4.20.2010

I Heart Faces Collages


I was going to post this collage for the I Heart Faces Collage Challenge. I hesitated, procrastinated and have now actually missed posting it before the deadline. If I only had looked for this collage a little bit earlier in the evening, instead of waiting until almost midnight. I am still going to post it, cause well, I still love it. My happy smiling Big E collage is on my desk down in my basement, and it makes me smile every time! I used it for an Easter card and I think my mom has it framed in her living room.

The collage of my son bouncing on my bed was the first thing I thought of when I saw this weeks challenge. Our wall color brought out the color in his eyes, and the daylight streaming in was the most natural in our home. It was the beginning of my obsession with my digital camera, a D50 at the time. It's only grown from there along with the love for my Big E. He's only about 1 here. Now he's 3 and a half and even more full of energy.

I heart his face every single day!
Enjoy!

I am going to keep the I Heart Faces links, cause I love their site!!! Next time, I am not going to hesitate - just going to go for it!

Beach time

It's about time - for a lot of things, but most of all it is time for the beach season to start.

Since the warm weather is coinciding so well with my "making time for me" I think it is only fair that I put on my list of things to do for me -to get to the beach at least 5 times this year. If not alone, with the family.

There. And this weekend does not count. It will make it an even half dozen!

I cannot wait. This weekend is just me, and my friend. Heading to stay with my sister and to meet up with the rest of my friends in Dewey Beach. If you know Dewey - you get it. It will be a fun weekend. Regardless of the fact that it is supposed to rain all weekend. Us girls can find things like shopping and just bonding to kill time. Better yet, my HS friend and I haven't hung out solo like this since before my son was born (and me 7 months or more pregnant). I think the ride there might end up being the best part!

If the forecast was better, I was planning on major beach time with my umbrella and book. But, that is fine, I will find time for at least a few minutes and page turning.

So, it's time to end this short post. I have a lot more to say, but no time to spend typing it all in. I will have to pick some of the more exciting thoughts to put in writing while I am relaxing over the weekend!

4.11.2010

Empty House, Empty shelves.

I've had the house to myself since Tuesday night! It's been excellent.

My stress left with my husband and son as they headed for the hills Tuesday evening to go camping and fishing for the week. It has been really good for me. I needed the break. I have enjoyed the quiet & empty house.

I didn't do a whole lot all week, but I did get to stay later at the office and I was able to workout without any guilt. I didn't have to make multiple dinners every night (one for the 3YO taste buds and one for the adults) and there were no laundry concerns, no inordinate amount of dishes piling in the sink.

Today, Saturday, the day before they return with all the stress that comes with them, I spent all day today trying to catch up without a toddler on my heels. I had a bookclub meeting - the first meeting of a new club a friend is starting. I got to meet 5 new people and am hopeful that this will help me keep doing things for myself on a regular basis. In other fun news, I attempted to fight an ant invasion in my kitchen before it gets beyond control again. (PLEASE let the fogger work!!!) I headed to Naptown for a quick jaunt and had an excellent but late dinner with my bestest friend and our fav sushi. Then back home to clean up and de-fog the house. Started on the laundry and finally am settling in to catch up on my blog. 

Oh, one other stop I made today was to my library to check out some magazines and see if I could get the book to start reading. I apparently am a bit behind, because as I headed to the magazine racks, I noticed these signs on the shelves. I was thinking, oh, hey, they are trying to make it easier for people to find the magazines with the titles of them. I was sadly mistaken. They were not there for ease of use, they were there to notify us serious library consumers of the budget cuts and it's effects on us. I cannot believe how many magazines they have suspended subscriptions to. There are about 20 left on the shelves that they actually continue to receive. Look! The signage says that they cut magazines back in December. 

This wasn't the first change I have seen at the library, they have already changed the hours, but having a visual reminder like this makes me wonder what other cuts are being made that are not so in your face!

It makes me very sad. I am so happy with the Maryland library system. I know my library card number by heart because I use the library THAT often. It was important to me to introduce my son to the library and how it works at an early age. He asks me to take him there now. I don't have a problem being late a day or two on my books because I don't mind paying the late fees. Today I had a $1.50 fine, and I paid it, because if they can use that $1.50 along with any one else's fine to pay an employee, buy a book, transport my books to me from a different library, or maybe even reinstate a magazine subscription, that is fine with me. What would really make me mad though is if the other shelves within my little dewey decimal system world began to empty out in a similar fashion to the magazine shelves!

I think that brings you up-to-date on how I have found some time for me. I have certainly enjoyed every single quiet moment of it!

4.01.2010

Dude - What's With That Butt Crack?

Picture this - a very heavy, extremely pale, teenager sitting on a cannon (the metal artillery kind) along the side of the road in front of the American flag. It's a little park that pays homage to some type of military group. 

That's right. Sitting there, pants coming down 3/4 across his behind. 

I got a serious mooning. At 3:30 in the afternoon, on a bright sun shining day. After one of the more stressful days I have had in a while. One where no one is happy with my speed of work. I can't get enough done, still have monumental amounts of work left to do, and well, that butt crack had me laughing hysterically out loud. 

Thanks young man for not wearing pants that fit you at all. I certainly hope someone else needed a good mooning as much as I did!

That got my mood changed at least until now, when I finally sat down to get back to work. As the stress is tensing up my muscles again, I reflected back to that large behind shining my way, and it made me laugh again, and that's what I plan to take with me through the rest of the night, and into the last remaining day of the weeK. 

TGIF!!!!!!! (well, it will be soon!)

For my "Me Hour" I actually got a bit more than an hour. I rushed out of work, picked up my son, dropped him at home, rushed to the chiropractor, next to a friends for a computer drop off, then to a hair appt. AHHHHH - Deep breath. Can you feel the relaxation kicking in then?! AHHHHHH savor that moment. That was my hour break. The minute I walked out of those doors i went to the organic food store for some recommended herbs. I was told they are crack for women. I hope so! (I'll share more if they help me out!) Then i rushed to Target to exchange shoes for said son, and then home. It was 8:05pm. 

Officially 3 1/2 hours to myself. 

Does it count though when you are running around like a crazed maniac trying to squeeze in every errand possible while you are alone? i don't think so, but that hour? That hour was mine, and I definitely savored it!





I have a couple of photos to share. Of course they are of my son. He looks so much older in the first shot. The freckles are starting to show and he just is to cute with that smile. The other you can see the proud look in his eyes as he looks over his newly colored easter eggs.




And now my time is officially over. 


Happy Easter everyone!