Thursday, November 15, 2012
Z is for...
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Down to TWO
It always amazes me how fast time flies! I used to be a daily blogger and now? It is awesome if I can blog once a week? WHAT? That's nuts.
And back earlier this year I thought it would be fun to put together this idea... an "ALPHABETIZE ME" book for 2012. A collection of photos of ME, using each letter of the alphabet to describe me and scrapbook a book about yours truly... A keepsake for laughs and for my kids to have in the future. It just hit me yesterday that I have 3 letters yet to do and the end of the year is coming quickly! I'd better get on it!
So "R," "S" and "Z" have been on my mind. It helped to sort through some pix today to get some ideas. I got "S" done with recalling my trip to Chicago in August and being "scared" on the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. That was a fun memory to recount! A fun page to 'scrap!'
Now down to 2 letters. I think I know what word(s) to use for the letter "R" but "Z" is a toughy!
Where in the world do the days go?
And back earlier this year I thought it would be fun to put together this idea... an "ALPHABETIZE ME" book for 2012. A collection of photos of ME, using each letter of the alphabet to describe me and scrapbook a book about yours truly... A keepsake for laughs and for my kids to have in the future. It just hit me yesterday that I have 3 letters yet to do and the end of the year is coming quickly! I'd better get on it!
So "R," "S" and "Z" have been on my mind. It helped to sort through some pix today to get some ideas. I got "S" done with recalling my trip to Chicago in August and being "scared" on the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. That was a fun memory to recount! A fun page to 'scrap!'
Now down to 2 letters. I think I know what word(s) to use for the letter "R" but "Z" is a toughy!
Where in the world do the days go?
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Daddy Daughter Time
For quite a while now, Eric has been wanting to get Molly a little necklace that she can wear that will remind her Daddy is thinking of her all throughout the day... He got around to ordering a precious little one with guardian angels on it and on Friday night, he called her into the kitchen to give it to her.
She had no idea what he was doing. He pulled out a little velvety bag and started to open it...
Saturday, October 20, 2012
thinking AHEAD
I am sooooo in the mood to do crafts with my kids. Christmas crafts.
I know, it's not even Halloween.
So I'm keeping it under wraps... well from my older two... but took my youngest on a little walk thru Pinterest today looking at ornament ideas! She was drooling just like her mama :) No, no, I'm not in the mood for Christmas carols on the radio or anything crazy like that - I'm just in the mood for spending some QT (quality time) with the kiddos, sitting around the table being, well crafty. I think getting the greeting cards up and running has gotten the fire burning.
So... while poking around on Pinterest, I found these fun ornaments that I think even my 9 year old will have fun with! I figured we'd all go to the local scrapbooking store and pick out whatever paper they each like and have fun making ornaments! Not 'til December... Something to look forward to ;)
...and how 'bout the name of the blog?! LOVE IT!
I know, it's not even Halloween.
So I'm keeping it under wraps... well from my older two... but took my youngest on a little walk thru Pinterest today looking at ornament ideas! She was drooling just like her mama :) No, no, I'm not in the mood for Christmas carols on the radio or anything crazy like that - I'm just in the mood for spending some QT (quality time) with the kiddos, sitting around the table being, well crafty. I think getting the greeting cards up and running has gotten the fire burning.
So... while poking around on Pinterest, I found these fun ornaments that I think even my 9 year old will have fun with! I figured we'd all go to the local scrapbooking store and pick out whatever paper they each like and have fun making ornaments! Not 'til December... Something to look forward to ;)
Monday, October 15, 2012
Where I've Been
I must admit, I have been one bad blogger!
Life has taken over and I haven't sat down to write in much, much too long. This past summer has been one of the more difficult ones for our family. Starting with the loss of Bean, our beloved German Shepherd mix who passed away one week short of my birthday. She was my best friend, here one day and gone the next. Memories of her pop into my mind when I least expect them to and tears fill my eyes... No one ever told me that losing a pet would be SO hard. Sure we had dogs all growing up and I loved them, but not like Bean. She was a huge part of me, a big part of my life, every single day and then she was gone. It still hurts.
Then with the turning of the calendar into July we celebrated our boys birthdays, they are 9 and 8 already - so hard to believe! Where in the world did those years go? As August approached, we received a call that my sister-in-law had had a massive heart attack. At first I thought my husband was cracking a joke, although not funny. I just didn't believe it was true. Rushing to the hospital, we didn't know what to expect. She was in a coma. She never regained consciousness and her grown children had to make the most difficult decision of their lives, to remove their mom from life support. She passed away on August 12th, the day after my husband's birthday.
During all of that, my father-in-law learned his lung cancer had returned and faced some difficult decisions on how to proceed. At the time, having drastic surgery seemed like it would be the best option. While the decision was being made to remove Phyllis from life support, we learned the lung cancer had spread and there wasn't much more the doctor could do (he had already taken his entire right lung). There were only a few days of Lee improving where he was faced with the truths about his daughter being taken off of life support and about his own prognosis. He was soon facing life threatening breathing issues and placed on a ventilator. Before we knew it, the excruciating decision was made to remove him from life support. Unbelievable. Fifteen days after Phyllis' death he passed away. That was August.
Soon school started for all 3 of our kids, my first year without anyone home during the day. Molly has struggled a bit with the changes of all day/every day and missing mama :) I've met with her teacher and principal to talk with them about Molly and all of our happenings to give them more insight into why she has been crying at school. The lunchroom, "scary stairs," and recess being overwhelming are getting better each day - she's a trooper for 5 years old! She's not with her big brothers at school so that's a hardship she's had to face as well.
I wasn't thinking about "going back to work" until maybe after the new year but at our September PTO meeting the mention was made for the "desperate" need for a crossing guard at our school (the boys school). A week later, I was out there holding a stop sign. I love being there with my kids each day, I get to wave at Molly's shuttle bus as it leaves to take her to "her school" every morning and wave her in each afternoon. I even have a handy dandy radio so I look cool. :)
Molly's bus driver pulled over the other day and opened the folding bus doors to tell me Molly had just told her Bean died. I recognized the driver (cause I see her every day pulling in as the driver we had last year) and told Molly to tell her where we live and that we had Bean, "she'd probably remember."
The bus driver was crying.
She was so touched by Bean and how she'd get on the bus all the time last year. It brought me to tears to see her so sad and I had to talk myself out of the lump in my throat so the kids I "cross" wouldn't see any tears.
So... the tears are fresh and the pain is real, but I'm here!
Hoping to get you excited about digital scrapbooking (and myself motivated again!) and I'm having fun designing greeting cards for 2012. Happy Fall and welcome back :)
Life has taken over and I haven't sat down to write in much, much too long. This past summer has been one of the more difficult ones for our family. Starting with the loss of Bean, our beloved German Shepherd mix who passed away one week short of my birthday. She was my best friend, here one day and gone the next. Memories of her pop into my mind when I least expect them to and tears fill my eyes... No one ever told me that losing a pet would be SO hard. Sure we had dogs all growing up and I loved them, but not like Bean. She was a huge part of me, a big part of my life, every single day and then she was gone. It still hurts.
Then with the turning of the calendar into July we celebrated our boys birthdays, they are 9 and 8 already - so hard to believe! Where in the world did those years go? As August approached, we received a call that my sister-in-law had had a massive heart attack. At first I thought my husband was cracking a joke, although not funny. I just didn't believe it was true. Rushing to the hospital, we didn't know what to expect. She was in a coma. She never regained consciousness and her grown children had to make the most difficult decision of their lives, to remove their mom from life support. She passed away on August 12th, the day after my husband's birthday.
During all of that, my father-in-law learned his lung cancer had returned and faced some difficult decisions on how to proceed. At the time, having drastic surgery seemed like it would be the best option. While the decision was being made to remove Phyllis from life support, we learned the lung cancer had spread and there wasn't much more the doctor could do (he had already taken his entire right lung). There were only a few days of Lee improving where he was faced with the truths about his daughter being taken off of life support and about his own prognosis. He was soon facing life threatening breathing issues and placed on a ventilator. Before we knew it, the excruciating decision was made to remove him from life support. Unbelievable. Fifteen days after Phyllis' death he passed away. That was August.
Soon school started for all 3 of our kids, my first year without anyone home during the day. Molly has struggled a bit with the changes of all day/every day and missing mama :) I've met with her teacher and principal to talk with them about Molly and all of our happenings to give them more insight into why she has been crying at school. The lunchroom, "scary stairs," and recess being overwhelming are getting better each day - she's a trooper for 5 years old! She's not with her big brothers at school so that's a hardship she's had to face as well.
I wasn't thinking about "going back to work" until maybe after the new year but at our September PTO meeting the mention was made for the "desperate" need for a crossing guard at our school (the boys school). A week later, I was out there holding a stop sign. I love being there with my kids each day, I get to wave at Molly's shuttle bus as it leaves to take her to "her school" every morning and wave her in each afternoon. I even have a handy dandy radio so I look cool. :)
Molly's bus driver pulled over the other day and opened the folding bus doors to tell me Molly had just told her Bean died. I recognized the driver (cause I see her every day pulling in as the driver we had last year) and told Molly to tell her where we live and that we had Bean, "she'd probably remember."
The bus driver was crying.
She was so touched by Bean and how she'd get on the bus all the time last year. It brought me to tears to see her so sad and I had to talk myself out of the lump in my throat so the kids I "cross" wouldn't see any tears.
So... the tears are fresh and the pain is real, but I'm here!
Hoping to get you excited about digital scrapbooking (and myself motivated again!) and I'm having fun designing greeting cards for 2012. Happy Fall and welcome back :)
the orange clothesline greeting cards 2012
all cards are 5x7 sized
.89 cents per card, envelopes included
contact me at theorangeclothesline@gmail.com for more details
card name : {blessings}
card name : {Christmas cheer}
card name : {glitter}
card name : {love hope joy}
card name : {merry and happy}
card name : {merry dots}
card name : {peace on earth}
card name : {poinsetta}
card name : {red snowflake}
card name : {tidings}
card name : {we wish you}
Friday, June 15, 2012
Remington
The days keep on clicking by, but the pain still seems to feel the same. It's been 2 weeks ago today that we lost Bean dog. Hard to believe it's been that long. Seems like just yesterday I got home and saw my husband's car in the driveway, back door open. The drizzling rain was falling, I was returning with Molly from my son's field trip. What on earth was he doing home? What's going on?
I was on the phone with my dad and told him I'd have to call him back. I hung up and nervously called Eric. He didn't answer. Where was he. What was that blanket in Eric's backseat. Just then he came walking up the back hill, tear filled eyes. He had done it. Bean was gone, and buried. I folded in half. I couldn't stand up straight.
"What do you mean? I wanna see her... what do you mean?" I was hysterical.
What an emotional day. She's gone.
A while later I checked my phone to see that my aunt had called and left a message. My cousin Mike had given the ok for us to take Remington. "Remi" is their black lab pup (1 1/2 years old) who they won't have the right room for as they move on to their next home. They had been hesitant in the last few weeks to give her up cause they love her so much. We understood totally, but said if they were ever willing to we'd gladly take her. Especially not knowing how much longer Bean would be with us. Mike didn't even know that Bean was gone when he changed his mind. It was a total God thing. Within 24 hours, we had Remi. And she has helped us cope. Been a huge blessing with her brown eyes and floppy ears. She plays with the kids constantly and is so patient. She follows me everywhere (even into the bathroom) and brings us joy. The yearning for Bean remains but time will help. Jack goes to "visit Bean" every day out back where she's buried.
I was on the phone with my dad and told him I'd have to call him back. I hung up and nervously called Eric. He didn't answer. Where was he. What was that blanket in Eric's backseat. Just then he came walking up the back hill, tear filled eyes. He had done it. Bean was gone, and buried. I folded in half. I couldn't stand up straight.
"What do you mean? I wanna see her... what do you mean?" I was hysterical.
What an emotional day. She's gone.
A while later I checked my phone to see that my aunt had called and left a message. My cousin Mike had given the ok for us to take Remington. "Remi" is their black lab pup (1 1/2 years old) who they won't have the right room for as they move on to their next home. They had been hesitant in the last few weeks to give her up cause they love her so much. We understood totally, but said if they were ever willing to we'd gladly take her. Especially not knowing how much longer Bean would be with us. Mike didn't even know that Bean was gone when he changed his mind. It was a total God thing. Within 24 hours, we had Remi. And she has helped us cope. Been a huge blessing with her brown eyes and floppy ears. She plays with the kids constantly and is so patient. She follows me everywhere (even into the bathroom) and brings us joy. The yearning for Bean remains but time will help. Jack goes to "visit Bean" every day out back where she's buried.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Not Today
We can't do it. Not today. My hubby called me a little bit ago and asked me to cancel the appointment at the vet. He can't take her today, just can't. "It's not the right time. Does it honestly feel right to you?"
It will never feel right. She's been playing with her ball and jogging around today. Of course she didn't have any accidents in the night, in a way if she had the decision would have been easier. I figured Eric was having an easier day being at work and distracted and all. Not so. It won't be today, we can't do it. Postponing the inevitable? Yeah. But for today? I'm mighty thankful. We love you Bean, just as you love us!
It will never feel right. She's been playing with her ball and jogging around today. Of course she didn't have any accidents in the night, in a way if she had the decision would have been easier. I figured Eric was having an easier day being at work and distracted and all. Not so. It won't be today, we can't do it. Postponing the inevitable? Yeah. But for today? I'm mighty thankful. We love you Bean, just as you love us!
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