Can it really happen?

Can I really get back into blogging? My life is busier than it was a year ago, and here I am trying to add one more thing.

But I love blogging, and I miss it. I didn't even really get to get into a constant rhythm. last time I blogged.

Well, you know what that old proverb is: fall down 7 times, get up 8.

So here I am! Once again.

I am SOOOOO behind on planting flowers outside! It is going on the middle of May and my deck boxes are full of old dirt and dead twigs. How sad. I've been sick, though, to add another wrench into the works. I haven't been able to catch up on everyday stuff, let alone outside seasonal stuff. And I'm working on getting the house cleaned and laundry caught up. (Hey, some things never change!)

I am getting over a double ear infection, thrush, and a bad cough. Resting is my main priority right now because I have alot going on in the days to follow, so I need to be well.

I'll be back :) I have alot I want to share!

The ambitious hosta

Look at this thing! I transplanted it last year from the back yard; split one big hosta into two or three pieces and this is just one of the offspring. I was cracking up when Ken gave it a voice!


"I'm a tree!"
"No, you're a hosta plant."
"But inside I feel like a tree!"

This mutant hosta is the only one that is trying to grow straight up rather than out!!

Here is one of my deck boxes on the back porch. The small, pitiful plant on the left is a wave petunia, just like the one on the right of the sweet potato vine. I do not know why the one on the right is doing so well and the one on the left is . . .not. They came from the same batch, are planted in the same dirt with the same amount of fertilizer, water and sun.

Amazing. It's just like kids. How can they be so different from each other when they come from the same place and live in the same circumstances?

Maybe the left plant feels left out. Or just wants more attention.

I hope warmer weather will help it to catch up.




AHH, look at the beautiful peonies! (I shook them out good before bringing them in. Ants, you know.) The are very fragrant. I may have to put them back outside. But they are so pretty to look at :)

I have a very busy afternoon, so I am off! I have a few birthday cards I need to get out, so I will post them up here before they head off!

Wrapping up another school year!

This is the view of my family room from my scrap desk. See how CLEAN and EMPTY and QUIET it is? (You can SEE the quiet, can't you? I can.) Well. . .the days of *this* family room are numbered! The kids will be out of school and they'll be down here with me (when they're not outside) watching tv, playing on the computer, asking me for this, that and whatever else. . .and I will become annoyed. Ahhh, see the crocus? This little sprout of lovliness is smack dab in the walkway to the side of our drive. Amazingly enough they weren't stepped on this season. Crocuses don't bloom for long. They're just long green grass like greenery now.

I've been making card packs for teachers, mom group leaders and other much appreciated people. Here are just a couple.

There's Abby with some girlfriends. They are painting and decorating terra cotta pots in a Girl Scouts meeting.

Eric and Abby got their faces painted at Family Fun Night, held at the school. Abby is a dragon and Eric is a Tiger. Eric also won first place for being the fastest competitor to complete the obsticle course at Family Fun Night. He finished in 6 seconds flat! Other typical times were 15-26 seconds.

Ahhhh,yes. School is almost done. Only 6 more full school days left. As much as I LOVE the quiet and time to get things done while they're in school, I am just as much looking forward to a break from the morning and afterschool routine. No more homework, no more organizing school work, projects, making peanut butter and jelly every morning at 7am, driving to school in the fridgid weather or through a monsoon. Summer is a fantastic time for kids as well as parents!

I plan on having the kids read a few books each this summer as well as keep up on their times tables. (That's for ERic and Abby. Tom. . .well, he doesn't need help with school work. Speaking loud and clearly maybe, and brushing his hair so he doesn't look like a hoodlum, but that's about it.) I'll be reading a ton as well, although I'm caught up with the two series I'm reading. I got 5 or 6 books at a garage sale this past weekend for $0.50 each! That was a great find. I want to start writting a book as well. I've been thinking about it for a year or so, and after reading at least a book a month I'm really motivated to get started. I'd love to see a book of mine on the shelves at Border or Barnes and Nobel (hopefully not in the discount bin) but it's not getting there by just thinking about it, is it?

It's been a million years

I'm sure no one is even reading this because it's been MONTHS since I posted anything here, and you've all given up on checking if I've added any updates. But just incase there's a few of you that still check now and then, I'm going to post today.

And tomorrow.

And on and on.

"Yeah, Jen, we've heard you say that before!"

I know, Iknow. But really, I have lots to post. And there's to many of you out there that I don't see often enough, and I want to share with you what's going on in my world. :)

There are over 148 pictures in my camera that I have to upload (or is it download?) to my computer. I'll share some of those pics once they're in the computer, but right now I"m running out of the house to go get a hair cut. Not short or anything, but there is NOOOO style left, it's just one big mop on my head. All I do with it anymore is pull it back ina claw. Where's the style in that? Ugh. So I'll return and load some pics for you! There's a lot of cards I've made that I'd like to share with you too, so hang on tight! Jen's back in action!!

Big Boy!

My nephew will be getting this card in the mail this week! I made it for him because he's getting to be such a big boy and is learning to master the art of losing the diaper, if ya know what I mean ;) Way to go, Nicolas!

Monday morning before the storm hits

Hello everyone! It's February 8th and we are suppoused to get 7-8" of snow starting this afternoon! I am going to work out, shower and get dressed, then run to the grocery store to stock up on some staples so we won't be out of (gasp) cereal and milk. (What would Eric eat if we were out of his basics?)

I just placed the Girl Scout cookie orders for our troop and need to run to the GS office with banking information. Also on my list of things to do is call Mary Kay so they can send me the form I need to get my money back from the product I decided I no long want, mail a few bills, attempt to catch up on laundry, stop at walmart to pick up pictures and perscriptions, and upload about 200 pictures to my computer.

Ugh.

So I need to get outta here---let me leave you with some of the latest cards I've created :) They are above, as I added the images AFTER I typed the text. Remember to click on the pictures to see a more detailed view of the cards. THere are so many cards I want to make and send out to people I love and miss!!!

I got a job ;)

I'm excited to start a part time job at a store in the mall called CJ Banks! I've shopped there a few times, they have beautiful clothes! I can use the scheduled time out, the extra money (did you know minimum wage is up to $8/hr?) and the 50% discount is certainly a plus as well!! I know, I know; If I'm not careful my whole check will go back into the store. You're not the first one to tell me that. It's ok--I'm only going to allow myself one article each week! ;)

Being that it's retail (and I know how retail works because that's pretty much all I've done in the past) I put open availability on my application. And it's not that I mind working weekends, I don't--I just don't want to work EVERY weekend. There's plenty of times when we go up north that we're gone from friday to sunday evening. So I'm a little anxious about how that's gonna work, and I hope I'll get next week's schedule today.

Today I'm only there from 1-5 for orientation. There will be another girl there as well, her name is Tina. I have no idea what she's like, so I hope we click right away and get along without a problem!!

The kids are ok alone until Ken gets home, but my parents are going to bring them to their house. The kids can do their homework while my mom cooks her dinner and then Ken can stop by and get them on his way home.

After work I'm going to Lisa's for a MICHE purse party and then to watch the dvr'd "Vampire Diaries". Catch up with you after that!!

Have a fantastic fall day!