One lucky girl

we're friends again

I had really lost touch with my SLR since taking on the 365 project last year and feeling forced to have my camera EVERYWHERE - everyday but recently I am reaching for it again and loving the great pictures that this camera takes. I have had fun clicking away. My memory card has over 400 images on it just from this last week. Back to my usual picture loving friendship:)

I took tons at Mags Graduation and I'll share a few favorites. Very proud moment for her and all of us who love her and feared this may not happen at one point over the last couple years.

 

 

 

Her boyfriend who was Validictorian

 

I'm so proud of you, Jessica!

{ a nickname that stuck after too many blonde moments:)

Jackson had his baseball game this week and I was able to get lots of pictures of the team. Jackson pitched and played first.. he had a ton of strike outs and a great grab or two. He also had some big hits and scored. They won!! He is having a great start and I'm so happy that he is happy!

 

 

 

 

 

and this one of jacob that is classic.. texting away..

 

Thursday was field day for both the boys at school. They came home so cute with their headbands that i had to get a picture or two. Jackson was on the pink panther squad and had to get a pink shirt from cait.

Jackson won the sportsmanship award for the entire school for field day.. He received an MP3 player and was announced for special recongnition .. he was so happy and I am so proud of him! 

 

 

 

worked on several projects this week- this one is for a friend to give her daughters brownie troop leaders.. it's a book of songs for camp outs. Turned out pretty cute.

 

Friday was Jacob's last day at Stephen Mack. Hard for me to believe we have been here three years and he is now headed to Hononegah. Once your kids are in school, the years fly by and I know he has made so many friends. He is at a wonderful school and for that i am so grateful. I will miss knowing lots of teachers and feeling like an involved parent, volunteering,etc. i think that will change in high school with so many kids and rarely seeing them. There will be so many exciting new experiences ahead of him and I feel like i want to stop time yet i can't wait to see what great things await him.

To celebrate the last day of middle school, I went in on a limo with another mom. The boys thought we were picking them up for pizza with friends. Instead they were shocked to see this SUV limo. Truly a great surprise that I know they earned!

 

Cheers to you Beeba:)

Friday night we went to Garrett's and had all the boys there for pizza and hoops. Girls came over later and we had a bonfire. Shane and I left there for an hour or so and went to see his sister's band in roscoe again.

 

lots of family and friends there and we were bummed to have to take off but I went back for Jacob and even though it was supposed to wrap up by 9pm it went on til almost midnight. I had a few margaritas with Becky and we sat by the fire chatting about our great kids. good times.

Jackson has been checking on the nest daily.. the babies are here:)

 

 

lots of family time this weekend. We got our screens repaired and up, we ate meals on the deck and played cards, we went to a friends for bags tournament and beers, we slept in for the first time in weeks! We enjoyed the beautiful weather and Shane finally put in a new screen/storm door1 I've wanted that for 3 years so I'm thrilled to have it up:)

spent the rest of tonight doing laundry, catching up on projects and updating my june scrap stuff:blog, website, and newsletter!

Jackson is going to the zoo tomorrow and he has a baseball game tomorrow night if it doesn't rain. Jacob's graduation is tomorrow night. I am off early to go decorate the hall. I have been working on a slideshow for it for a long time and can't wait to see it up on the big screen;)

It will be a long night though because the dinner/dance is right after the ceremony and goes til 11pm BUT then Tuesday is my last day of work and we are off for the summer!

Grateful. the best gift my husband gives me every year to have these summer's with my kids.

Welcome June! have a great week:)

Week eight weigh in and some other stuff

okay so I should start this by sharing that the diet was pretty much non-existent this week. Sad but true.. I did not exercise at all:(.. life got in the way of any 'me' time and then this weekend really kicked my butt. I ate junk at the mall food court instead of the wheat sandwich from subway followed by a trip to our little ice cream shop friday night.. homemade ice cream, had to have some. Then the ball park all weekend- that says enough {nachos, taco in a bag} it's all very depressing and to be real, I have trouble looking at my nutrisystem food there in the pantry but back to it and some kind of exercise this week.. I am determined.  I did manage to still lose a pound though so think if i gave it any effort. :)

other stuff: Busy life ya know!

Jackson had his first baseball game of the season and it was awesome! He pitched and did fabulous! He had a game winning grab and he hit a home run.. well, he really hit a double but the outfield made a couple errors and he scored on his hit so..in the park homer;) We also played his teacher's son and so she was there cheering him on too..she loves him and he will sure miss her. So happy he had a huge 1st game!

forgot my zoom lens so better pics next time

Jackson is also thrilled about the bird nest right outside his window.. checking on the eggs daily.

I was able to go on a field trip with Jackson this week. We went to see a play and it was fun to spend the day with him. He is a great kid- 

 although I will say it felt like i was working. I went right away in the morning to Jacob's school to run 8th grade grad copies and then right to Jackson's school for the trip and then as soon as that was over i went to my mom's school for my big craft projects with moms and kids.. lots of work but fun and i am already thinking up things for the fall.

Friday i came home to a spotless kitchen- even the stove. i HATE to clean the stove, one of the worst jobs and my husband cleaned it all and he brought home roses and a mushy card. what a great way to start the weekend! thanks babe!

I finished Maggie's board for her party.. lots of fun looking through 18 years of photos. so many memories. I love how a picture takes you back in time.

She had a good party and I'm very proud of her. Her actual graduation is this wednesday afternoon.

We went to her party after Jacob's games then we met him at the coach's house for the team pool party. Did i mention I also had some margaritas?? bad weekend.bad.

Jackson and I went back out to the mall this morning so I could grab a few more things.. a super cute dress from AT loft and some dressy stuff for the boys. zoomed out to Roy Gayle to see a great game. Jacob's team won the entire tournament and Jacob hit his first home run out of the park this season.. he needed a big hit as he's been in a little slump. so, so happy for that. The team trophy is taller than me.. seriously! very cool.

Shane left right from the game to go to Wrigley with his Dad for the cub game.

The boys and i were home tonight.. i have been creating all afternoon/night. worked on the week of summer mini book

and the book for jackson's teacher as well as a little album for his math teacher who recently had a baby.

I also made a thank you card and sorted product kits.  did a little laundry and watched some monday tv.

Busy rest of the week. baseball every night and making a bee hive cake tomorrow night for a teacher that is retiring.  more creative work for classes. hoping to squeeze time in to tan and workout. Jacob's last day at Stephen Mack is Friday. can't talk about that since i'm over tired and will get to sappy.

Hope you had a great weekend and enjoy the week.. it's already Tuesday..love that;)

Monday weigh in week 7 and more

so the blog is feeling like a huge weight lately..no pun intended but just another thing I want to keep up with but I know i can push to the back burner when life gets busy and lately it's real busy. I find myself writing a few to-do lists a day..totally unreasonable and I am searching for extra hours in the days just to feel like I am accomplishing things off those lists!so.. my apologies for the bad blogging BUT I will say this, it's a crazy time of year for my family and school and sports so I know that in umm.. 9 more work days that I will feel like I have more time for this blog because then school commitments will be over and work for the next three beautiful months will also be over!

{sigh} I can feel the stress getting better already;)

until then this is a peek at my to-do list which has to be completed between the hours of 3pm and oh, midnight in the next week  if I'm lucky:

*finish up kits for Washington Academy projects/craft day.. that is this Thursday!

*complete mini book class sample and post pics on creative blog and make a newsletter email for it

*run boys to practices and open gym

*boys haircuts

*Jackson's first game..tomorrow night:)

*make hair and eyebrow appt for me for june

*make baseball calendars for the summer for family

*ship etsy item that sold

*buy postcard stamps and finish addressing and sending out for Lia Sophia party {June 4th.. please come and have munchies and a margarita and check out my friend, Amy's stuff}

*make invites for Jacob's friends for their last day of school.. something WAY cool in the works but hush for now on here!

*make a girl scout book for a friend to give to her daughter's leader

*finish stalking the kids in Jackson's class to turn in their pages for the special book for the teacher gift

*Finish the teacher scrapbook

*make a baby mini book for Jackson's math teacher.. she just had a baby;)

*make project 12 layouts and kits for class

*make samples with new product for June

*sort the HUGE piles of new product in my studio

*June newsletter and site update

*work on assignments for the photography class i am in

*finish slideshow for 8th grade graduation party

*buy a display for Maggie's graduation board for the party

*search through pics for board and make displays

*get tables and chairs to moms

*get a gift

*get to the mall and grab a few things including a graduation outfit for Jacob

*groceries

*laundry

*Jacob- five baseball games this weekend

*get a new screen door and get it up

*yard work

*plan cards and treats for teachers/office for end of year thank u's

* tan and get to the Y

*return way over due movies

OMG.. r u tired yet? lol! I know we all have lists or think of them anyway but it never ends and so the blog suffers.

Mother's day was good. spent the day with my kiddos and I even splurged and had grill and a hand full of doritos.. my weakness and after six weeks.. they tasted so good;)

We also visited family

We have been to lots of baseball games for Jacob and he also was honored at Hononegah for awards night.

lots of work on my Washington project.. my living room is a mess-

Stacey helped me last weekend to get flowers and plant them in big pots for the porch and I am hoping to keep them alive;)

We cut down a tree.. a little one and cleaned up others..trimming them down. I also got my new little birdhouse in a tree out front.. so cute.. thanks Maggie;)

stopped at jacque's for her graduation open house and that was so fun to catch up with the girls from COL. too long but funny how after years you can fall right into place and it feels like no time has passed?

as for the weight.. I have lost 23 pounds as of Sunday night but I have been too relaxed about it and eating off plan too much so the scale tonight.. Tuesday,  did not say 23 pounds any more:( so.. back to the grind!

I think we will be finishing what food we have in the pantry for Nutrisystem and then we are going to try to continue but buy healthy and try it. We have more than a month left of food still.

my size ten jeans are so baggy on me.. looks like i dont have a butt and they fall loose to my hips. .where they were too tight two months ago and had a very ugly muffin top bulging out the top that was squeezed right at my waist.. that has to be better than the number on the scale for me.. feeling it or feeling less;)

Shane joined me at the Y last week and it pushed me to go and work harder so i hope we will try to go together as much as possible.. maybe early before he goes to work this summer. than kgoodness for him through this diet..pushing me. He is adding sit ups to his routine. I haven't felt the desire to do that. hate sit ups!

it's after 1:30am but i will add this to a late tuesday night post. I have to try to get a little sleep.. up even earlier tomorrow than usual becuase i am signed up to bring monkey bread to work for staff breakfast. Lets see how that will power holds up tomorrow. yikes:)

Have a good rest of the week! Please know i am thinking of you and this damn blog even when life gets in the way of my posts

Monday weigh in- week six

blackjack!

21 pounds in six weeks..pretty happy with that. I had a goal of twenty pounds by the end of June.. maybe by then, it will be thirty;)

More everyday stuff soon!

monday weigh in week 5.. just a day late;)

It's probably no surprise that I am late sharing..  busy and this diet has me feeling frustrated. I ate off plan a couple times this last week.. a healthy sub sandwich in place of my lunch and then we went to a family dinner at a restaurant Saturday.. I had a little salad and half a pork chop. I also only ate breakfast Saturday ,knowing i was eating out. BUT I only lost one pound this week. has me feeling weak. I am also struggling with the monthly enemy that hung around this week so I  hope to be down more next week.

We have the pig flu going around up here so Jackson's baseball was canceled for the beginning of the week. Jacob's game tonight was canceled and that is allowing more time to catch up on things around here.  thankful for that.. the overwhelming feeling of being behind was getting to me.

I let Jacob stay home from school yesterday. He had a horrible sunburn and didn't sleep much and couldn't move his neck.. it's a bad one. He was out at the park all day Saturday and after shutting down the sale I went out for his game and as soon as I saw him I knew it was too late. He was sooo red;( Then he was out in the sun again all day Sunday for eight hours.. loaded him with sunscreen all day but he is now blistering and peeling. So I call him in on Monday morning and I'm asked about 50 questions about his absence.. forgetting about the pig flu (one of the few around here who doesn't think about it non stop and actually thinks they are over -reacting.. it's the flu people!) How silly I felt to have to say umm.. keeping him home for a severe sunburn? crazy.

I dropped him today after school at Hononegah for open gym hoops with all the high school players. I would have felt so nervous but he was fine and said he met the coaches and ended up playing with David Brown.. a senior who is pretty great up here.  He said 'Nice moves, man' .. that's about all he told me so I guess he will be back Thursday to do it again;)

In day two of my portraiture photography class.. learning some new things that may help me for my brother's wedding next month. OMG.. my brother is getting married next month. so surreal to write that.

going tomorrow night to get my french pedicure at Asha.. Candi gave me a certificate for my bday.. much needed and I am looking forward to cute toes;)

off to read and wait for my husband who needs a reminder that I love him with all of my heart.

where did the week go?

It's Sunday and way too late to give you a long post so the quick recap of the last few days..

*work

*errands

*baseball games and practice

*Prepping for our annual garage sale

*good sale.. $$ to go to a new screen door.. and anyone who has been here in the last ,oh, three years knows we need a new one;)

*mid terms

* registered for another photography class.. it starts tomorrow..how am I going to find time for those lessons and assignments?

*exercising

*preparing for May classes

*updating creative blog

*updating website

*creating online newsletter

*watching Jacob's tournament.. they won it all, playing all day today and yesterday  and he is sooo sunburned.

*softball tournament for Shane

*mowing the lawn with Jackson

*out to dinner with my inlaws and extended family

* watching shannon and her band play

* laundry

*homework

*still having a LONg to-do list.urgh! hoping to get tons done tomorrow because Jacob plays Tuesday and Thursday night. Jackson plays wednesday night and practice tuesday.

My weekend goals for NEXT weekend are to get a new screen up and get our yard cleaned up with fresh mulch, make a mini book, make Jacob's graduation invites, finish graduation slideshow, and bills, groceries, laundry... pretty sad when you are already trying to figure out what you can accomplish the next time you have a chance to breath!

Have a good week:)