the girls have the final decision on what they do.

They do have little things to work on and their are, that's what the next few practices are for.

They just need to remember when they go to Utica on November 6th is to have fun and SMILE
and that WE ARE PROUD OF YOU

Banner for Cheerleaders

2010-10-11T07:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was one of the biggest days that we have in Cheer leading every year our CNY Pop Warner Cheer Competition. Our girls went in ready to dominate. Lots of tears afterwards they went out and did their stuff great. They were a little fast on their dance. They took 3rd place for the second year in a row. Nothing to complain about at all. Hey your third best. Tears were because the top two teams can move on and chance to Disney our girls their next competition will be the end for this year. That's ok too because they ended up in 2nd place for Northern district. This year they will try and fight for that first place position. Girls don't ever forget you did great yesterday.

The girls and the coaches loved the banner. All the girls were looking for their names to make sure they were on it. Yes of course they were.

First off you know I have to put a picture of one of the reasons I do everything

Miss Makayla

Banner hanging inside
A little less than half of the girls on the squad with the banner outside waiting to enter

David, Kenny, and Makayla's first day of school

2010-09-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

First I have one more picture of the race car this was after the race in the pits, I think he needs to get ahold of my bil to paint a new helmet for him since the new car will probley end up with this color sceame

Yesturday was the first day of school for David, Kenny and Makayla. Maranda started her sophmore year today. Yesturday was just for freshmen. I had to work yesturday morning so I missed them getting on the bus for the first day of school. I had a hard time with that since I have always been there for them. I called them before they left for the bus stop and I wanted to cry because I wasn't home.

Makayla and her two best friends Payton (Makayla) and Jade still can not believe they are only a few months apart in age

My little Jock and my diva Kenny's last first day of elementary school Kayla's first day of 5th grade

David's first day of 8th grade, his last first day in Jr. High next year on to highschool with his sister

2010 International Budwiser Classic Weekend

2010-09-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Classic Weekend at the track this is the big race of the year. We didn't race too much this season since any luck Jay had was bad luck, which did not end this week he only did 89 out of 200 laps due to a hole in his fuel cell. Next year will be better it just has to be. These pictures are from the beginning of the race during driver introductions (and they are backwards which is common for me) He didn't even time trial into this race he had to run the consi where he started 10th of 12 and finished 4th which was good since they only took the top 7. He had to start 30th of 34 in the race and finished 26th. This was not a good race for many. Lots of wreaked cars with a whole off season of work todo before they are race ready.

Crew saying good luck in this picture My brother Mike, Brother Kenny, Not sure in the black, Jays best friend Gary, Jay in the car and my sister Colleen (Getting Jays gloves for him) Mike is always the last to talk to him before he goes on the track, also gets him buckled in so he knows hes safe in the car.

Jay listening to moms last words of luck and to get his butt up there and race hard

Driver and crew picture, Of course hes always infront of fence but we will get the track pics, this is just an extra I took. The new color and new body panels look great. Many people thought it was his new car but some good friends and some tlc made the old car look new again

Track saftey crew wishing a safe good clean race

Waiting for his car to get into his position, behind his case of Bud

What we are doing for the next 10 weeks

2010-07-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am not a cheerleading mom really I'm not but my baby girl loves it so much I tolorate it for her. The one thing that I do love about it is compition. Just watching what they can do at their age groups are just amazing and I do mean amazing. Once school starts the girls all move inside and is closed practice so parents do not see what the girls are doing. And then to see them on their big day is (yes) amazing. Since I can't convince her to play football no matter how hard I try we will remain in Pop Warner cheerleading for another 5 years or so. Since we do not have jr. high cheerleaders most stay in Pop Warner until high school which we will do. I do love seeing my shy quiet little girl become a loud, proud Cheerleader at games and at compition. I will say for their first year of actual competeing they did very well placed 3rd at local and 2nd in Western State. This year will be even better. Mommy is very proud of you baby. Now this is more my thing. I love football especially when seeing so many of the other teams players on the ground. And my baby boy putting them there. I am a football mom. I guess that comes from haveing 4 brothers that played the first 10 of the 26 years we have had a Pop Warner here and this is my sons 4th and final year. Next year we are on to the big bad Jr. High team then on to the bigger badder high school teams. But Buggie this is your year to shine Mommy loves you and is very proud of you.

These next 10 weeks are all about my two little ones which aren't so little at 11 and 12 but they are my babies, also not that the last 7 haven't been about them already since we are in baseball and softball season for the next couple of weeks anyways. Ball games during the day and football and cheer in the evening. Going to be fun. A little less sleep for me (not getting that much as it is) but that's ok I do what my kids want and they want to play ball, football and cheer. As well as the other things the two older ones do. More to come one them another night.

Kenny was happy when we got to the meeting for football tonight and seen that his coach kept his promise and came back to coach the rest of his boys(been his coach all along) his son is moving on to Jr. high this year. He looked at Kenny and said I want that hair cut tight, and Kenny said yes coach I know. I have been begging him for months to get it cut. So tomorrow at 2:00 I will no longer have a hair bag since David got his cut the week before school ended. Starting monday were off to practices 4 nights a week 3 hours a night

What a Week

2010-07-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been tomorrow will be my first day off in 8 days. I always work 4am til either 10am or 12:30 pm. I always work Sunday morning's, and have Monday's off. Well this past Saturday the fire department my brother volunteers for had their annual Smoker, which is one of the 4 times my brothers, my sister and myself always go out together. I switched my Sunday morning for her Sunday night. My boss came to me and said that would not work because I had to open on Monday. I told her that I always had Monday's off she told me no longer would I have them starting this week. What the heck not fair at all. Well I made it work I closed at 12:30 am Monday and opened at 4:00am on Monday just so that I could go Saturday. Slept when I got out at 10:00 on Monday until 8:00 pm got up for two hours and went back to bed to be to work this morning at 4:00 am.

Friday was my Miss Emma's second birthday(my niece). On Saturday my sweet angel baby would have been 4(my nefhew) Joshua is so missed everyday by our whole family. It is just so hard on all of us. I think that it was why it was so important to be with my family that night.

Saturday morning Maranda went to her friends birthday party which was a paint ball party her and one of her friends tripped over a log and Maranda broke a couple of fingers on her hand which is nothing new the girl breaks her toes all of the time.

Saturday night with my girls (all of us in the pics above) we had a riot. Along with others, but we always have fun when we go see Under the Gun a local band two members are in the pics with us. We just don't have enough of them anymore we used go out together all of the time. Just can't find the time anymore todo so only a couple times a year. Worst part about it. One of my friends broke somemore bones in my foot. I just don't remember what he did to make me do it. My foot is swollen and bruiesed, but I do it all of the time and there is nothing that they can do for it except for my to stay off it but that don't work at all.

My brothers

2010-07-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

I love this picture it was taken at camp a couple of years ago. Kenny, Derek, Jay and Mike mean the world to me. They are my best friends and wost enemies. But I wouldn't change that for the world.

Starting to get ready

2009-06-16T18:34:00.001-07:00

With the end of the school year and having to get ready for two parties. I have alot to get done. Since the weather has turned nice I have not really done to much crafting. But since I am having a 10th birthday party for Makayla on July 10th and a graduation party for Maranda and David on July 12th plus with a big race to go to on July 11th, I really need to get working on things. Heres some of the things I have gotten done last night and today.

This fleece rag garland will be used at the concession stand for Makayla's birthday party which is a Hannah Montana drive-in party. This will also be used on the girls Christmas tree in thier room.

Post-it note holders for kids teachers for end of the year gifts and for some of the staff as remember me gifts from David, I made 12 all together tonight, most were smily faces since most of the staff calls David "Mr. Smiley" since that's all he seems todo this year. He has matured so much this year and has become a great student. I guess 6th grade has agreed with him. During Easter break the kids made polymer clay shapes.

This one is for David's main teacher, he alway's comments when she gets new shoes. He also has two aids in his classroom.

This is for Makayla's teacher

This is Kenny's teachers. She loves fishing. She has organized the 4th grade fishing derby since she started teaching many years ago. My brother had her for a 4th grade teacher about 25 years ago. She is retiring this year. I would have loved for Makayla to have her as a teacher

This is fabric that I spray bottle tye-dyed pink and purple today. I did alot of it. It will be used for Makayla's birthday banner, and goodie bags. Which I will work on tomorrow as well as her pinta, which was going to be a guitar, but I am having trouble keeping the base together so I am making a disco ball instead.

Spending the day with my not so baby boy

2009-06-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

I learned something yesterday, my baby boy is no longer wants to be my baby. I love all my kids but for some reason Kenny has always been the one that I have a very special relationship with, he has always been my baby, my cuddle bug and a big mommy's boy. I still get hugs and once in awhile I hear mommy from him, but like Maranda and David he is starting to grow up and wants to be on his own. Yesterday I got to spend the whole day with him, when he would be around me that was. They held their 4th grade Fishing Derby and grade level picnic yesterday. He had fun fishing with his friends and this group of friends had all the girls surrounding them. It was so funny to see. His teacher was telling me that the girls all flock to this group of 5 boys. She said in her 30 years of teaching 4th grade it has been this bad. She also told me all the girls cling to Kenny like they did my brother over 20 years ago when she had him in her class. Of the group of 5 boys 4 of them play all the sports they play together. Kenny did come over to me at one point and said mom lets go find a quiet place to eat lunch. Since it was their day they could eat at any time. I went to the car to get our lunches and we found a nice place under a tree to eat lunch. We talked and ate. One of his friends came over he was eating with his dad (whom happens to be my boys baseball coach), his friend was taking a picture of Kenny on his Cell phone. Next thing I know Kenny is taking his phone out of his pocket and doing the same thing. I told Kenny he isn't supposed to have his phone at school and he said his teacher didn't care as long as they were off, during school. I guess you are someone important to be carrying a cell phone in 4th grade. Many of the kids didn't catch fish but that's alright. Many got bored with fishing and there were a few kickball and baseball games going on around the pond grounds. They had fun. They went back to school where they had ice cream sundaes supplied by a local Ice cream shop that the owners have a daughter in their grade. Which is the same girl that is just in love with my Kenny. She is the one that is always bringing him coupons for free ice cream cakes when ever she is at their shop. Her mom had me bring the kids over to have their had prints on the wall. They are having kids that come in add their hand prints to be like a boarder around the shop. When I took the kids in their daughter was there and they put their hand prints next to each other. It is cute.

Also the boy Josh that he played football with last year that is sick, can no longer attend school. My best friend has one son in 4th grade and was at the Fishing derby yesterday she called Josh and told him that Kenny was there and Josh walked down to see Kenny and fish with him. I was so proud of my baby boy, he told his other friends that he wanted to spend some time with Josh and they went and found a quiet spot to fish and talk. They talked about how he has the new tumors, and the next upcoming surgeries. How Josh felt in general. Kenny told me that Josh is really scared this time. He just thinks they are going to keep coming back. They also made plans to get together before he has the next surgery next month, Kenny promised to come see him in the hospital again. When it was time for the kids to return to school Kenny went over to Josh before he left and gave him a hug and told him he was praying for him everyday. And promised that I would take him over to see Josh soon. When I got to the school for the afternoon concert Kenny said he wanted me to sign him out after. He also told me he cried for Josh on the way back to school. He later told me the whole conversation they had. But he was happy that they had it.

Also last night was the last concert of the year. And his last string concert. After much debate and thinking he has decided hes giving up the Cello and joining band and he is also joining chorus. This past Monday they had band try outs and he was chosen to play Saxophone, his second choice was percussion but the band director saw his long fingers and didn't even let him try out for percussion. His fingers are perfect for Sax. He is happy.

Kenny after the concert

Another after the concert look at the shirt

Kenny and Marcus(one of his best friends) before the start with band in back and some of the chorus on side

Another of the boys

Kenny getting mad at me for taking too many pictures of him.

Makayla having to jump in one picture with Kenny at least I got her to stop giving him bunny ears and loser sign, but didn't realize she was sticking out her tongue in this one

The two boys share music during concerts and they had dropped it off the music stand Kenny's trying to get them back in order

Before entering the school. Shirt all nice and tucked in. He is such a cutie, especially when I get him out of the jeans and tee-shirts. The sun was in his eyes and he wanted to get inside to visit before they had to be in thier seats. That's my boy for you.

Racers are one big family

2009-06-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

A week ago this past Saturday during practice one of the racers throttle stuck open and he crashed very hard into the wall in turn one. The walls have foam against them at the turns but when you hit the wall going 100-130mph, the car just moves the foam and your in the wall. We happen to sit at the first turn every weekend best place to sit at the track so this happened right in front of us. He hit the wall at full speed, his car flipped a couple of times. His car is trashed. He has many broken bones but still waved to the crowd as he was put the ambulance, to show he was still with us, he has had a couple of surgeries to date and still will have more and a very extended hospital stay, and after a long recovery. It was mentioned on one of the racing sites that the drivers should do a helmet pass to help with money for this driver and his long recovery. The next day it was announced from the track fan club that there would be a helmet pass inbetween heats and feature races this past Saturday. This borrowed picture from the fan club is of the drivers of the Super Modified, and Small Block Supers crossing the front of the track, for the helmet pass. There may not look like a lot of fans in the stands but this is a very small section of the stands and it is very loud under there many sit in the open stands. Also this is sometimes the only time that fans get to see the drivers that they watch and cheer for every week. As some don't venture to the pits after the races are over. My mom watched the races this past weekend from the tower so she was standing near the front pit stairs waiting for my brother to come up to give him her money. There was a boy standing near her waiting for the driver of the #23 to come into the stands. He is his favorite racer, and wanted to give just him his money. My mom told him that she would make sure he found him. The boy was amazed my mom was a raceing mom. It was very cute. He was so happy that my brother took the time to talk to him and took a picture with him. Jay invited him down to the pits to come sit in his car after the races. When he came down he got to sit in the car, get an autographed picture and some #23 tattoo's. He also got pictures taken of himself in the car. Kids love when the drivers let them sit in thier cars. I think at least one of my kids have sat in every car at the track. Anyways the fans gave a total of $4200.00 during pass the helmet for the injured driver. Which will be a great help to them.
Jay didn't do to well this week. He spun out in his heat all on his own. Bent the nose of his car. Got it fixed and during his feature got put into the inside hub by a rookie driver that shouldn't be on the track at all. He couldn't race a super stock, or SBS so we don't understand why he thinks he can race a Super. The way he hit him he knew that Jay was there, that means we went down in point standings a few positions. Plus about $3000.00 worth of damage, many hours in the garage to get the car on the track this coming weekend. But on a happy note Great Job Dave G. on three for three wins in the SBS think your going to make your years goal of track champion. Were rooting for you weekly.

Girlscouts and another racing picture

2009-06-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post this picture during my last post but for some reason didn't. On May 21st our Girl Scout Service unit had thier bridgeing ceremony. Which for a Girl Scout is a big thing. I remember as a girl crossing that bridge. A few years ago Maranda did. Maranda stayed in Girl Scouts to earn her Bronze Award in Junior Girl Scouts and was no longer interested. That's ok. This year was Makayla's turn. Although she may not have the chance to be a Junior Girl Scout due to her great troop not having a leader. The leaders daughter is no longer interested in Girl Scouts. She has asked many of us to step up since we all help at the meetings. I would love to do so but with 4 kids that have me running in 4 different directions usually 7 days a week. I don't have the time do do so. We do have one mother thinking about it due to she does not want to see these 16 girls splitting up they all have become very good friends. Also she knows that all mothers will help out. Here is the only semi-good picture I got from that night. My girl crossed the bridge so fast. This is when she was being greeted by the existing Junior girl scouts of another troop. Another mother has some pictures that she has to email me when she gets a chance to.
On one of the racing sites I visit he does a thread called "What do you Say" or something like that. I loved this weeks one. So I borrowed the picture from Pinners site. The middle one is Jay. Knowing him this is what I say.

"All we need is duct tape and zip ties and we will have this fixed in no time" "Also Jay either put on that hat of yours or get the duct tape and zipties to take care of that receiding hair line" I think this is a first pic I have seen in along time with out a hat.

Jay thinks that everything can be fixed with duct tape and zip ties. His last year racing Super Stocks (NASCAR like) by the end of the season his car was held together with duct tape and zipties. I don't think this picture was taken at our local track. I know the driver on the left but the one on the right I just don't know. Also the back ground is different, I just can't tell in the picture if the car is sporting a wing or not.

Record bowls and other random stuff

2009-06-02T07:20:00.001-07:00

Let me first off say that this post is very picture heavy, I uploaded the last months worth of pictures this morning and there were a few I wanted to share.

My babies 10th birthday is on June 23rd, she decided she wants a Hannah Montana drive in movie theme for her birthday. Between Makayla, Kenny and myself we have came up with a great birthday party. We were looking online at different things and she said mom you can make this and that better than you get when we buy the stuff. I have been looking at record bowls for awhile now on Etsy and Ebay, those things go for $10.00 to $25.00 a piece. I have thought about buying a couple anyways since I will use them for different things. The other night I was getting ready to buy a couple and Makayla said no mom find out how to make them. So google we go. I had 9 of my old records in the garage. My mom is going to look for the rest of them. She thinks they are in the barn. I ended up making 9 record bowls in 20 mins. Here are a few of them.

Memorial weekend my parents and brothers were camping at a local campground here in town. Kenny wanted to fish these are three of the fish he caught and released. The only way my kids will fish. He was so proud of himself as was his dad. This was his last and the biggest he caught.

This was his second and when they decided to get pictures

Think that this is the same fish as above

Here is the poppet I made for my niece Kali for part of her birthday gift on the day of her party since I had already given her a cheerleading bear on her birthday.

On May 16th & 17th Maranda went on her 8th grade trip to Buffalo and Niagara Falls on the States side. Although she had fun she wished they went into Canada because it is much prettier to see the falls. They did go on the Maid of the Mist (which she hasn't done since she was 5) Went in the cave of the winds which she had never done. Buffalo Navel Yard she had never done. Buffalo Zoo which we do try to visit at least once every other year. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive for us.

This is the Navel ship they toured at the Navel Yard.

This peacock was sitting outside of the zoo, she texted me and told me it escaped from the zoo. I guess it happens alot with this fella

She took this picture from the bus. The Maid of the Mist is in the water. She said as soon as she saw the rainbow bridge she had to take a picture of it just for me. I hate bridges they scare me to death. Even our local ones when I get stuck on the middle of them. This bridge, one in Ohio and one in Florida are the worst. I really hate going into Canada on a very busy day because we are stuck on the bridge for up to 30 mins.

What we have been doing

2009-05-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Yep you guessed it spending time at the speedway. It's that time of year for us. Tonight was the second race of the season which was supposed to be the third. But due to first race being rain out, it didn't happen. This picture is actually from last weekends MSA race, Jay finished third which was great. He was the first Oswego regular to cross the finish line. Which was a great accomplishment. This is his third year racing this division and every time he straps a wing on his car he gets better and better. Tonight was a non wing show which most are due to something breaking in the rear of his car he was not able to compete in his heat race so he started 21 out of 22 cars his finish was 10th place, he had 9th till the last second of the race he backed off a little because he was heading into the rear of another driver. The driver next to him knew he was backing off so he went for it. He also did a great job of avoiding wrecking his car tonight. A car he couldn't pass thru out most of the race spun right in front of him, Jay's nose was heading right for the spun cars nose and he did a great job of getting his car out of that situation within inches of a terrible crash.

Makayla was supposed to end year round cheer this past Friday, but that isn't happening now. Since they have over 100 new cheerleaders signed up for regular season in all different age groups the cheer-coordinator wants the year round squad to show their stuff with their competition cheer at the parents meeting on July 30th. Regular season starts the first week of August so these girls are going to be practicing and cheering all the way until the end of October now and then all year cheer will start up again somewhere between November and January. Talk about commitment, this is it.

I have a few birthday presents to get done this coming week so will post pictures when they are done. First set has to be finished tomorrow by 1:00 and I am no where near done.

Finally made a poppet

2009-05-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

I love craftster.org A member Ghille came up with a poppet pattern that she shares. There are now hundreds of poppets around. I have only had the pattern for a little less than a year now. I don't understand where my time goes that I can never do anything that I want todo when I want to. But anyways during Spring Break Makayla and I got the pattern out of my book and went to work. We did an ok job on her. Makayla loves to design clothes for her whom we have named the model. I haven't taken any pictures of her yet so can't post her yet.

We decided that poppets are going to be birthday presents this year. But I decided that I wanted 4 of my own done in things that my children love. Here is the first one. That Kenny has claimed as his own. I told him that I was going to tell all his friends that he had a doll. He doesn't care because he will show all his friends his doll. So now Boogalou Bob which is what Kenny named him has a home on Kenny's football shelf. Of course Bob is a Football player.

First picture is Bob with a picture of my football player Kenny

This is him with his helmet in his lap

Just hanging out on the couch, Hmm same number as Kenny

The back of him, I don't know how I missed his shirt was that way when I took the picture

Helmet on ready to go on the field

He is made from tan flannel, his hair is strips of brown wool felt sewn on in strips and cut. His clothes are a little big but at some point I would like to make pads to put under the clothes. I think he turned out pretty good, and I know I will get better at making them

Lets go racing

2009-05-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. Racing time. Oh how I love the smell and sound of racing. This Saturday is the first race of the year which I will be missing since Miss Makayla has her hotel night with girl scouts. Of course Mom has to go. The worst part is that I am going to be so close to the track to hear them but far enough away to not smell them. Theres just something of the smells of burning tires and menthol that gets me. And I'm not the only one in my family that thinks so. We all do. In the past 13 years racing has become a part of our lifes. Thanks to my brother Jay. First motocross, and then dirt racing, and for the past 6 years its been asphalt. For three years it was a Super Stock, now in the third year of the Supermodified. First year "Rookie of the Year" and top ten in points, Second year a couple of heat wins, also a couple of close trying to win first race, plus top 4 in points. This third year Jay's wishes are a few feature wins under his belt and top three in points. We all know he can do it. Last year he came in second place for one race and everyone kept coming up to him you would have thought he got first place. He felt like he did. That night the winner of the race was a first time race winner and it was great. Jay kept saying I just couldn't get around you. The other driver said I knew you were right there and kept telling myself he's going to get around me.

Jay good luck this season and will you get that feature win. Sick of spending my money to watch you loose. No only joking

You Rock!

2009-04-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday David came home from school and told me that he got another award at school. Then Kenny walked in the door and said mom I got an award at school, Makayla came in and said mom I got a hand in school today. Our school district has 4 expectations of the kids in schools. They are awarded for following these, with special days called PBIS days. There is no teaching on those day they can do different activities through out school. The favorite this year has been Rock Band in the gym. You have to earn the right to participate in these days. They start by taking away 10 mins at a time and in 10 weeks you can loose your whole day. The kids are told as well as parents are informed that your child has not earned the day. These children are to sit in the office and do work all day (although most stay home.) They also have a passport that the kids carry around school all day. If they are caught following the expectations 20 times they get a free trip to the school store. A teacher initials and puts the number of the expectation they observed. Once a month they give shout outs to the top 20 children that had the most passports filled in that month.
There expectations are:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible,
Be a Problem Solver
Be Safe

I wanted to take a picture of the award since I can't hook my scanner up to this computer, but my camera batteries got left in and are now dead and of course they were the last of my batteries. But the award says:

YOU ROCK!

This certificate is presented

in honor of your being

Respectful, Responsible,

a Problem Solver and Safe.

Lanigan Elementary

It is signed and dated by the principal

They also brought home cut out hands with their names on them. Makayla didn't understand why she didn't get the certificate because she always follows the rules and never has gotten in to trouble. But she was happy she got a hand. David has made all monthly morning shoutouts. Kenny and Makayla have made quite a few also.

But David really makes me proud. This boy has grown up so much this past year, not only at school but at home also. They have started him in regular 6th grade classes a couple of weeks ago and he is enjoying them very much. His teacher said that in her classroom 12:1:1 he has made very good friends this year as he has in the other regular 6th grade classes. She said that she picks them up from lunch or he comes back from his specials and he is always with a group of kids laughing and talking away. When I went to parent/teacher conferences last week I couldn't believe how many people told me that he has turned into a very liked, very mature, very polite young man. This from the kid that they made me have a psychological evaluation last year because he was trying to hurt him self and was suspended from school three times in the beginning of last year. But then turned around and one year ago this month he was named one of 54 Students of the Year out of the 4000 in the school district. I just hope his Jr. High and High School years are going to be as easy.

Cheerleading

2009-04-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Makayla is doing year round competitive cheerleading this year. Last night was the first practice I was able to attend due to my work schedule. It was different then last year that's for sure. They were teaching the girls basket throws last night. As well as getting bases and flyers familar with each other due to some of the girls know each other and others don't because they are different age groups now. Also because each coach has a different way of coaching they have to get all the girls on the same track. My niece wants to be a flyer so bad. Last night they were going over everything while she was a flyer, I thought I had time to run to the bathroom before she was done. Well I didn't. During a drink break she comes over to me "Aunt Kimmy did you see my basket toss?" No I didn't. Makayla said they did it as soon as I walked out of the room. Oh well I know that I will see it.

This picture is from last years competition, not a good picture because we were so high up and they were on the floor. My mom has my disk that we bought that has the close up pictures of the girls. They really didn't compete because of their ages but what they do is have the non-competes in the morning and the competition in the afternoon that way the girls are used to doing it and learn rules and such. I think that is is when they were getting ready for the dance part.

This is Makayla and Kali(niece) the day before competition right before the game, it looks like they are doing coin toss. They both look so clean I know that neither was when I picked Makayla up that day because Kenny's game was away and Makayla stayed with my SIL and they went to a mud bog race at the fire department right after, their game.

Just another picture of Makayla during the first part of the game when I came to tell her that we were leaving to go to Kenny's game. It was their last regular game of the season. Both Makayla's team and Kenny's team made it to playoffs.

Mom I'm bored

2009-04-15T08:09:00.001-07:00

Mom I'm bored is all I heard all morning yesturday. I was having a bad morning as it was. Told the kids to go outside and play. Nope didn't want too. Since there is only a couple more months of school left I thought it was time to start working on end of the year teachers gifts. So got out the poylmer clay and let the kids go to it. This is only part of what were doing but will wait until another time to finish up need to get the rest of the supplies first.

This first picture is the stuff that Kenny did I just love it. His teacher loves fishing. I think he was very creative about his stuff

Opps messed up the order of the pictures Kenny Makayla and I all love the food challenge shows we have been watching the Cake Challenge show for the past two weeks so they decided they were going to have a bake off they were timed too 10 mins to make a cake these were their favorites so we had to bake them.

These were other things that were made. The green hearts will be turned into pins for Makayla's girl scout troop. The smiley faces are going to be turned into a "remember me" gift for the school secertary from David. Very few people have made an impression on him and she is one of them. She call's him "Mr. Smiley" the reason for the smiley faces.

Just another picture of the stuff they made. Of course a football and basketball had to end up in there.

Finally the purse that I made for Makayla for Easter I finished it up this morning by lineing it with fleece. She is very into purses at the moment and does not go anywhere with out one.

Easter eggs for Makayla's Girl Scout Troop

2009-04-10T07:05:00.001-07:00

I have a new favorite web site http://www.oneprettything.com while trying to come up with something different todo for Makayla's girl scout troop for Easter since making our string eggs turned out a desaster (we now know what we were doing wrong and will retry next year. I found this http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/2009/04/07/tutorial-easy-felt-easter-basket/ and this http://oneinchworld.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/fillable-soft-egg-tutorial/ and here is what I ended up with. The girls loved them.

Now its going to be on to their end of the year gifts. Since next month is the end of the year for them and also the end of Brownies. If Makayla is anything like Maranda these next couple of years will be her last in Girl Scouts.

This is the completed ready to go to girl scouts. Other stuff is Maranda getting ready to make dinner. As soon as she walked in the house I made her stuff the eggs with the candy for me since I was trying to sew the handle on the basket but I kept getting mad at it so said forget it. I will sew it on later for this basket will be used around Easter for other things.

Over veiw of eggs in the basket

Picture of eggs they were all done in pink and purple wool felt. I just love the stuff.

Another picture of the eggs sorry I wanted another picture there but got the wrong ones while uploading.

Just testing

2009-04-05T18:52:00.001-07:00

Just testing to see if I can post pictures from this computer. I don't know what I keep doing but I crashed another computer so it is off being fixed when the kid that works on them for me can get to it. He is busy with getting ready for finals. No big deal when ever he gets to it. His payment is just a pan of homemade mac and cheese his request.

This picture was last year leaving the race track not sure if it was a rain out or a practice Makayla and my nefhew both have thier "kids on track" passes on so I think it was the day of the rain out when we decided to wait until it let up and the sun was shinning 20mins after they called the rain out.

Down stairs bathroom makeover

2009-04-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have not been able to sleep at night lately and it is because I decided to makeover my down stairs bathroom. Nothing major just redecorating. Well decorating nothing has been done to this bathroom since we lived here nothing on the walls, mini blinds are just on the window. This room also serves as a laundry room if you could say that it is a very small room. It will probley take a few weeks due to finances but I am going to allow myself a budget of $25.00 a week todo what I want in there. I have been looking around for things that I can make cheaper than I can buy so I will be making alot of what is going in there. First off the only storage in this room is two shelves above the washer and dryer and the medince cabinet that we do not use because it just is nasty. well that is going to change. I am going to try and make small cabnits out of a set of dresser drawers that held stuff under Makayla's bed for awhile. I want to try and make two one for beside the sink and one beside the toilet. Wondering if I can do it. I have it figured out in my head but not too sure if it is going to work. I will be taking before pictures sometime today and will post them along with in progress pictures.

The Sock Hop

2009-03-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know if its required everywhere but in our Girl Scout Service unit every Junior troop is required to put on one Service Unit activity. Yesturday one of the troops held a Sock Hop. Price to get in a package of socks that will be donated to a charity. Plus $1.00 for a picture which I will post when I get it in the mail. I seen it and its really cute but then again I think 99.9% of the time Makayla takes a cute picture. Our troop leader and a few of us parents talked about it yesturday and we are going todo their Service unit activity next year when the girls are first year Juniors to get it out of the way.

There are quite a few pictures here but each has its own reason. I made her skirt and hair tie out of a sheet from thrift store for $1.00. Her shirt, shoes, slip to make underskirt (which of course we didn't get a picture of), and neck tie were from the same thrift store for $3.00 I know I paid $4.00 for it all. Felt for the poodles for her skirt, shirt and socks (another thing we did not get a picture of) $1.00 but I only used about half of the sheet of it. Socks 3pr for $2.00 lace that I used on the socks, and lace for underskirt were out of my stash. For under $6.00 I don't think that I did too bad.

First off as soon as Makayla got ready her brothers and sister started saying "Look at me I'm Sandra Dee"

Some of the detail on the skirt I ended up using black yarn to make the leash so that I could get some loops in it. You can see some of the lace from the under skirt in this picture but I wish she was looking at me. She has her sock donation in her hand

Another full shot picture

Dancing at the hop with one of her good friends Payton shortly after we got there she lost the belt and shirt came untucked as well as the shoes comeing off.

Kayla, Payton and Jade in the car they took the pictures in this

I don't like that this picture is blurry I just love it. The girls were having a great time the jutebox in the background lit up also one of the decorations they had a dj there

Drag racing and more of their decorations

More decorations this picture is going to be deleted from camera so blurry I don't know what happened

Bubble blowing contest. Payton won along with another girl in this group this was her second bubble I actually made her loose her first before I got a picture because I told her I wanted to pop it on her face and I made her laugh. The girls had two chances to make the biggest bubbles. Thier prize was for an icecream at a local place that holds weekly sock hops during the summer months.

Makayla, Payton and Jade (Makayla's best friend) in front of the car (can you believe these three girls are only months apart in age?)

Makayla and Jade dancing away

Makayla drag racing they had to blow the cars across the table (and of course they kept their cars afterwards) it was a really cute thing

They ask and mom delivers

2009-03-20T06:24:00.001-07:00

Any one that knows me knows that if my kids ask me to make something no matter how bad it turns out they love it and mom delivers.

First off the beginnings of Makayla's poodle skirt. You do have to remember this this the most complex clothing that I have made. I have altered different clothing items to make costumes for Maranda for plays that she has been in. I also made a few shirts and pants for dolls but thats the extent of it. I could not get the ribbon to turn right to make loops for the leash but of course Makayla doesn't care and loves her skirt so far

This next piece was actually the first I made with Poylmer clay and I made it a couple of months ago. It was actually for my Kenny Ben's birthday April 28th but he was home sick yesterday and was helping me make the next item and said he really wanted me to make him something so I had to give it to him. You can see some of the wire I used to make the post goal and I think I did a terrible job on it but he loves it. It is now housed on his shelf next to last seasons Football trophy.

The other day David came to me and wanted an "Otto the Orange" to take to school today to give to a teacher that does not like SU basketball. Yes that doesn't like it. David and his teacher make posters and does other stuff to this other teachers door and classroom and he does the same with his favorite team to thier classroom. So off to school my son went all in Orange complete with an Orange sock and a Blue sock, and this which I don't think turned out too bad I do wish I had did a couple things different like add the arms before I baked them but with something else I made those pieces tend to break. I will get it sometime.

First off with my inspiration.

And finally a little closer up, I really think I did somewhat of a good resemblance

Kenny's first concert

2009-03-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last night we attened Kenny's first concert. Since he is a first year music student they only perform in one concert. Which Wow impressed me. They sounded great. Which yes by March they usually do. After hearing him start with plunking to scratchy practice to actually being able to play that Chello that he just had to play.

A couple of weeks ago he brought home a note saying that they could either wear the tradtional black dress pants and white dress shirt or since the concert was held on St. Patricks day they could wear dress pants and a green shirt. Ok no problem he has black dress pants and a green Tony Hawk polo shirt. He comes down yesturday morning and his black dress pants are too short. Jeeez we just got these for my grandfathers funeral in October. This kid needs to stop growing taller. He changed into tan pants I just went and got him new dress pants yesturday and found this green dress shirt I didn't think he would wear the tie but he loved that. We get to the school and could not believe how most of these kids were dressed. For the school in the district I would have been quite embarressed as a parent of most of these kids. Ripped jeans, tee-shirts and such. The chorus looked terrible. Maranda was in chorus at this school and they would have been in such trouble if they had worn what these kids wore.

Enough about that. Dave stood up towards the front so that he could video tape Kenny and during their last song someone stood right in frond of him to video tape also which we can hear them play but couldn't see Kenny. I wish I knew where the cord to put the video up of one of the songs because its so cute you can see him talking out the song to himself to remember it. He watched the video when we came home last night and said we sound great don't we.

I do wish I could have gotten a close up of him just to remember how much the color of the green shirt brought out his green eyes.

First of Kenny with his first love his first electric guitar (along with Maranda's laundry sitting next to him) He also has two acustic, three other electric guitars and a bass but this first electric is his favorite to this day)

A very blurry pic with his Chello before the concert, had a hard time getting close to get a good picture

Right after they played next to him is one of his good friends

Another picture after they were done. He did have dress shoes but those Tony Hawk's won out which they usually do this kid hes more comfortable in them.

4 Birthdays in a week

2009-02-26T05:02:00.000-08:00

On this past Tuesday Maranda turned 14, today is my brother Jay's 31st birthday, this coming Monday my nefhew Mikey will be 14 and on Tuesday Dave will be 42. Four birthdays in a week who ever planned that????? Not me.

I will never forget the day that my brother Mike called me and told me they were expecting Mikey it happened to be the same day I told him I was expecting Maranda. At the time he was living in New Mexico and he called me at work and needed to tell someone but didn't want to tell my mom, funny thing was I didn't want to tell my mom either. Our due dates were only two days apart. My mom did not want to become a grandmother and here she was going to be a grandmother twice at once. Once I told her she couldn't wait to become a grandmother. Maranda was born during the worst snow storm of that year. It started snowing the night before and didn't stop until 3 day's later. That didn't stop my family from being there. My sister was going in with me it was funny because she had called me an hour before I went into labour to find out how I was because she wanted to go out with friends, I told her I was fine and to go. She told me where she was going just incase well she got the phone call an hour later, three of my brothers were there, Mike was on the phone, my mom, my stepfather, my aunt, one of my uncles and Dave were all at the hospital. My mom called my father and told him and he said well let me know what she has. (just another time I wanted my dad and he wasn't there). My brother Jay walks in and tell's me to wait two days to have her. We didn't know that she was going to be a girl but we all did know.

My brother Jay, the doteing uncle he has always been all my brothers have been when it comes to Maranda. Right before Maranda was a year old he comes over to my house with some friends and his girlfriend (now his wife) this was the first time I had met Shanon. He tells her you have to see my niece shes the cutest baby you have ever seen. Maranda was sleeping and I told him not to wake her up and next thing I know he comes walking out of her room with her. He said something and she woke up saying dork. Jay has always been Uncle Dork to Maranda and she has always been Geek to him. When she was a baby we always told her he was Uncle Dork. Thus the reason I am Aunt Kimmy to his daughter.

My nefhew Mikey whom we did not see until he was two months old. My brother Mike called the morning his mom went into the hospital looking for our mom. My mom couldn't be there because she couldn't leave me. It was hard on her but impossible for her too be in two states at once. She wasn't at home, and Mike wanted to be on the phone with her. Dave told Mike to tell my nefhews mom to wait until the next day to have him. I talked to my brother until my mom walked in my door an hour later. Then she talked to him for almost 3 hours until my nefhew was born. She was excited that she had a granddaughter and a grandson. A few weeks later she flew down to see him and bring them back here for the summer. Mike was in college there and had to wait until the semester was over to come home. Even though Maranda was so young when my mom came home she wouldn't go to her or even look at her for days. My mom went to pick her up and she cried for grandpa (my stepfather) at the time my real father had seen her maybe twice. He didn't see Mikey until they were here for three weeks.

Dave what can I say, not much really. His family didn't see Maranda until the day she turned a week old. Why because it was his brithday exactly a week after our daughter was born and his mom wouldn't miss her baby's birthday. At the time Maranda was born his youngest niece had just turned two and she was the biggest brat in the world at 16 she still his. She was so mean to Maranda (funny because now they are really close). His family is strange (to me anyways) I have only ever seen his father three times. He has only seen my two girls. When Maranda was a baby my mom and I seen him at the store he was working at after retirement he came up too us and asked is that my granddaughter. Makayla was 4 when Dave's nefhew was killed and my mom was on a cruise and we had to take her to the wake with us. Not that she hadn't just been at her grandfathers (this was a month after my father died) so his father seen her their. Kenny just said to Dave a few months ago Dad you have a dad? Dave was telling me that he ran into his father. He has two brothers. One I met years ago and we have seen him probley 4 or 5 times in the 16 years we have been together. His other brother is the one that had the son that was killed. He works with my brother Jay. Jay seen the last name and found out this was Dave's brother. Matter of fact I am the one that told Dave's family that his nefhew was killed because Jay got an email thru work and called me and told me. It was funny because he wanted us to come out to his house. He knew whom I was and had pictures of our kids on his walls. He had asked my brother if he could see pictures of my kids then asked if I would send in extra pictures of the kids. I have always continued to give Jay a picture for him. Even though we haven't seen him except for a couple times since. It is my family that calls Dave on his birthday not his.

We have snow and more on the way

2009-02-22T07:57:00.000-08:00

We have at least 3ft of snow on the ground that we received Friday. Thursday you could see grass and mud on the ground and now you can't see anything but snow, snow and more snow. I tried to take pictures but kids took off with the batteries to my camera once again. I guess that we have another storm coming thru today at least someone told me that yesturday. All I see is light lake effect right now and theres probley 2 or 3 inches of new snow in the driveway. A couple of years ago I had this friend send me this email I saved it I don't know why maybe because I really can relate to it.

Jeff Foxworthy on Upstate New York

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 36 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights a year because Saranac Lake is the coldest spot in the nation, and Syracuse gets more snow than any other major city in the US , you might live in Upstate, NY. (Syracuse really doesn't get that much snow it is that they consider those of us in Oswego County that get the snow if they get more than 4 inches at once it closes most of the city)

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from October through May, you might live in Upstate New York .

If you get 131 inches of snow in a week and you comment that 'winter's finally here', you might live near Oswego in Upstate New York. (Well its not really winter until the first time we do receive that much)

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for six months out of the year, you might live, bundled up, in Upstate New York.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Upstate NY.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Upstate New York.

If you have worn shorts and a parka on the same day, you might live in Upstate New York. (Heck do this many times together, David would all winter long if I let him)

If you have had a lengthy phone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Upstate New York.(I had someone try todo this to me, but I didn't go for it)

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE UPSTATE NEW YORKER WHEN:

"Vacation" means going South past Syracuse for the weekend.

You measure distance in hours.(Yea that's me)

You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.(Can't count the times Dave has came home and said he hit a deer on 481)

You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.

You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.(Can't everyone?)

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.(No security lights but before I met Dave I would leave my doors unlocked, but he is from Syracuse where their crime rate is sooooo high he doesn't allow me to leave things unlocked)

You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend/wife knows how to use them.(I also know how to change a tire and check my oil)

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.(Not every year but you never know we might have snow on Halloween or may not get it until the middle of January)

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.(This is better than them trying to fix potholes in the winter)

You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.(This one is very true)

You can identify a southern or eastern accent.

Down South to you means Corning .

Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new shed.

You go out for a fish fry every Friday

Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.(Since we both work right here in town this is so true)

You find 10 degrees "a little chilly." and 55 is shorts weather.(Nope 5 degrees gets chilly once you have negitave temps 10 feels like a heat wave and 55 is shorts weather along with a hoodie just ask David, but then again he thinks 10 is shorts and a hoodie weather)

Just had to share my comments in there. But with all this snow what am I thinking about?????

Racing, Racing and more Racing. This morning while going thru one of the racing message boards that I read daily I found this: http://www.oswegospeedway.com/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ArticleView/mid/427/articleId/392/Default.aspx

This would be the greatest if he could win this, it would be almost enough to pay for his new car and engine also it would be a great first win in this division. Now this will be his third year in the Super Modified the first year he was Rookie of the Year 10th in point standing (which was his goal) His second year goal was to be top 5 in point standings, and placed 4th in points, he also won three heat races. This year's goal is to finish in top 3 and get at least one feature under his belt. He has designed a car he is going old/new, the car builder said it is the most fun he has had building a car in years. One thing I have to say is Don't let it go to your head Jay.

2009 Christmas Oraments

2009-02-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

Since I mass produce Christmas Ornaments every year, when I start looking and thinking what I am going to do I look for fast and easy. Yea right these snowball's were far from that. And they are supposed to be easy for kids to do. I don't remember exactly where I found the idea but it was somewhere on the web. I am thinking it was either My Craft Book or My Craft Ideas, and I already shot out the printout that I had because this is a definite never do again. Some times I repeat for classrooms and such. Since when I bought most of the supplies I had enough to do 30 of them which will all be given away to family and most likely Kayla's Girl Scout troop. I have 22 packaged and ready to go, the other 8 just need to be packaged but I ran out of the wrap I was using and have not been back to Walmart to pick up yet.

The supplies I used

The end product in stages

Finally

2009-02-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

Finally the fleece blankets are done. I hope that I won't have todo anymore this year I don't think my back could take it. But I really do like the colored back with the cream or white fronts.

Duckies (a little girl Randa babysit's) her birthday is tomorrow

My brothers I did 2 in each color

Some of my crafts

2009-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the crafts that I got finished in January. I have a few more done but they are already packed away for Christmas 2009. When I get this stuff packed away I will pull them out and take pictures

My nieces fleece blanket

My nefhew's fleece blanket

This fleece blanket I have made two of and am working on the third they are for my SIL and two brothers girlfriends. I am really likeing the cream/white on colored

Boys valance I made sorry you really cant see to well but has about 5 different colors in

Material I used for boys dresser runner along with one of Kenny's treasures and Davids game cords unfortuntly the rest of the dresser has too much of their junk to take a full picture of

Boys light switch cover made from polymer clay Kenny and I did I don't like it but they love it

Christmas aprons

More Random pictures of the kids

2009-02-12T05:58:00.000-08:00

The reason we spend every weekend of the spring & summer at the races

2008 International Classic team picture (for some strange reason he is always placed infront of the fence, doesn't make for great pictures)

Hey Uncle Jay I race better than you

"LETS MAKE A DEAL" You sign my shirt and I race your car

But Uncle Jay I wanna race this beast

Forever Friends

Is it Hanna Montana or Makayla?

Come on David you know you love your Grandma

Just some random photos

2009-02-12T05:46:00.001-08:00

Little sisters are a pain even to one of the 52 out of 4000 Teacher's Associations Students of the year 2008 Poor David

My snotty flower (Maranda) Alice in Wonderland Jr. May 2008

Kenny, Makayla & Kali (niece) first game day of 2008

2009 is here

2009-01-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

Finally 2008 is gone. 2009 has to be a better year. I have been trying to finalize my 2009 Christmas gift list. All my extended family is getting home crafted gifts. My childern are getting a little more of them then they usually do. Dave he can just get his family whatever. I am no longer worrying about them at all. Especially the way they were this past Christmas. He can get them something or else they have nothing from us. I have already warned him that I was not buying or making for them.

Christmas has come and gone

2008-12-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over. It was a little different in our family this year. Not only was it a tight Christmas with Dave being out of work at the beginning of the year and me for a while towards the end of the year. The kids were still happy with what they got so thats all that matters to me.

This was the first year in my entire life that we did not have anything that we had todo on Christmas eve. I did work until 8:00pm though. Normally we spend Christmas Eve at my moms house that is when we have always had Christmas with my stepsister. Well it has gotten to be to much for anyone to handle. My mom decided to not have Christmas Eve this year. Since all her children are at her house on Christmas morning to open gifts anyways. Kids got to go to bed earlier on Christmas Eve and wake up earlier on Christmas morning to open gifts at home then get ready to Grandma & Grandpa's to open gifts there. And have Grandpa's famous omlets for breakfast.

After opening gifts at moms house we went home where my kids other grandmother, aunt and cousin would be coming for dinner. Oh Joy. I would have rather stayed at my moms house. I cooked, I cleaned up just like Thanksgiving. Why can't they ever have us to thier house where I don't have to lift a finger. Oh yea we tried that one year. They decided to cook Christmas dinner a day early and eat most of it. So on Christmas day there wasn't enough for everyone and we went home hungery. That's his family for you. Luckly my mom had so much left over that we went there to eat after we had been at his families house for dinner that we were invited for.

Dave's niece was bragging on how thier grandmother bought her Guitar Hero for Christmas (mind you she doesn't buy anything for my kids, because she says they already have one grandmother that gives them way too much, and that Dave and I buy what ever they want anyways). My kids have learned that this is how she is and don't care anyways because they do get what they want from us and my family. But it really hurts my children that she brags about it. I always tell them not to worry about it. Well David finally got sick of it. He said (right infront of his grandmother) Who cares that my dad's mom (hmmm not grandma) Guitar Hero, we get everyone when they come out, and my grandma and grandpa bought us alot of things for Christmas. Dave told David he was being rude and I spoke up and said no he wasn't, she had that coming. Then David went on to his cousin that at least he has a Wii and she doesn't and his uncle bought them Guitar Hero World Tour for it, did she have World Tour, no she didn't. I just let him give back to her what she has given to them all of their lifes. David was bragging, and we talked later about it and I told him it wasn't right to brag like that and he told me I know mom but we are just so tired of her bragging and it hurts that grandma doesn't like them like she does their cousin. I felt so sorry for my kids at that moment. I had Three very loving sets of grandparents, my moms parents, my dads parents, and my stepfathers parents. Who do my kids have my mom and my stepdad. My stepdad has been the best grandfather that they could ever have from the minute they were born. They no longer have my dad whom was a great grandfather also. Now they don't have the only other grandfather that they knew their great grandfather. It has been hard on them. They have never met their fathers father. And I really feel sorry for my children that they have one set of wonderful grandparents and one set of wicked rotten grandparents. Also that it really hurts them how their fathers mother does treat them. She treats them like she does me, but that's ok because I don't like her either, and after my conversation with David I don't care if my kids like her or not anymore either. She has done it herself not me.

Just Random Thoughts

2008-12-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

About a month ago now my computer crashed big time so much that it can no longer be fixed. Well you would think it was the end of the world in my house. I don't know whom is worse me or the kids. But we will live with out a computer for a few more weeks since there is just no money to buy a new one right now.

So what has been happening around our house is just so much. Everyone rushing to try and get ready for Christmas. Which is going to be very slim this year with just the money amounts of items my children want. As they get older so do their toys and I only have one teenager at this time. Oh no what's going to happen when they all get there???? Luckly I have very understanding children and they said it was ok that what they don't get they will get for their birthdays if they still want the items.

Here it is December 21st and my kids have not had a snowday from school yet. Friday we received our second big snowstorm of the season. During the first one at the beginning of December the kids had a two hour delay. Friday morning I woke up turned on the news and sort of drifted back to sleep seeing that there was no closing or delay. Woke back up a few mins before time to wake up the kids to get ready and on the bottom of the screen of the tv it was taking 10 mins to get thru the delays and closeings. When it finally rolled around to our district I looked in disbelief. The kids were going to school on time but were being released early What released early they haven't even made it to school yet. It had todo with the time we were getting the storm. And did we get it. Yea but not as bad as they said we were. But still enough where the roads were bad and it was a good thing the kids were home. But I had never ever seen them decide to close school early before the busses were even running to get them to school. I asked everyone including my mom and no one had ever seen that before around here.

As for school we received a letter from the elementary school that three of my children attend. They are closing part of the school for part of the year next year. The part they are closing houses the 4-6 graders. Next year I will have two of them in these grade levels since one of them will be entering Jr. High school. Now for part of the year I will be having 4 children in 4 different schools and that is going to be hard on me and them. But when they return to their school they will have an new safe wing of the school.

Wow I really was just rambling along today.

Election Day in the view of a child

2008-11-04T04:57:00.000-08:00

This Election Day morning was a topic of getting ready for school conversation this morning. My children know my view on the election this year. Sorry to say that I am choosing not to vote this election year because I feel niether canidate is worthy of being our next president. Everyone has the right to their opion and whom they vote for and I have my choice also, and I have made that choice. In my fathers family they are all one party, my brother and myself were raised by my mom and we were always told no matter what party she is we have our own choice. This made an interesting argument between my brother and one of my uncles after my grandfathers funeral a couple of weeks ago. My brother got a couple of people thinking afterwards. With his views.

But anyways I have a mixed house. Yes my children are 13, 12, 10 & 9 but they have been following this election. For two reasons one is they hold a mock election at their school during election year and two they really do care whom is our president. I think if you ask most kids they do too. Maranda has given up she wanted Hillary Clinton as our president, not only because she is a woman, and someone that she looks up too, but she truly believed in her. I have an uncle that has always told Maranda that she will be the first woman president. When Hillary was campaigning Maranda told my uncle that it would not be true, but she told him "Uncle Dave I promise I will be one of the Women Presidents" and we all know someday she will be. This morning she said she still wasn't sure what way she was going to mock vote. She probley won't know until right before she does. David says hes just going to close his eyes and vote whom ever he checks off is his vote. Nice way to vote David, but then again he doesn't believe in either candidate either. Now both Kenny and Makayla are definite on whom they are going to vote for in the mock vote. And this is where the interesting part comes in, they both want the opposite of each other. This morning we heard why and fighting over their choices. But I think that they both gave a great argument on why they are choosing whom they are. At 9 & 10 years old they know what they want and whom they feel can give that too them. Well my dear children they don't have all the power to do what they are saying and you will soon learn that. Kenny next year in 5th grade you will learn more and maybe you can teach Makayla a year early. But you both make me very proud as do Maranda and David, to call you mine. You are all very independent, brilliant children in your own ways.

Football, Cheerleading, Football, Cheerleading

2008-11-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

Football and Cheerleading has run our lifes since August 1st. It is now over and I am sorry to say I am quite bored with out it now. Yesturday was Kenny and Makayla's end of the year banquet. They are wearing their team tee-shirts to prove it to school today. Kenny was going to play basketball during the winter but decided he needed a break from sports. Which I was totally ok with at the time but now I am bored. I think that after 3 nights a week of practice two games to attend every Saturday it took over my life as it did thiers. I really wish they were on the same team but weren't so it ment 4 hours at a football field on Saturdays. But to see the fun they were having made it for me.

I loved hearing Makayla my very quiet, shy little girl turn in to a cheering machine. She was never shy on the side line of that football field cheering for her team and especially for her little "boy"friend and waiting for him to come off the field so they could talk. Getting up at 6:00 one Sunday morning, waking her with no problem. You have to understand she is a bear to wake up in the morning. Traveling 30 miles to be there at 8:00 for Cheerfest which there were Thousands of other Cheerleaders and parents. She just cheered her heart out. Yesturday we got our CD of pictures from that day and everyone of her has a smile on her face. There are over 600 pictures of their team, and the girls were so busy with their dance and cheer they didn't even know they were having thier pictures taken. She sure made me very proud. My baby is growing up.

Kenny what can I say, I watched him start out being afraid to be tackled during practice avoiding anyway he could by being tackled by two certain team mates during tackle drill at practice every night. To begging to have these two players tackle him and him tackle them. Also from wanting to quit after the first week of practice to "mom come on I'm going to be late for practice". There team did great with having 10 boys that had never played and 10 that played one year or a couple that had played no more than three years. They came in third for the season. Made it to playoff's, they lost thier game in the first round of playoffs but held thier own and did very well. Thier team had some very upsetting news one night at practice in September one of thier teammates could no longer play. Josh had been suffering from headaches that put him in terrible pain. Which they found out he had a brain tumor, which was cancer. Josh was in the hospital awaiting brain surgery to remove the mass. These boys asked thier coaches "What can we do for our teammate." They dedicated their season to Josh, and played their hearts out for him. They wore white arm bands with his number on thier left arms at every game. They signed his jersey and gave it too him. They asked questions to coaches and parents and always asked how he was doing. They asked the president of the football organization to raise money for this family to help with thier traveling costs back and forth to the hospital. They did everything they could for Josh for being 9,10 & 11 yr olds. They became a team helping a teammate in his time of need. YOU BOYS ARE GREAT AND KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A TRUE TEAM!!!! Yesturday at the banquet the whole team including Josh (which I was told by his mother is still not out of the woods for at least 5 years. The type of cancer is fast spreading and will have to have tests every month to make sure its not back) were back together as a team, and had one last team picture taken. A great way to end a great season. As always my boy makes me proud he is mine.

Another year gone

2008-11-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Halloween is over for another year. We did not do our Halloween party this year. Just too much going on. We just lost my grandfather on October 9th and my kids as well as myself have taken it pretty hard. My brother had to put his dog down this month after going her (the poor baby) going thru hell since he found out she had cancer in May. She had a front leg taken off, then a couple of weeks later her stomach twisted (which is very common in large dogs) and then twisted its self back(not common at all). A couple months later the cancer was back. They went to remove it but found more spreading thru out her body. They decided to just take her home and let her be spoiled and loved and die at home. Well she got to the point she was so weak my brother couldn't watch her suffer anymore. Our whole family took this pretty hard, she was loved by us all. Even though many people are terrified of Rotties you have never known one as Pacey was. She was a protector, a best friend, sometimes even a pillow for all her human cousins to lay upon. There was a ton of other things that got in the way of having a Halloween party this year also. Next year we will have another the kids love it as I do.

Now its time for me to get busy working on my Christmas crafting. First off I really need to get teachers and kids at school taken care of and thats what I am starting to work on.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2008-10-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

It's here!!!! It's here!!! My favorite day of the year. It comes in close second with my kids right behind Christmas. Lots todo today. I have to work 6 hours tonight so of course I have to miss all the little ghosts and goblins out there, and worse I will miss my own enjoying the night. Even though I did make thier costumes I haven't seen Randa in hers. But hopefully Dave will remember to take pictures of them in their costumes for me. I will be able to see David, Kenny and Makayla at their school parade today. Today is also my sister Colleen's birthday. HaHa she is a year older. So if you read Colleen. HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY 37TH, 37TH, 37TH BIRTHDAY YOU OLD WITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just so you know what I am saying. Love ya, enjoy being the age I was last year but you can still say you are the older one.

Now that I finally got the kids Halloween costumes done, and since today is the last day of October it is really crunch time for me to get Christmas gifts made. I have 29 people to make gifts for plus 6 teachers, and 12 girlscouts. I really have a feeling that alot of people are going to get store bought gifts this year and some of them won't be happy with that. Don't worry Mike and Jay you will both get your Oreo balls but that might be the only gift you get.

Now I am off have lots of things to get done today and have to leave the house by 12:50 to make it to Makayla's class to help kids get ready for their parade by 1:00

Yea they are done

2008-10-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

I finally got all four costumes done. I really had fun with Kenny's hobo costume. Today I hit the only thrift store in town that I didn't yesturday, just becasue I forgot about this one. And I hit the jackpot on finding things for costumes. I also finished up my two Halloween trees. These were the last of the Halloween crafts that I had to get done for this year. I already have alot planned for next year. Just need to get them out of my head and into my notebook. With a list of supplies needed so that I can work on them one weekend a month during the year. I also need to have kids thinking about costumes for next year so that I am not running around figureing out what they need for them at the last minute again. I don't like how it was done this year. I like having everything done ahead of the time.

Now I can get to work on completing teacher christmas gifts so that they are ready to go.

Halloween Costumes

2008-10-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

I dislike that my kids have decided to wait until just about the last minute this year to decide what they wanted to be for Halloween. All but Makayla that is she knew that she wanted to be a rag doll as soon as I brought home a box of old dresses from a garage sale about a month ago. I found a dress that I thought would make a great Parie girl costume but had to buy the whole box which was just a dollar anyways no big deal I can donate the rest of the dresses to the Drama Department in Maranda's school they will use them for something. After Makayla and her friends found the box I brought home they have been using the dresses to play in which is alright too. Because she is just growing up so fast as it is. But now my kids have all decided on their costumes with Kenny finally deciding last night. So I will have a rag doll, a vampire, a black widow and a hobo for children on Halloween this year. Makayla's costume is done since she had a Halloween dance for girl scouts this past Saturday. Davids and Marandas are done except for the clotheing they are wearing with them. Tonight I am going to work on Kenny's hobo costume while sitting at work. I do have to remember to take pictures of them. And they will be posted as soon as my other computer gets fixed. For some reason this computer won't let me post pictures anywhere.

Christmas gifts

2008-10-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

I try and make 95% of Christmas gifts for extended family. I also make alot for my children also. My family perfers homemade gifts from me. My 8 year old niece last year said to me that she knows that her Aunt Kimmy will make her something and not just go to the store and buy her something because I care enough to make her stuff because I love her and I show her when I make her stuff. My brothers are always asking for certain things that I make usually Oreo balls and baked goods, or they are asking could I figure out how to make this or that. I am happy that I can please my family with the things that they love. I have been searching online for ideas for Christmas 2009 ideas. Since I have to craft all year for Christmas I like to start early Later this week I want to start getting that list in order. Not that I am ready for Christmas 2008 yet.

Made for my 4

2008-10-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hi my name is Kim. I love to craft for my 4 children whom all love to craft also. I am going to use this blog for my crafting, and other things in general. I love all holidays and love to incorporate new traditions into the holidays.