a little bug

* i absolutely could NOT rotate my picture. i did it in Picasa and saved it like 10 times and it still goes back to this sideways shot. oh well. :)

today i got the kids back to school from a 4 day weekend...and literally the minute the bus drove away i felt my insides turn over. i have some kind of a bug doing crazy dances in my stomach. i can hardly stand up it hurts so bad. so i gathered some supplies to set me up on the couch with.

book? check. tums? check. toast? check. twilight movie on the tv? check. crochet hook and yarn??? check.

do i know how to crochet? uncheck. uh, no. i was hoping that i could somehow teach myself. no book on that either. maybe i can find something online in between belly aches. i've been seeing these granny squares blankies around blog town and i want to join in. me and my cold feet just might need one of those -and made by me, even better.

this is one of new years changes. to DO some of the things i have been wanting to do for so long. i always wish i did this or that. but i am pathetic and give up before i even try. well, not this time. yes, crocheting is on my list of little wishes for myself. why not? if it adds joy to my life, a little happiness. i'm a crafty girl...

i'll be on the couch until this little upset tummy goes away. which is too bad really cause i had a long list of things to get to work on today after the kids skadaddled. too bad i can't plan my sickies for those days when i have nothing to do, that would work so much better.

xoxo

henry, get off the couch--no wait, stay!

henry? what do you see each day as you sit on the top of the couch?

usually he is sitting the other way, with his little butt on the couch, his body on the window shelf area and his face leaving slobbery puppy drool on the glass. he watches the wind blow, the snow fall, the rabbits and squirrels and kitties walk by-taunting him. neighbors coming and going, kids playing...he takes it all in. he is the best window watcher. i am so lucky he found this spot. at first i wanted him off the couch and out of the window. now i cannot think of a better thing. it is my peace. when he is sitting up there, he is not bugging me, he is not fighting or playing with buster and i have some good solid time to get things done without a little henry dog at my feet. :) in this photo, he feel asleep with the sunshine on his back and his face tucked into the couch. as tough as he looks and acts, this staffy puppy is turning out to be kinda sweet. see i toldja i was falling for him.

now if i could just get him to stop wanting to eat anyone under the age of 6, we'd be in good shape.

xoxo

today...

was back to routine day.

it did not go well.

camille forgot her lunch. got her phone taken away. izzy and logi got into a brawl before and after school.

these three are not sitting happily on the couch like here opening advent gifts...

they did finally return to school, after 18 days of winter break. the house was quiet and calm with just the doggies and me.

that is until the sweet darlings returned from school. and all hell broke lose. seriously. each is now in their room, banished from cell phones, and tvs and even homework. they are writing sentences...something like..."i will not cause chaos and havoc before or after school".

there are moments like this when it is so hard to be a mom. i don't know if writing 200 --(yes 200 for today) sentences will really teach them to stop doing the bad behaviors, but once the crying is over and they actually start writing, it gives me a little bit of time to talk myself out of the freak out i am about to have. :)

i wonder what other parents do when things escalate between siblings?? alex makes them do yard work...which is usually where they share their screaming matches with all the neighbors. i like the sentences. it gives me a bit of peace, and my children have the best handwriting. and then we discuss the issues at hand.

well its dinner time. i'll do that and see if things perk up.

xoxo

shopping

today i took the girls to the mall to spend their money; and to target to use their gift cards from their meema.

and afterwards, i have decided that i will only go shopping with kids if i can take one at a time. it all went ok, but it was too long and hard to enjoy and...the thing is, i love shopping. i don't want my shopping experiences to feel crazy or overwhelming. and the girls like different stores. an hour into hollister, izzy was in tears....then camille would not step a foot into the toy isle of target. yes, it'll just have to be one at a time, i felt exhausted.
they each came home with lots of lovely goodies (new socks, jeans, lipgloss, lotions, petshops (izzy) tshirts, ds games, magazines, and itunes cards) and are now in their rooms enjoying themselves. :) camille mentioned that she could shop all day....yeah, me too sweetie, me too!!

ps. we also took down our christmas trees. i felt a little sad, but henry kept eating the ornaments off and it was making us all crazy chasing after him. you can only do that for so many weeks, and then enough is enough.
tonight i'm looking forward to reading a new sewing book i got. our bookstore is closing and everything is just a few dollars, so i used my gift card and got Amy Karol's Bend the Rules with fabric. i already have her bend the rules sewing. its a great crafty sewing book, if you're in search of one.
oh, i'm also reading the sequel to the book chocolat. i got it a few months ago at a thrift shop for 50 cents. i forget the name....but its really good. i read the first one back in college. it makes me want to rent the movie and snack on some goodies....

anyone figure out their goals & resolutions for this year yet??
mine are still simmering. but i'll tell of one: to get my etsy shop opened. ive been a member since 2007...and that's just plain sad...my poor shop has been waiting...empty for me. it is time. :)
i wanna add lose my ten pounds, but i am just going to let that happen as it may. i'm tired of stressing about it, cause the added stress is making me bald. nice, huh? i can't just be ten pounds overweight, i have to throw in a few less hairs. its almost gross getting older...sorry.

xoxo