Good eats

Our neighbor told us they'd been making homemade pizzas on the grill-it sounded so good we decided we HAD to try it.

YUM! Let me say I am all for convenience food-so making my own from scratch whole wheat pizza crust was interesting...lol. I was shocked the dough rose...

Chloe and Gabe liked "decorating" their own pizzas after the dough had been grilled-and the grill added such a good flavor-You should try it sometime!! :)

My space.

It looks like we're going to have lots of rain and dreariness over the next few days-leftovers from Hurricane Gustav. Bummer since I was meaning to take a few pictures of things I've been working on- but w/o the sun to help me out the pics will look crappy-sooooo...the next few days I'm going to blog about stuff we've done recently, etc. Today's I think will be showing my workspace since I cleaned and took pictures last week... :)



I just love this room-and even more-I love that Travis finished this space with me in mind. It's in a bump out area that overlooks the front porch and yard. It gets gorgeous morning sun (I wish I could find morning time to work in there!) is right off the living room-so I am always connected to the kids. Gabe's new train track has made it's way to the opposite end of the sunroom down by our desk area-but I'm not showing that end of the room-it's not finished the way I'd like it-yet!



On the left is my lampworking area where you see my torch and kiln. I am running off of natural gas and an oxygen concentrator-(under the desk)

The cabinet on the left holds all of my hazardous liquids,etc that need to be locked up from little fingers-the cabinets on the left hold leftover glass supply and all my glass tools-tweezers, dental picks, didy glasses, marvers,etc... The tall cabinet houses all my bead organizers, sterling stock, some painting supplies and all of my heavier tools like my dapping block and dappers, disk cutter,etc.


On the right is my metals workbench and currently where I put everything together as well (hopefully once a new desk is built at the office end I can move down there to spread out to put everything together!) I've got my soldering iron and torch, pickle pot, all my wire wrapping tools, bead and supply organizer Trav just gave me from the garage and the big paper pile is my idea notebooks and scraps of paper I've doodled on when I wake up in the middle of the night w/ an idea...

All my stamping tools, hammers, files,etc are in the Ikea drawers underneath. On top of it is my tumbler. The kids' easel stands to the right for when they feel like getting creative too.

Hope you enjoyed your tour. Better wrap this up before Gabe hits another button and makes me start this over for the 3rd time-lol...

Time is flying...

My gawwwwd-how can it be September already? Jeez...I can't believe it...

This weekend we had a family dinner for Gabe's 2cd birthday. That was fun and Gabe was so cute trying to figure out why this was all for him?! All he really knows or cares about is that "birthday" means "Caaaaaaaaake" (as he says)


He's so excited about his Thomas the Train set he got and has been busy bringing me the packages still set on the table to open-sesame street dvd,cd,rain boots,little people set,books,singing scooter-he's in hog heaven!


School started last week-like I had said before-I cried like a baby that morning when we dropped her off. You'd have thought it was me starting a new school! All these thoughts swirling around-did we make the right choice? Will the kids be nice to her? Will she miss her old friends,school,teachers...? Will she be challenged? Will she like her teacher? OMG how can I leave her at this school we don't know-I'm just leaving her here! aghhhhhh. So now you can see where the tears came from...

So far she's doing just fine and it sounds like homework will start up full force this week. Between school, soccer and trying to cram in as much outdoor playtime in before cold starts to set in she's pretty much a little whirlwind. Of coarse my kid's probably the only girl w/ a Star Wars backpack...She's obsessed w/ Star Wars (just like her dad-hmmmmm-think he's trying to warp her eh?) Oh well, only one girl asked her why she's got a boy backpack...

Now that she's back in school I've gotta get my butt in gear and get some stuff MADE for the Holiday Hall!! Yesterday I whipped up a cute little bookmark, a start to a necklace (just need a great bead for a pendant...) and a personalized necklace for Chloe's friend who's birthday is this Saturday. I'm already starting to feel pressure from Halloween to get costumes started as well. Chloe and Gabe's costumes are planned-I just need to make them happen-ya know? I know I have time but next thing you know it's gonna be last minute and I'll be panicking-just like every year-lol. Just you watch.

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-

I borrowed a neighbor's camera yesterday (thanks Shannon!) so I could take a few pictures for stuff to put on Craigslist and shot a few of Sawyer while I was at it.



Feels like he's hit a growth spurt all of a sudden- moving into 3-6 mo clothes and isn't fitting in my arm the same as he did last week. Since I didn't want to change the settings on her camera or use the flash they are pretty dark-doesn't help that it was gloomy and rainy out. Oh well-I still think they're cute-can see him flappin his arms like a little bird and grinning...



So this morning I go to open the new box of Cheerios and there is a Batman movie action figure in there. I pull it out and it's the Joker. Now is it just me-or is pulling Heath Ledger's likeness out of my cereal box a little disturbing?

Oh ya! So last night Trav went to the neighborhood association meeting and they were selecting new officers-including the new association president since ours moved. He comes home and says welp, guess who is the new president and grinned sheepishly. I laughed and said so does that make me a first lady??? lol-crack myself up...

This was taken on Chloe's bday a couple weeks ago in the Walmart parking lot. (lol) It bugs me not to add pics with each post so I thought I'd just put one up-just cos it makes me smile-what a goof.

Gabe~


*Upon enlarging that pic and looking more closely at it-it would appear that he has a very sinister idea cooking up in his head...I can almost hear a cackle and him rubbing his hands together -mwu-hahahahaaaaaaa!!!

It's been awhile-why? I have no camera-agh! The stinkin thing bit the dust and it's driving me crazy! We had already been looking into a new camera-what timing. Trav wondered if I broke this one on purpose-ha. We've sat and researched and I think we've settled on the new Canon coming out next week-the Canon XS. woohoo! I can't WAIT!!

The porch looks great. The columns and railing aren't done- but we've been enjoying our new porch furniture! If I had a camera I'd show you-lol. It's so comfy.

Chloe's got her first sleepover tonite at a neighbor's house. She's the only girl-lol. I think they'll play w/ pokemon cards all night is how it's sounding...

In jewelry news-I received an invite last week for the annual Holiday Hall at the Art Association. I've got a few ideas of things I'd like to whip up for it for this year...I'll post pics as I get it made- assuming I have a new camera by then :)

Trip to the zoo

We ran to the zoo yesterday with our neighbors. It was Gabe's first trip that he'd remember so he really liked seeing the animals. He was a little nervous, I think, about being in close proximity of the goats while he fed them but ended up doing ok-lol. Man was it HOT out! blecchhhh...



Chloe has a new project she is antsy to get working on. There is now a HUGE box in our garage-so big we can't fit it thru any door to bring inside. (our new porch furniture arrived in it) She's cooking up designs for it. I went to find old gallons of paint for her to paint it with but we can't find what we're looking for and truthfully I'd love to wait til the weather is a little cooler out!

The porch project: the floor is now stained and looks pretty good. I was having a hard time finding stain that matched the ceiling stain color-(long story) but I think we got it! The porch furniture arrived and I LOVE it! It looks awesome and we're both excited to get it out there. I think on Sunday he'll start wrapping the columns and measure for railing. I still need to look for a doormat and flower pots. I'm narrowing down what I'd like to do landscaping-wise out front but we're needing to haul in dirt to build it up a bit...I mentioned this to a neighbor and luck has it-they have alot of dirt to get RID of! (digging down for new patio) woohoooooooo! Good timing. So hopefully the yard will start taking shape soon too :)

Sunday picnic

Welp, the porch floor was sanded but the stain was NOT the right color or covereage sooo-it's not done like I had hoped it would be by now...

So I decided today since no big projects were going on we would go have a picnic at the park-it was GORGEOUS out. Sunny, blue skies,a slight breeze and 84 out. I took some pics w/ our, um, "camera" (I want a new one soooooo bad!)

It's interesting w/ 3 to get pics of-it was hard enough w/ 2 but now-lol-they just don't seem to work out. I am trying the new mindset of "they all don't have to be looking at me at once-just don't have your tongue hanging out or crying or trying to run in the opposite direction" ya know??? Here is a great example of every picture I have tried to take since Sawyer has arrived-LOL.

Note: Gabe crying, Chloe looking very uncomfortable and Sawyer looking like "um ya, let's not drop me ok?" **sigh**

Here's a few more from today...
Might have to start calling her Angelina~

Gabe-can't seen to get one of him looking straight at me-oh well~

Sawyer-complete w/ the required 5 week baby acne and dry skin~

A great one showing how Chloe is-flitting off on her own flipping her skirt around w/o a care in the world~"l la laaaa"

OPAM Progress!

So here is how the porch is looking at the moment...

Last weekend the siding was painted, lights up,doorbell on and my vent back up. (I'm finally making beads again!!)
Our porch furniture is ordered and should come on Monday. This weekend we hope to get the floor sanded and stained and the columns built. It's looking so good! I finally am starting to see an end in sight!!!

Chloe's birthday gift...

This pretty much speaks for itself...



Let me say this: I am NOT a basement person-I loathe ours. BUT it's the only place for this monster right now. I can't count how many times a day she's begging to go "just play a 5 minute game??!!" lol. She was thrilled and SO surprised!

OPAM

I've been inspired! Tara Whitney has started on her blog a OPAM (one project a month) challenge. I just LOVEEEEE the family portrait wall she just completed!! OMG. http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2008/06/02/opam-may-08-photo-wall-in-living-room-after/And upon reading some of her comments from others and seeing their projects and what they've gotten done it's lit a fire under my butt to try and get a few things done around here!!

Now that I've said that please bear in mind that with the remodel of a house that is what-104-105 yrs old there is ALWAYS a project of some sort going on anyway. I feel like a bit of a cheater this month because I've decided my project should be to finish the front porch -since it's already in the midst of being worked on anyway...Only problem is most of the work comes from Travis. It's actually almost finished being painted and only needs the columns built, floors stained and rail built. I guess MY job would be to find and order porch furniture, doorbell, mailbox, house numbers,doormat and some pots and flowers for the steps. Maybe I could throw in a bit of landscaping too- I was actually just out there w/ a hose trying to come up w/ a curvy shape for out and around the tree,etc...Not feelin it yet...

So-the before pics are already on here a few posts back-no need to re-post those. I'll hopefully be posting a finished porch pic at the end of July!! :)

So-I challenge you all who stop by here!! Go for it! Let's get some little projects done that we've been saying "oh I'll get around to that!" If you do this --don't forget to show me some before and after pics! :)

Happy Birthday to our little girl!!

I just cannot believe that Chloe is 7 years old today! **sob*choke*gasp** Where has the time gone? One minute I'm laughing at her crazy spikey hair and the next I'm helping her with math homework-agh! It's all going way too fast...









Her birthday dinner of choice is Culver's (gee, what else is new? lol) She will have a scavenger hunt to find her birthday gift after we get home...She's gonna freak when she sees what it is. -Pics tomorrow :)



She always did the silliest "cheese!!" face when we'd take her picture when she was about 2-3...



She's really grown into a great kid. She's got her moments of coarse, but for the most part she's pretty helpful, makes good decisions and cares about other's feelings.:)



I just love to sit and look at how much she's changed over the years...



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEETIE!!

A visit to the White House

Don't we look like we're really there? lol





While Trav's aunt and uncle from Florida visited we took a trip to the Lincoln Museum ( I swear we're the only ones who live here who have never gone-lol) It was pretty cool! Chloe seemed to be more into it than I thought...and disturbed by images of slavery and Lincoln being shot...It was worth seeing-especially the ghosts of the museum show-very neat!





I swear...why does Gabe feel the need to be all "girls gone wild" all the time? He approaches strangers this way and I can't count how many pictures I have of him lifting his shirt-lol. What a goof.