A little something for ME...

I fell into a rut years ago by buying things for our home instead of myself...then it turned into buying clothes for the kids instead of myself (ok really-how many cute outfits does a kid need when they're gonna grow out of them? On the other hand-poor mom has NO clothes...) I don't go for mani/pedi's or highlights (why would I? I've been a hairstylist for what-16 yrs? I do it all myself!!!) Here I make all this jewelry for others to sell or as gifts-do I ever make anything for myself? Noooo...

So I decided it was time. I just whipped the pendant on an old chain I have-I'll restring eventually on something different when I figure out what I want. I thought it turned out pretty cute. It was my first time really riviting-hated it with the tubing but may try w/ wire next time-I think it would be easier (maybe?)

Anyhow....tell me what you think?

A whole bunch of nothin

I've got tons to blabber about but no good pictures to go along with any of it...

Gabe's hitting the terrible 2's-just in time for his 2cd bday this weekend. At least it's held off until now-lol. I should've known better than to brag that Sawyer was sleeping thru the night. That came to an abrupt end. Chloe started school this week-guess where? Yep-she got into that charter school-they called at the last minute and offered the spot. Couldn't believe it-what was even weirder was that when I told her we got the call she was totally FINE and was like okey dokey. *Gasp* I was shocked at how great she took it. I actually cried after I talked to them-worried how she'd take it. I hope we don't regret the change.
My dad had hernia surgery last week. He sounds like he's doing better-uncomfortable but better every day I think. Hopefully this will be the last of the medical stuff for him for awhile.
It rained last week and the kids were all out front making mud pies-it was disgusting. Here's a shot-

Been thinking a bunch about that OPAM stuff....I've got this long mental list going that I have had tucked away for when Chloe started school. Now it's here and I'm like ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-gotta get busy! It includes purging the attic, organizing under the stair alcove, making a piece of jewelry for MYSELF for once and getting all the things made for the Holiday Hall at the Art Association-those are due in by Halloween...I do have a finished necklace I just need to get a picture taken-maybe later today...
The porch looks awesome! The railing is up and just needs the cap installed (tonite) and little odds and ends like mouldimg around the columns and some paint. Will show a pic when all wrapped up.

Got a sick one here

Gabe started with a runny nose yesterday-but with how he's been shoving his fingers in his mouth (as many as he can fit!) I assumed his 2 year molars were the cause...It's now a full blown cold I think. He's just a mess. He's awful when he's sick-and that is quite often. He's been thru the gammet of doctors trying to figure out why he gets sick so often and when he does it's bad. Pnuemonia MANY times-I've lost count-5? He's not even 2 yet. Poor guy!

This am he woke at 7:30 and was conked out next to me on the couch by 9. Looks like we have to drag the nebulizer out earlier than I had hoped this year. Been getting lots of OJ down, vitamins and albuterol...

AND...Poor Chloe may have her first black eye just in time for the first day of school!!!! After her first soccer practice of the season Tues night she was playing on the playground and cracked her temple-big goose egg came up and now a bruise is inching across her eyelid as well as a bullseye looking bruise on her temple. :(

The GOOD news tho-is Sawyer decided 2 nights ago to try sleeping thru the night! He's going from 10pm-7am-woohoooooo! Let's hope this keeps up. I like my sleep.

I made some BIG honkin beads yesterday. My favorite cracked before hitting the kiln but I decided to put it in anyway since I wanted to see how the colors turned out and figured I could use it around the house-glue it on something (lol) and it's held together pretty good-crack isn't all the way thru-just can't sell it that way. I've got a few ideas cooking up...

stressed OUT

So I just found out that Chloe is now moved from #5 to #2 on the waiting list for the school we really wanted her at last year but didn't get in. It's a charter school and they have a lotto to get in. It's a great school so it's exciting that she is so close but--and it's a big but-- Chloe is really upset about it. I admit I am really torn and wouldn't know what to do if they called me today. She started bawling last night and said she'd walk in and stamp her feet and tell them to send her home so they would think she's a brat and send her home.
She really loves the school she was in last year for first grade and doesn't want to leave her friends she made there. This is the tough part of being a parent...one one side-the charter school she could be bussed(which would make it tons easier on me w/ loading 2 extra little ones in the middle of winter and her school now has almost NO parking-it's awful) and the charter school offers spanish class which she doesn't get now. Oh-it also goes up to 8th grade-so no switching schools for middle school and Gabe and Sawyer would get automatic sibling preference to get in and they'd be at the same school at once.....
On the other side of the coin-(thinking back) we moved here from South Carolina when I was 10 after 4th grade. I HATED my parents for making us leave. Friends,school,our house-you name it. I know what it's like to change schools and it sucks. Now granted-she could still get togther w/ old friends from there...sigh. Now you can see why I'm spazzed out.
Maybe they won't call......then I wouldn't have to be the meanie...
Sorry just had to blab and get this off my chest.

Trip to the zoo

We took an impromptu trip to St Louis Zoo on Sunday. We hadn't been there since Chloe was Gabe's age so we thought it was time to go back. The weather was gorgeous-they were calling for 78 degrees-it was definately warmer than that but it was still nice.

Gabe on a frog~

Chloe peeking thru the railing by the train station~

Now you knowwwww it was begging for her to do this...

I have no clue how-but Chloe's feet are like dirt MAGNETS-all summer they're like this-no matter what shoes she wears...Here is her dirty foot next to a monkey footprint~

Someone fed the giraffe a leaf-I can't believe how close it came to Chloe-inches from her face~

Seems like overnight Sawyer grew long eyelashes :)

After the zoo we were driving thru Forest Park right before dusk-it was about 75 degrees and PERFECT out-so we ran thru for some fast food and went back, spread out the quilt and had a picnic and let the kids climb around this funky little area we found-was a great end to a great day!

Guess who got herself a new camera? :)

I thought this one was sweet of Chloe and my dad. He happened to stop by as I was messing around w/ the camera the day we got it.




Classic Gabe-wearing my tennis shoes, carrying froggie and playing the kazoo.



I'd like to know how an 8 wk old can have dirty fingernails?



Here-this is for Kim and Mary. Still need to send in my 10 inches I had chopped off...that's the new cam! :) (note: the nice fingerprint Gabe had just put on the lens and I didn't see til afterwards-oh well...

Neat find....

I ran across this idea on another beadmaker's blog today (sorry I can't remember who) but I did bookmark it for future reference. I think it's pretty nifty but who knows if I'd ever find the time to try it out... Who'd have thought-cereal boxes! I've got tons of those! Cool packaging for art fairs huh?????



Here is the link to the site with the pattern.

I have now discovered what I believe is a baby einstein cd shoved in the disk drive of the laptop and can't get it to close all the way. NO idea how I'm going to get this sucker out.

We got our new camera! I've been too busy to learn how to use it very well. There are a zillion buttons and gadgets to figure out-eek! Lots of reading to do.

I made a necklace today! It's similar to one Kerry Bogert made but I changed it around a little. I still need to fiddle around w/ the loop closure for the clasp and it's done! I will attempt to get a picture on here tomorrow. Have I ever mentioned that I hate working w/ seed beads? If not- now I have!

Mosaic idea inspired by Em's blog that I frequent from time to time...

If you try one yourself, leave me the link to your post in the comments.

Here´s how you do it...

Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search, using only the first page, choose your favorite image, copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker (3 columns, 4 rows).

Now, I canot for the life of me make mine any bigger-agh! I really am computer illiterate. Anyhow, if you click on it you can see it better-I think mine turned out pretty good! :)



1. Ophelia's Mother, 2. reflections-thai, 3. Sad Angel, 4. garnet, 5. 246-Sean Connory, 6. Nut Pretzel Danish, 7. Sunset is served!, 8. delight, 9. iStock_000002897292Medium, 10. Product Of Our Parents, 11. بــحـط قــلـبـي بــيـن يــديـنـك هــديـه, 12. he loves me/he loves me not.

The questions:
1. What is your first name? Amanda
2. What is your favorite food? Thai
3. What high school did you attend? Glenwood
4. What is your favorite color? Garnet red
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Sean Connory
6. Favorite drink? Iced Cappacino
7. Dream vacation? Santorini
8. Favorite dessert? Cherry Delite
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? Happy, healthy and content
10.What do you love most in life? My kids
11. One word to describe you. Mom
12. Your Flickr name. BellaRhys

Early day & July's OPAM

I'm not usually up this early in the summer. I'm bored. I'm watching Saved by the Bell the college years. UGH.

I COULD be making something but just placed a big wire order yesterday and really need it before I dig my heals in and get started. If I had thought about it earlier I could have fired up the kiln and been doing something constructive-instead I'm watching Zach and Screech in class w/ a chimpanzee that does sign language...

OK-so on to July's OPAM. The porch is not finished. It's damn close though! He does have the columns 1/2 constructed in the garage so this weekend they'll be going up! :) Railing shortly after and I dropped the ball and didn't find a mailbox and house numbers-but love my furniture! Funny to try and do this project for a month thing and the next thing you know the month just flies by! OH! We DID create the shape for the landscaping out front and some out back and had 3 truckloads of mulch put down. It makes it look so much better already-even without plants yet. Here's a pic of how it's looking.....



I'm going tonite for a REAL haircut! How exciting-lol. Concidering I'm a hairstylist I tend to just chop at my own hair but since I'm going shorter I'll have Renee do it for me this time. We worked together years ago. Here's the pic I'm taking in-