Interview with a Princess....

Riley: "Look Mommy, I an a princess (princeth) now.."
Mom: "What are you going to do as a princess?"
Riley: "Hmm..."
Mom: waiting silently
Riley: "Build boats."
Mom: "What are you going to do with the boats?"
Riley: "Drive them in a parade."
Mom: "Who will drive them in a parade?"
Riley: "My Papa Ed, or Daddy can..not you tho..you drive to fast!"


Can you tell we are getting ready for homecoming this week? Two kids..two parades..two towns..15 minutes apart..thank goodness the parades are at 1:30 and 2:00..and thank GOD for grammas and papas.
love-n-luck
whimp

I am just in a funk...

I took a nap today and woke up in a horrible mood. I can't even begin to explain what is wrong. Maybe it is because this week is so crazy, maybe it is because I am disappointed and fed up in a person who used to be close to me. I don't know..I have done some really heavy thinking on my life this week. I have decided I am going to do what I want to do..not worry about pleasing everyone else. I am really tired of making decisions and plans, and having them questioned. I often wonder why people can't just be happy for others. This concerns me..why do we have to question what everyone is doing?? Why do we make it our business?? I have decided to cleanse my life of controversy. My past is my past..I am going to try to make it stay that way. (Even though..it tends to come up and bite me in the rear) I am no longer going to let it make me upset, or stress me out.
I am going to try to be a better parent, friend, and wife. I am going to try to be a better listener, a more patient person, and more romantic. I owe my family that.
love-n-luck
whimp

Guess what someone in our house is getting for Christmas?

I picked this up last night at Walmart. It can hold up to 250 songs. I can't wait until Christmas, to see the face of the unsuspecting party. Shhhh..don't tell!!

Now..we are looking for a neat little kids desk for miss riles. I would like a plastic little tikes type art desk for her. She loves to water paint, color, draw, and do crafts. She has plenty of room in her bedroom. Danny has one, but he WILL NOT part with it. (even though he is to big for it..his reasoning...it was the first christmas present Chris ever bought him)
SO..any suggestions would be appreciated. I want to keep the cost under 75.00.

***EDITED***

This is what I have found for desks for miss riles. I am hoping ToysRUs has them here. What do you think?

Thanks,
love-n-luck
wendy

Fall is in the air...well at least here in Iowa...

My sister, Michelle, and I went shopping Friday. Just the two of us..no kids. What did we do? Ended up shopping for stuff for the kids. lol..Anyway, we were at the mall, and discovered the tights first. We had originally picked out a pair of pink camo ones..but they were not to be found in miss riles' size. So we decided on these orange ones, then found the skirt, shoes, and sweater. I already had the orange shirt. Isn't she adorable??

Kynnedi's Story

Kynnedi’s Story

Thanks to everyone who donated their time, money, food, items for the raffle, etc at Kynnedi's benefit. It means so much to this family. Kynnedi is a lucky girl.

Wendy

{Kynnedi is my great-niece. Her father, Jamie aka..Jake is my nephew. Jake and Emily are wonderful, responsible, parents. It is moments like this, that remind me what kind of man (26) my nephew has become. He makes sure his family is taken care of, his children (he adopted Kylynn in 2005) know he loves them, and he is actively involved in their life, and care. Kynnedi is a bright, wonderful, happy, baby. Please help them achieve the goal they have set for Kynnedi.}

love-n-luck,

wendy

Have I ever told you I have 4 sisters?

Well, I do. Those of you who know me, probably know most of my sisters. The oldest is Cindy, then the twins Dianne and Deanne, then Michelle, and last is me..i am the baby (of 8). My sisters and I are very close. I know I can call any of them at anytime, day or night, and I will (usually) get full support on what ever ails me. I love them. I am proud of them. We, as individuals, have overcome amazing obstacles. We, as sisters, have overcome even greater obstacles. We have triumphed, laughed, loved, and lost people we have loved, and liked TOGETHER.

We are all creative..Cindy with her beads, Dianne and Deanne with their crafts..Michelle with her voice and quick wit, and me with my scrapbooking. We support each other, tell each other what we need to hear..even if it is harsh. I love each and every one of them differently. I am honored to call them my sisters.

w

If I EVER decide to take my children here again.....

someone PLEASE tell me to either become VERY inebriated...or take large doses of prozac before entering. thanks..you're swell.
Actually it wasn't too terribly bad (it's almost like childbirth..you forgot the agonizing pain hours after you have gone through it)...except..i lost miss riles for a good 5 min. I was totally freaking out. They called a code adam and everything. She was playing in the toddler play area..picture mcdonald's playland...and i turned to help danny with a game...viola..Riles is GONE. Guess where we found her?? She had to go potty. How she managed to FIND the bathroom in the first place is beyond me. So..i cried..hugged her...screamed at her..hugged her some more..and proceeded to put myself through more of The Amazing Pizza Machine.

It was actually a pretty cool place..just not totally cool with a 3 year old. Danny had fun. That is all that matters..wanna know something so totally cool about being a parent?? You get to take your kids places your parents would never take you..unfortunately, know we know WHY they didn't take us there! lol...
Love-n-luck,
w

Why is it...that...
the biggest, most horrible mistake I made in my life..will continue to come back and haunt my son? I just wonder at the justice system sometimes. I wonder why..when I have a wonderful husband, who is willing and WANTS to adopt MY SON..why this man..(featured in this article on the FRONT PAGE (his/hers pictures included) of a newspaper..a newspaper MY SON'S fourth grade class reads in their classrooms), will not allow this adoption to happen. Why?? Why can't I take this man's criminal record to court and make this happen?? I am so angry..angry at myself for being young and naive, angry because I think dark and angry thoughts, angry that MY SON..will always have this albatross around his neck. You know what tho?? I would make that same mistake over and over in a million lifetimes...why?? Because this child makes that mistake, a blessing.

Here are some more layouts..

My Passion..besides teaching and my children...

is scrapbooking. Many people think scrapbooking is just playing with pictures and paper..well, it is..but to me (and many others) it is so much more. To me, scrapbooking is a chance to be creative. It is a chance for me to play with my pictures and paper, and create lasting memories to leave behind to my children. (Memories that will have the names of the people in the photos, what they were doing, etc.) Now..most people know I do not have a creative bone in my body..NONE..many of my layouts are copied from sketches. Now..most sketches are only black and white "floor plans." I choose the paper, embellies, ribbon, etc..the sketches just help me put it all together. Some layouts I have copied from magazines, online galleries, and othe places. These layouts, the scrapbooking industry calls..scraplifts..cute huh? But, sometimes, I amaze myself and create spectacular layouts all on my own..sometimes..So..I have put together some of my very favorite layouts of the kiddos, kiddos I admit to calling mine. (some of these layouts do come from scraplifts and sketches)

"Please I had 'nother one?"

Is what riles has been screaming at me for the last 10 minutes. She wants another sippy of milk..yes this child still drinks milk from a bottle like sippy cup. I told her, "Uh..no" so she started shouting it at me. (like that is going to make me do it..) She isn't feeling well today, feeling so bad I kept her home from her favorite thing..peaschool..which she is very mad about as well. (like i wanted too..3 hours to myself..or listening to a 3 year old yell at me, hmm..which would YOU have chosen?)Sorry kiddo, you are just to grumpy and sick to see Mrs. Barney.

Here is what grumpy looks like..sorry for the blurry photo.

Ok..on the advice of a friend..i need to post some pics of my kiddos.
I am a mother of two beautiful children..our son Danny is 9.5 and in 4th grade. Riley (Riles) is 3.5 and in preschool (peaschool).

How funny is it that Karen and I ordered the SAME costumes for our kiddos? Riles loves Little People (eddie is her favorite, and he has a frog named Freddie)..so she chose the frog.Too funny!

Wow..totally forgot I started this blog. I started this blog in February, when I was in the middle of teaching first grade for 12 weeks. I loved teaching first grade..even tho the little suckers were so naughty.

What brought me about is my awesome niece karen started her own blog. I love the fact that she has done so..mostly so she has a place to post pictures of her adorable kiddos, vent her frustrations, her blessings, and just keep us informed. I love talking to Karen..we have the most amazing conversations..about motherhood..growing up in a small town...and just talking..to someone who doesn't slobber.

SO..coming back to the starting of the blog thing..i started weight watchers and lost 33 pounds..yeah me..i need to get back on program..and start again. I will..I promise.