Days like this...

I have been really struggling the past few days. It feels like the to do list that exists only in my brain, because I stink at list making on paper, is super huge and completely out of control. It is moving so quickly along the superhighway of my pea brain that I can barely read or remember what's on the list. Between work and home, I have finally reached that point where no matter how hard I try, I've realized and can admit (which I would never do) that I simply can not do all of it. So in honor of this emotion and state I'm in....a fitting photo. He expresses so well how I feel.

Favorites...

some of my favorite photos from Easter and this past weekend.  

I also struggle a bit on holidays.  I grew up surrounded by family on birthdays and holidays - grandparents, aunts and uncles - lots of people squished in our tiny ranch.  But it's what I knew and so each holiday when it's just us, I struggle being a bit sad.  At least until I make up my mind that we are making memories and new traditions.  I was a bit blue Easter morning but after going to church at Willow, we came home to find that the Easter Bunny did a bang up job with a super fun egg scavenger hunt.  It started with an egg with a clue for Caleb in the family room and he and Nathan had to solve the clue to find the next egg.  There were lots of clues and eggs which finally led them to their baskets. The boys had such fun!!!!  Then we watched a movie while Caleb napped and when he got up, we headed to the downtown park.  It was such a great idea.  We all played and played and skipped stones and laughed and had a great time.  It was really a fun day!!!

If you look closely at the 2nd to last photo, you'll see that Caleb is wearing my heels....tee hee.... white socks and all.  That just had to be documented.  :)

So there...

When I finally committed to keep a blog, it was mostly to use it as a journal to capture my thoughts/memories before they were long gone. I don't expect anyone to read my blog but a very few friends and family but I knew that if I gave it a try it would pay off and it has :) I have been able to complete more scrapbooking layouts because, either the actual journaling or the basic thoughts, have already been written here. HOO-RAY for anything that makes life easier!!!

I love this page about Caleb and I really just cut and pasted the journaling from my blog entry on his birthday. I really wish I had done a layout like this for him and the rest of my brood each year. It's already fun to look back and remember the things he was into and how much he has already changed. Sigh......

I also have to admit, that although it was extremely painful (understanding my addiction to have the latest and greatest in scrapping supplies) to cancel my Studio Calico kit subscription, it was a good decision for now. It has pushed me, not only to use the volumes of STUFF I've accumulated, but it has helped me to be more creative. I am re-discovering papers and embellishments I've long forgotten. It feels so much more responsible to use what I have and contribute what I'm not spending to other good causes...... That doesn't mean it's not hard every month when I see the gorgeous kit SC is offering but so far, I've resisted temptation. One day at a time :)

I'm in the process of editing fun Easter photos - hopefully sometime this week I'll upload some of those.

Super Frog

Finally finished this one laying on my desk for weeks :)  Nathan drew that cute pic in the left hand corner - it's his portrait of Caleb as SuperFrog.  He's got talent - that little boy :)

Daddy's home :)

and we couldn't possibly be happier!!!!! It was an adventure getting him here - closed roads in Colorado, an incident with a snow bank, a 4 hour wait for a tow truck and then a much longer than anticipated trek home. But he's here!!!! Unfortunately he brought a whole suitcase full of germs with him (like we needed any more). He is sick as a dawg!!!! Drippy eyes, snotty nose, fever....NICE! Oh well, not the homecoming we anticipated but we are so happy he's safe and sound! :)

What the....

He leaves for 6 days and the minute he walks out the door.... it happens. The last time it was the snow that lasted for days and the snow plow who took out our mailbox and the furnace that decided it was time to die.

This time it was a set of windows (newly fixed last year) that decided to let the pouring rain gush in and the billing software that decided yesterday that it no longer wanted to send electronic claims and the littlest who was diagnosed today with strep and a double ear infection (silly me thought it was just a lingering cold). And to top it off, that littlest stayed home from school today and RIPPED the house apart while I was trying to work and screamed at the top of his voice that he "needed his butt wiped" while I was on the phone with a patient question and ended his sick day by jumping up and down (Nathan will verify) on the table - yes, I said the table...... what the..........