remember I was making Katie a quilt?

I did warn you this was a slllllloooooooowwwwww process.

I am finally getting to the exciting part of making a quilt. Well, it's the exciting part for me anyways. I can begin to see a glimpse of what the finished design will look like. You create the brights/blacks star design by creating the black stars first. The bright stars will come together as I sew the black star blocks into rows. I hope those rows will be coming together soon...with soon being relative in my quilting time continuum. Squeeeeeeeee! So excited!

funnies

Sam came home from his chess club award ceremony with a bright green ribbon waving in his hand. The girls and I gathered around him to admire his ribbon and hear his take on the award ceremony. Teresa took the ribbon and studied it for a minute as she deciphered what was written on it. Her eyes widened into shocked circles and an incredulous look flitted across her face. She looked up at me with her eyebrows scrunched together and glanced over her shoulder to make sure Sam was not within earshot. Then she whispered indignantly, "How mean! They shouldn't bother giving out ribbons if they're going give him one that says "HORRIBLE"." (Honorable...it said honorable mention.)

I was running the Spring book fair at my kid's elementary school and had been to the bank to get money to have in the registers at the start of the fair. The money was in small bills and rolls upon rolls of change. I dumped it all out onto the kitchen table and began rummaging around in the kitchen cabinets for a container to put it all in. Katie wandered in and stared at the big pile of wrapped coins on the table. She turned to me and asked in a matter of fact little voice, "Mumma, Why are there so many tampons on the kitchen table?"

The other morning, bookfair morning, I needed the kids to get up super early so I could get to the school and put last minute details in place, like put all those tampons into the registers. Under normal circumstances Sam is not an easy person to wake up in the morning. He groans and stretches and hides under the covers. I knew it wasn't going to be easy and was prepared for the worst. I crept into his room and sat down on his bed. I rufflled his hair and gently called, "Sam...Sam...it's time to get up." A smile spread across his face and he opened his eyes. Before I had time to faint in shock he looked at me and said, "Alright, But I've got to get back to the pineapple fish." And he closed his eyes and rolled over. I chuckled and shook his shoulder again and without opening his eyes Sam murmured, "tell Yoshi I said Hi." I giggled a little bit more and decided I'd give him a little bit more time to finish dreaming.

just because I don't want to forget

Katie has always called her sneezes "aah choos." She still does. As in, "Mumma, I have been aah chooing all morning!" and "I wish these aah choos would go away." And I'm in no hurry to correct her. I will actually go so far as to hush Teresa up when she goes to correct her. I make no secret of the fact that I still consider her my baby and I will cling on to every remnant of babyhood for as long as I possibly can.

the luck of the Irish to you!

May your blessings outnumber
the shamrocks that grow
And may trouble avoid you
where ever you go.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I'm a dog and I'm in a lap...end of story.

Despite much evidence to the contrary, Mudge refuses to admit he is not a lapdog.

basta ya!

I had been congratulating myself on a winter notable for it's lack of major sickness here in our house. All the while making sure I was knocking on wood. Must have been faux wood I was knocking on, because the sick made itself known a couple weeks ago and has yet to leave our home. Nothing too debilitating, but enough to make us all cranky and blah. Poor Katie is having a hard time kicking this thing to the curb. She thinks being sick is not so bad. Most of the time our tv is turned off all day, but since she's been confined to bed or couch, I've indulged her and allowed mucho Dora and Diego. I know she's been sick far too long because she's watched so much Dora and Diego she is practically fluent in Spanish. But really, I'm ready for her to be back to her usual giggling, dancing, singing, gabbing, opinionated, adorable self.

back in the day

When "going to school" was still considered the best thing ever and they longed for the day when they too could partake in such fun.

My how things have changed.

(Sam 3 years, Teresa 1 year)

providing comfort

girlfriends

I used to feel like I missed something. Sometimes after reading books like The Ya Ya Sisterhood or The traveling pants or some other girlfriend centric chick lit like that, I felt like the bus pulled out of the garage without me. I'd start to thinking how awesome it would be to have this large circle of women who have known me forever and accept me for who I am and who will always be there for me.

Don't get me wrong. I have wonderful friends that I love beyond words. But I became friendly with most, if not all, after my twenties. There are only a couple that I can trace back to my teens. Few of my friends know that I once thought I could talk to animals or that I had a crush on Sean Cassidy. It kind of starts to annoy me when I read those books. The women bond instantly as toddlers and are still the bosomest of buddies five decades later.

Quite recently however, I realized something. I had completely overlooked something every time I started my little pity party over poor friendless me. Or, I should say, I overlooked someones. I actually do have a big circle of girlfriends, who date back to my infancy even, who rally around me when needed and who know me better than I know myself. My sisters. Duh! I am lucky enough to have five incredible sisters. These women have seen me through every awkward stage and loved me in spite of myself. We called each other names, pulled each other's hair, and borrowed each other's clothes without asking. And yet, through it all, they have been there for me.



We tease each other over disastrous prom do's and bad haircuts. We help each other get through tough times with small gestures that mean more than we know. One of my sisters sent me postcards throughout my college freshman year because she knew getting mail was a daymaker. One of my sisters showed up at my door with bags and bags of groceries when she heard through the grapevine that we were all down with the swine flu. When Sam was hospitalized with pneumonia one of my sisters arrived at the hospital, scooped up my baby for the weekend so that I could focus on my sick little guy. I missed my baby but never gave a second thought to her well being. I knew she was in the best of hands. We don't always get along and may bicker amongst each other at times but when one of us is down and out, the others come through with love, support, humor, food and yes, when appropriate, wine. They boost me up when I'm feeling down, take my kids when I need a break, commiserate with me when I need to vent, and always always leave me laughing.



We've discussed love, kids, husbands, tv shows, politics and every other topic in between, around someone's kitchen table...first my Mother's and over the years everyone's. They've taught me all I needed to know about parenthood and marriage while sitting around a kitchen table.


They've pushed me to embark on adventures I was reluctant to begin. They've taught me about sewing, knitting, running, cooking, basketball, travel and teaching. Some of these have been successful ventures and others, well let's just say they are best left alone. We've collaborated on projects and poked and prodded each other into making sure we see them all through to completion. We've celebrated each other's achievements and accomplishments together.


My sisters quietly give me space when I need it and let me know they are there if I need them.

I am blessed beyond words. I belong to a circle of women who are funny, loving, generous and who love me as fiercely as I love each of them. My sisters. My girlfriends.




I am lucky indeed.

all you need for a snowfriend

Are these not adorable?

All you need are either non-dairy creamer bottles (for the big ones) or smoothie bottles (for the little guys) and odds and bits from around the house. They are gaurenteed not to melt too.