better late(r) than never and a giveaway!

so some of my faithful readers

may remember my vow to

make it a homemade holiday this year...

did you think i had forgotten?

did you think i scrapped the

awesome magnet project?

let me explain...

i attempted my first set of magnets

and nearly called it off

because really

without this little tool

don't do it!

cutting, by hand, all the circles

is not fun!

so spend 3 bucks for the

hole punch

you will thank yourself

and then you can make some

rockin' magnets...like these

this picture does them NOOOOOO justice!

i did not have the patience this evening to

mess with a better photo...

~

and to prove it to you...

i am giving a set away!

~

here's how it works...

no fancy rules here...

~

leave a comment if you would like

the chance to win a set of magnets!

the only rule that applies...

no family members...hee hee

you may see some soon enough!

~

so, leave me some comment lovin'

you may snag yourself some magnets!

i will randomly choose a winner

wednesday night!

g is for...

kori posted a meme on her blog
i thought i'd play along
she sent me the letter G
i have to name 10 things
that begin with G
here goes...

1. Grandparents...love mine and miss them!
i love that our kids have the same loving and
fun relationship with theirs!

2. our last name...G&*$$...often mispronounced,
rarely duplicated.

3. Games...we play alot of them...not always with a
happy outcome for the little one that doesn't always
win...but they are learning to win and lose graciously.

4. Google...need i say more?

5. German food...hubs and i have a fave german restaurant
in the city in which we used to live...i gained 5 pounds
just thinking about it!

6. Good mail...this includes anything that is not
in any way a bill of some sort.

7. Gift Giving...i love the feeling i get from giving to others

8. Garage...especially when my car can fit in it!

9. Green apples...love them tart!

10. Gummy bears...the little guy and i share an affinity
for these soft, fruity, chewy tid bits. yumm!

okay...that was not easy, and i am thinking that i missed
something really obvious that starts with a G...but it eludes
me right now!

want to play?
let me know and i'll shoot a letter your way!

dear dreamworks

thank you for the movie
kung fu panda
it is a hit in our household
and what a great message.

however, i feel the need
to mention
a few of the effects it has had
on a certain 4 year old boy.

he is now so very fond of proclaiming
"oh, my tenders"
almost non stop
thanks for that.
and because he was bending over
holding his toes
as he would say it,
thanks also for the impromptu
anatomy lesson about 'tenders'
considering how often he uses it
ignorance might have been bliss.

thanks also for the work out
he is getting
all day, every day
he no longer walks,
runs,
or saunters
from point a to point b
he kung fus it to his destination
he kicks his way through the house.
just pray you are not in his way.
(ahem, just ask hubs)

thanks also for the small hole
in our wall
while engaging in said above behavior
our very hard headed kunf fu master
chipped our wall.
nice decorating touch.

again, thank you for the movie
but, maybe the next big hit can be,
oh, i don't know, maybe
about a boy who
loves serenity and playing the violin
just a suggestion.

grateful

grate·ful

Pronunciation:
\ˈgrāt-fəl\

Function:
adjective

1 a: appreciative of benefits received
b: expressing gratitude

we try so hard to instill
a sense of gratefulness
in our children

we hope that everyday
they see that we are grateful for
family
friends
our good health
a roof over our heads
the jobs we have
the opportunities afforded us
each other

and today, we will take a little extra time
to let them know once again
just how grateful we are
and how grateful they should be

happy thanksgiving everyone!

hold onto your laptops...

here goes...
i have many pics

to share with you

scroll on down

to see a few!

this was a lazy saturday a few weekends ago. nice pink cell big guy!

same weekend...first 'cold' weekend.

the very next weekend...back to shorts

and feeling full of energy...

lots of prep goes into being such an astute jump roper!

mason is a champion frisbee thrower...no really

he rocks!

keep your eyes open buddy!

even these came out to play!

my once completely dead geraniums

got a second wind!

and today...

i had the honor of helping out

with the big guy's preschool

thanksgiving feast

what fun! and the best part...

he sincerely thanked me

about 100 sweet times for

helping with his class today

he's my sweet boy!

and this pic...is just because...

i finally used a gift card

i have carried with me

for over a year

for a cute gift shop

i got the plant and pot

and it is a perfect

addition to bar in the kitchen...

like confession, only better

playing along with mckmama...

i did not leave every ounce of anything i could have worked on in my classroom during this week we have off. that would mean i would have to grade papers when i return to work next week. oh wait, i have a student teacher doing solo teaching when i return, so i totally could have left my stuff at school!

~

i did not use all the words i tell the littles not to use while they were in the car with me today! and i did not explain to the oldest that i did so because the guy ran us off the road...like that makes it okay!

~

i did not rewash a basket of clean laundry today because, instead of folding it, someone threw it into a basket and it sat and got all wrinkly.

~

i did not sit and wait for monday madness to start over at finding normal just so i could get in on the action. and i was not the first commenter...that would be pathetic!

~

i did not tell the littles this morning that mommy would not get out of bed a minute before 8am. that would keep them waiting for their beloved bowls of cereal! i would not let them starve like that!

temperature check please!

UPDATE: a hunting we will go!
we are wimps...
we ventured outside
it was beautiful
warmer outside!
so we went hunting!
that's right, hunting!
have you seen these items?

we found every single one

around our neighborhood!
the kids had a blast!
they got a sticker by each item

as they found it.
and they want to go on another

tomorrow
so, um, today
i will drive the 'hood again and make more lists!


ORIGINAL POST:
so, our first 'winter' in ca,
we chuckled at people
wearing coats
bundled like it was cold
ha!
hubs and i both grew up
in cold winters
like snot-freezing
digit-numbing
eye-watering cold
and now, well
we are cold!
it is 45 degrees
and we are cold!
sad i know...
and really not so cold
we know...
but here we are:
in front of a fire
drinking hot drinks
layered in clothing
baking and cooking to heat the house!

needless to say,
our bodies have acclimated!
we no longer chuckle at the bundled people
we are those bundled people!

and we joke with each other
about our inability to
survive
a 'real' winter right now

and the kids?
before we moved
the big girl would cry
in the cold
no joke!
and the boy, well
too young to remember it.

we are taking them
up the hill in a month to go sledding
this should be fun!
you will more than likely find us
around a vat of hot chocolate
trembling
yes, we are acclimated!

(and to our family and friends
who we have spoken to lately
who are really experiencing cold...
more power to you!)

lovin' the loot ladies!

wednesday

i get a little me time

right after work

for about an hour

it excites me!

so imagine how excited i was

when i got home

all by myself,

a package waiting just for me!

from

mamarazzi's favorite things swap

(i will update this link soon...

her mr. linky went on the blinky!)

i was paired up with carrie

she is great

and i am suspecting she knows me...

like really, really well!

you see, she sent her favorite things to me

but, um, they are my favorite things!

and she had no way of knowing that!

let me show you!

when i opened the box

there were directions...cute!

she told the order in which

to open things

she also said

she wished

she could watch me open them...

so i covered that with a pic

taken myself, as i was home alone!

here are the goodies before opening:

here is me relishing in our favorite things!

and here is a close up of the loot!

now, you be the judge...

does she know me or what?!

package #1: starbucks card...

and she recommends

the ONLY drink i ever get from there!

yep, a grande white chocolate mocha!

and she says

the pumkin cream cheese muffin is good!

i will let you know!

speaking of pumpkin:

package #2:

she told me about how she loves

everything pumpkin, except pie

OMG! same here...i can eat

pumpkin anything...

just not the pie please!

so she gifted a pumkin reed diffuser!

smells yummy!

package #3:

how did she know i have an addiction:

hi, my name is lori

i have an addiction

to burt's bees lip balm!?

she apparently has the same issue!

many tubes of it

can never find one when you want it

so i am stoked to have another!

(and, um, she will be excited too...

when she gets hers! hee hee!)

package #4:

sour, sour, and more sour!

that's how i roll!

she came through in a big way!

sour.patch.kids.

i love her for them!

(and so does the son,

who keeps sneaking some!)

package #5: drum roll please!

she handmade a bee-uuuu-tee-ful

scarf!

i now have four that i wear, um,

a lot

in fact, people notice

how much i like scarves

this one is divine!

(and, did i mention...

it is our local h.s. colors? neat!)
i have had it on all evening!

what can i say? carrie rocks!
thanks carrie!

fair play

picture this:
a young girl, maybe 2
at the park
or the mall play area
waiting her turn
patiently
a child steps in front
of her, crowds her
she would oblige them
too nice or shy to speak up
i remember hubs and i
talking about how
to get her to stand up for herself
but not be mean
not be a bully
sometimes a fine line
i remember encouraging her
and feeling so happy for her
when we saw her stand up for herself
picture this:
she is 6
she stands up for herself
she might still be a little shy
but she is shy with a backbone!

Picture this:
a young boy, a firm 4 years old
rambunctious
rough and tumble
like all things active
does not initiate
but will definitely defend himself
likes his personal space
appreciates fairness
he joins a new preschool class
problems arise
that were not there in previous class
using hands
playing rough
being a boy
we rewarded good hands
praised playing nicely
so proud of him
and he so proud of himself
then, one day
jockeying for a ball
he gets bitten
on the face
by a child
whose name comes up often
as a source of conflict
picture this:
the same 4 year old
questioning why
his friend would do that
we talk about right and wrong
what a 'friend' is and is not
he still calls him his friend
more forgiving than i

may the speed bumps in the early years
prepare them with the confidence to climb the mountain later in life

clearasil anyone?

tonight
the big girl says,
with deep concern:
"mommy,
you have a mosquito bite,
right there on your chin!"

me: "yes, well honey,
that is called a pimple"

god love her
she will know
soon enough

and hello,
i thought i was past pimples people!
come on
cut a woman a break,
not a break out!

oh, and thanks for keeping it real honey!

tuesday's this n that...

first, happy veterans' day!

to all who served or have served our country

it is an honor to honor your service to our country!

(personal thanks to dad, hubby, brother in law and sister in law!)

~~~

Homemade Holiday: Craft #2

as promised, i have another fun craft for a homemade holiday gift. i hit the craft store this weekend and got to work on a few things! here is one of them...

personalized cork board squares

i made this one with a teen in mind, but would be perfect for tweens, teens, and heck, adults too!

supplies are simple:

cork board squares, dark ones for more contrast

craft paint

stencil and brushes

the good thing about working with these squares...they have two sides, in case you mess up, and the paint wiped off very easily when needed!

the challenge...since the surface is pitty in some spots, you have to carefully plan your design. also i suggest using a somewhat simple, larger graphic stencil, comes out better than a smaller, more intricate one...trust me, i tried! and they came in a package of four, so she may even get two more, or they might for another tween!

here is the finished product! i like how it turned out! these are for a gal whose room is pink and brown. what a neat place to hang movie tickets, notes, photos, drawings, etc!

~~

update on craft #1, the marble magnets: one word, okay, maybe two: hole punch! i am currently in search of the right size, and am sure it will make the task much easier! will post picks as soon as i finish a set!

and look for craft #3 in the next few days...working on it as we speak!

an open letter

dear appliances,

forgive me if you feel neglected as of late.
i know you are not cleaned often enough
and may feel overused
but it doesn't mean i love you any less
i want to know why more of you cannot be truly self cleaning,
like your cousin the dishwasher.
sure oven, you 'claim' to be self cleaning, but who are you fooling?
i haven't seen you clean yourself yet!
i know dryer has been going around bragging
about how he gets cleaned all the time
but that is only because he has threatened us
with fire if we don't keep him clean!
the rest of you, don't get any ideas.
and please remember, i am not the only one using you!
there's another adult around here that uses you just as often!
to oven, microwave, and fridge...
i at least keep your outsides looking good!
doesn't that count for something!?
so listen appliances, your day will come
when you can shine from the inside out
but until then...
keep pluggin along!
and thanks for always doing what we ask of you!
we love you dirty or clean, inside and out!

2 down, 2 to go

here'shoping it goes slow!
we are halfway through our 4 day weekend
it started with a donut
our big guy is serious
about his occassional donut
so when he gets one,
he savors it
he chose a cake donut
with pink sprinkles
a young gal walks by him,
while he is noshing,
and she says, "that is a girl donut"
his mouth was too full to respond
but he let her know, with a look,
that he was not amused!
~
next, we did something we rarely do
family trip to the grocery
which is actually fun
we divide and conquer
sort of a race
super market sweep-like
always wanted to be on that show!
only difference is,
we had to pay for the groceries in the end!
we did get a free turkey though!
~
we also saw a popular family movie saturday
funny, cute, many laughs
lots of popcorn
hubs and i enjoyed the hippo humor
~
our sunday dinner in the crockpot
turned into saturday's dinner
it was yummy
~
today, a trip to the craft store
will post a homemade holiday
update tomorrow
having fun crafting!
~
and to top off our sunday
a trip to the park
and...
are you sitting down?
ice cream before dinner!
or in the kids' case,
FOR dinner!
our cool parent factor
skyrocketed
until tomorrow night at dinner!
hee hee!
~
tomorrow...
crafting
snacking
playing
napping
etc.
~
did i mention
i love 4 day weekends...

out of the mouths of...

we were in the car
on the way to the movies
we see a female runner
our big guy says:
"i want to kiss her"
WHAT???
we were stifling our laughter
in the front seat
a conversation ensued
about who we kiss
let's keep it in the family son!

a few minutes later
conversation turned to
veterans day
our big girl says:
"what is a veteran?"
i told her, and reminded
her that her daddy and grandpa
are both veterans
her face lit up
then she says:
"i can call you veteran"
"take us to the movies veteran!"

sat.sun.mon.tue.

4.day.weekend.
long awaited
after a week of conferences
i came home
slept in recliner for 2 plus hours!
felt good!
now, let the weekend begin...
we will surprise the kids
with a trip to the donut shop
we will go see a much anticipated movie
we will eat movie popcorn
we will play guess who 2 million times
we will make a sunday dinner
in the crockpot
we will read many books
we will visit the craft store
we will make something crafty
we will, well, might, even clean
we will ride bikes, weather permitting
we will build with our new legos
we might even make a dessert
we will menu plan and grocery shop
we would love to sleep in
but you know how that goes!
we will be busy
enjoying our 4 glorious days
ta ta for now
4 day weekend, take me away!

homemade holiday: craft #1

i have been scouring the web for fun craft projects for our homemade holiday this year!

i have come across some wonderful ideas and will post one every few days.


one that i am really excited about trying is
'marble magnets' which i found over at not martha

the instructions are very easy to follow and lots of pictures to guide you.


we are going to try this over the weekend, so i will let you know how they turn out.

aren't they the cutest? and you can get very creative with what you put behind the glass!

i have already torn out several pages from my favorite magazines in preparation

get crafty people!

wayback wednesday

olivia and mason

fall 2006

they could spend all day at this bridge

they love it

(click on photos to see up close cuteness)

feeling up for a challenge?

52 days...

until chirstmas

i don't know about you

but i do not enjoy

seeing christmas

stuff on the shelves beside

the fall stuff

for one,

i love fall

and don't wish it to leave sooner than it must

secondly,

the thought of christmas shopping stresses me out

don't get me wrong,

i love to shop, love it

but really, we are on a tight budget right now

and don't want to spend money we don't have

sooooooo....i am announcing

a promise and a challenge!

i PROMISE to make it a homemade christmas

i CHALLENGE you to do the same

over the next few weeks,

i am going to post some really great ideas

and cool links

for making great gifts this christmas

yes, i get that i will have to buy the stuff

to make some of these things

but i know i will spend way less

and i can't wait to do it with the kids

we have the whole week of thanksgiving off

we will start then...

and really, here is the biggest question:

how much more stuff do we all need?

hubs and i have downsized our kids stash of toys

and really, what they have is still more than they play with

and as for us, well, we have enough, as do most people i know!

so, i am declaring an end to excessiveness!

who wants to join me in lovingly making this a homemade christmas?