Let the Countdown Begin...

So the other night I couldn’t sleep so I parked myself in front of the computer and started perusing my favorite crafting blogs…from which I clicked through to a bunch of other blogs…

BIG MISTAKE

Now I MUST have chalkboard paint – I saw so many cute things that were done using chalkboard paint…from masking a plastic charger so you can have a cute colorful chalkboard for your kitchen…to painting small wooden boards to be used as door hangers. I got this GREAT idea from seeing all the chalkboard items…but I must wait to actually do it :(

Anyway – I have been crafting up a storm…I am finally finished with the holiday craft fairs – I participated in 3 of them this year – I did OK – I hit the goal I set for myself – I was hoping to surpass it but I will take my goal…

I have a few orders of some items to finish up – hoping to complete that this holiday weekend – as for the first time in 5 years we are not traveling – I could stay in my PJ’s the ENTIRE weekend if I wanted to…

I did want to show you a special project I have been working on. I found the best little site on-line for vinyl designs – My Vinyl Designer that I mentioned the other week. They are currently having a great sale on all there designs – 25% off (use the code: holidays) and best yet – immediate download. They also provide a weekly freebie as well.

The site has been running a contest each week – with getting ready for the craft fairs I wasn’t able to set aside the time to participate – but when this past weeks came up I had an idea that went "Ba-Blam" in my brain…

So this past week was to take one of their Advent calendar designs and create something with it…
I took CA007, a metal baking sheet, red, green, yellow and white vinyl, a few fonts, fancy holiday ribbon, a wooden star and a magnet and came up with this….



I managed to snag the baking sheet at a local craft store for under $2 and had TC drill a hole in the top.

When I imported the Advent calendar into my Silhouette Studio software it was a breeze to use…I simply did the layout to get to the size and shape I wanted it to be based on my baking tray – I decided to use the back of the tray so it would sort of sit out a bit from my wall when hung. I was able to split the images so I could cut the numbered balls and wording in red and the top and bottom of the tree in green.

I went a quick step further and cut out the top of the tree in a scrap of light yellow and trimmed it so I had the star shape that I layered over the green.

I used a snowflake dingbat font to cut some snowflakes in white to scatter and made a fancy bow to cover the top lip of the baking tray and used the excess ribbon to form a loop for hanging.

Now the number holder – I found a small already painted yellow star at one of the big box craft stores – slapped a round magnet on the back (didn’t even need to pull out my glue gun – Craft glue dots are the best things ever) and VIOLA…it becomes my day tracker. Before and after X-mas it nicely resides at the top of the tree.


I think it turned out quite nifty if I do say so myself – and my girls LOVE it…I was thinking of bringing it to my workplace but I don’t think my girls will let me do that – they want to hang it in their room.

Now to complete my orders so I can craft for myself some more…

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…Thanks to Shutterfly

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE the holiday season…bright colored lights, holiday songs on the radio 24/7…buying or making the perfect gift for a special friend or family member.

BUT

There is soooooo much to do…and as a woman, wife, mother – a lot of it falls on my shoulders.

Decorating – sure TC will get out the ladder and hang the lights, he will go get the tree with TW and PWG and set it up, he will get out the inflatable of Santa and the reindeer playing poker (yes we actually have this) and get it set up…but the rest is up to me…which means other than the lights and blow up things we only have a few other decorations scattered around the house.

Gift Shopping – ummm all me…I am sure if I asked TC to go buy something he would…but in my mind it is far simpler for me to go and pick it up and be done with it and know it got done…So not only does this encompass shopping for my family – but also assorted nieces and nephews and yes even TC office…I love it when he comes to me and asks “so what are WE giving this year”

Holiday Cards – all me….for the past 5 years or so I have lovingly hand stamped and crafted our holiday cards…all 75+ of them. Let me tell you that is a lot of cards…as I looked about this year – between the girls school work, sports and other activies, my craft shows and working – I was just dreading making all those cards…

THEN….

I came upon SHUTTERFLY

Oh happy day…

In the past I have received cute photo cards in the mail during the holiday season and many years ago I actually made one up and sent it out for the holidays one year. The problem I had all those years ago is the fact I only had about 10 templates to choose from and none of them really floated my boat…

So I wasn’t expecting much when I went in search of a cute template for a photo card.

Well color me surprised…

I am so not a “traditional” Holiday person- dark reds and greens, holly sprigs, cardinals, realistic Christmas Trees – sorry they don’t do much for me…I am so much more a “mod” holiday person – give me the pinks and greens and aqua’s and I am a happy girls. You can save that fancy loopy script – give me some funky fonts.

Well I found the MOTHERLODE of cute and fun holiday Photo cards at Shutterfly – they have plenty of designs for you more “traditional” folks but if you are like me you are going to be in heaven. There are over 300 different templates – 300 people…if you can’t find one you like then you have some serious design issues…

Here are a few of my favorites:

They have a variety of sizes and styles – they have a nicer cardstock based photo card and your less expensive photo paper photo card. I know that sending Holiday cards can get expensive…so my plan this year – to put together TWO holiday photo cards…one using the nicer cardstock base to send to close family and friends and one using the less expensive photo paper to send to those acquaintances where the Holiday time is just about the only time letters and information is exchanged (come on we all have that list) – this way everyone gets to see the wonderful pictures of my family but it is a little easier on my wallet.

But – what I love is in addition to the HUNDREDS of templates for Holiday cards they have a ton of other types of photo cards.

Need a Birthday Party Invite – they have all sorts of cute templates – for ages 1 to 100

And the best thing – take a bunch of pictures at the party – upload to Shutterfly – create not only some wonderful Thank You Cards - but go ahead and make a cute and stylish photobook of all the fun.

Shutterfly is going to make the girls next birthday super easy for me…

But going back to the Holidays...because you know it is creeping up on us like a pair of too small underwear...

In addition to the photo cards and photobooks Shutterfly has some wonderful gifts to create for the holiday season – think about it - you could get a bunch of gifts bought in one simple afternoon – and what is so great about the gifts – you design them and it is something that is special to you and your family and friends…

One of my favorite gifts is the Photo Mug - you can create a whole collage of pictures – this makes a great gift for a grandma or a grandpa…just grab about a dozen pictures of the grandkids you have taken throughout the year – and click to add them to mug…something that is practical and personal all in one fell swoop. Grandma can look at her darlings every day. I will say I put together one of these to give to the girls godmother…and then wound up keeping it for myself – now I get to look at my cuties every morning when I drink the elixir of the gods (aka coffee…the vodka doesn’t factor in until later in the evening)

Another great gift is a Desktop Plaque. Like the mug you are able to use more than one photograph. But what a great gift this would make if you have that PERFECT photo…you know the one in a million shot where everyone looks simply fantastic…TC and I went to a wedding this spring and someone managed to snap an awesome shot of both of us…I am so getting myself a Desktop Plaque of that picture to remind me that every once in a while I clean up quite well…and since it is basically its own picture frame you don’t have to buy anything else – what a great gift at a great price.



So thanks to Shutterfly I am going to be able to spend a few hours crafting and creating on my computer and in the end I will come away with my holiday cards and a number of really cute, very personal gifts for family and friends…

Fabulous Friday...

So the kids are in school and I took the day off - after running around this mornign with dropping off Bagels for the Afterschool educators and hitting the Dr. office...a quick trip to Target and since they are predicting snow - a trip to the grocery store as well...

after all that it was time for me...

Well time for me to craft...

Yesterday the girls and I stopped into Old Navy looking for some PJ bottoms...didn't find ones that fit them right but we did find stockings...FOR $1 (instead of the $9.50 price tag) - I had been planning on making the girls new stockings this year but that was something that got pushed back...and back again...and back some more...


But for $1...heck can't beat that...

But of course how will we know whose is whose...enter my Silhouette and Rhinestone templates...and BAM




Then I since I had my machine out I decided my blank wall needed something

and came up with this - once again using my trusty white contact paper with a little of the faux stainless thrown in...I think I will be on the look out for large jingle bells when I do my After Holiday shopping - so for next year I hope to have actual jingle bells...

Crafting - Chaos Style

So yesterday I showed off the Chocolately Goodness that were my Cocoa Cones...

A cone is great to give as a quick gift - to a neighbor, a co-worker, etc..., but what if you want something more...

Then I give you the Hot Chocolate for Two...

Quite a long time ago I came into possession of a few blank kraft cardboard drink holders - half were for holding two drinks and half were for four. They have been sitting in a box...staring at me...tauting me...saying USE ME USE ME

and use them I did...

I took the one that had room for 2 cups and decorated the outside with fun festive Designer Scrapbook paper (from Stampin' Up) and some stitched felt ribbon I found in the dollar bin at the big M's...and added a nice Holiday greeting and some jingle bells.

Then I added in two cute red and white mugs with a snowflake design I picked up at the Dollar Store.

Add in a Cocoa Cone in one side and a small bag of Holiday Chocolate topped with a sparkly chipboard snowflake in the other and VIOLA....

I made up four of these before I did my craft fairs - I brought them to the fairs thinking if they sell they sell - if not my teacher gifts are done...they all sold...YEAH...so I had to scramble a bit for what to give to teachers this year - luckly for me one of the class mom was taking donations to buy the teacher a new Kuerig machine...here you go here is my $10 - done easy peasy...

Here are a few more things that have been swirling around in the house of Chaos...

Fleece Tie Blankets...

There are 101 different types of directions to do these blankets - I read a few different versions and just winged it - in retrospect I should have cut the ties longer - but the girls love thier blankets

Fabric Wreath

I used the directions found at Moda Bake Shop - for my wreath I used Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey for Moda fabric

Decorated Bags

I found about a dozen small zippered cosmetic bags at my parents house over Thanksgiving...they orginally held Neutrogena samples - but now they were empty and once again I heard the tauting - USE ME USE ME... One side was mesh and the other side a clear plastic. I had a bought a bunch of smaller fun items for ny neices for thier Christmas present - Bubble bath, lipgloss, nailpolish, little bottle of perfume, a bracelet and a big bath puff...

What better than a personalized little bag to hold everything

I used my wonderful new Silhouette machine and some Bubblegum Oracle Vinyl

In the works

MELLY and ME Reindeer

I have the pieces of 6 Melly and Me Reindeer sewn- they still have to be stuffed, sewn shut, legs attached and have nose and eyes added...they are calling for snow all day on Saturday...what better time to stuff half dozen reindeer right?

BONUS KID CONVERSATIONS

Tuesday at school was crazy Hair Day - PWG choose to have 2 pigtails sticking straight up - upon getting home she took them out - but as us women know sometimes your hair just keeps sticking up...so she shouted "OMG daddy - look at my hair"

ME: What does OMG stand for (I know I just wondered what they thought
PWG & TW (in unison) : Oh My Gosh
ME: - oh Ok
TW: But sometimes it means Oh My That word you say alot (while pointing her little finger up towards the sky)

ummm yeah...maybe I need to make sure one of my New Years Resolution is saying Gosh more then That Other Word....

Wed. was "Twin Day" at my girls school - so on Tuesday while driving home from afterschool care I asked PWG what she needed to wear and was told "Jeans" so she could be twins with J - ummm PWG only wears dresses, leggings, skirts and skorts...the last time she wore a pair of jeans was when she was 2, because she had absolutely no say...whereas TW wears Jeans 99.89% of the time time - so while we were driving this occured

ME: You really are going to wear Jeans??
PWG: J doesn't have any leggings - all she has is Jeans
ME: I am soo getting a picture of you in Jeans
PWG: NOOOOOO - I will run away
ME: Then I will get a picture of you running away - in Jeans
PWG: FINE - but it better not show up on Facebook

Oye - raising kids in the 21st century....

Chocolately Goodness

So last year I saw the cute Cocoa in a bag gifts...at about $4 a pop...ummm cute but no thank you.



It was one of the things I kept in the back of my mind to make for this Holiday season...



and make I did

Don't they look yummy and they are oh so easy to make...



What do you need:


Cocoa Mix - you can either buy a big tub of Swiss Miss or Herseys or you can attempt to make your own using Sugar, Cocoa Powder and Dry Milk - there are tons of different recipies out there to make your own - in order to stufle the craziness I just used a big tub of Swiss Miss from the local warehouse store


Milk Chocolate Morsels - make sure you get milk chocolate, not semi sweet - you can also use other chocolatly goodness items - such as white chocolate, chopped up Andes Mints, etc...


Mini Marshmallows - I managed to score a HUGE bag at the local warehouse store for under $3 - I made 50 of these bags and still have a ton of mini marshmallows


Cone Bags - I bought my bags through Clearbags - they are a food grade bag - BUT you can also use the cone bags that you can buy at any craft store that are used for frosting - the main difference is the frosting bags are made of a thicker plastic material


Small Clear Elastic bands - you can buy these in the beauty section at your local CVS, Walgreens, etc...


Assorted Ribbon and Tags


So now that you have all your items it is time to assemble


Take one Cone bag and fill with enough Cocoa mix for TWO cups of Cocoa - I found the best way to do this was to pull out about 5-6 of my tall glass drinking glasses - insert the cone bag and fold the top over the rim of the glass and fill with cocoa powder.


Tie off the bag using a Clear Elastic Band and cut down the top so it is about 1/2 inch above the elastic band.


Insert the Cocoa filled cone into another cone bag - Once again I used the tall glasses to have the cones stand sort of upright.


Put a hearty scoop of chocolate morsals and then a hearty scoop of marshmallows on top and close with another Clear Elastic Band.


Decorate with an embellished tag and some festive ribbon.


My cost for this project of 50 of them came to about .75 cent a piece...much better than $4 a pop.

Super Sassy

So have I told ya'll how much I adore my new Silhouette machine?

I know, I know...

But seriously I love this thing - I have had the orginal Cricut for over 2 years and I have used the Silhouette more in the past 2 weeks then I have used the Cricut in the past 2 years.

One of the main reasons is I am able to have the machine set up right beside my computer - I get an urge to do something I just bring up the software - load the machine and cut...LOVE it...much better than hauling out my cricut - trying to find a cartridge with a font I like or an image I need - I have everything practically at my fingertips...

Add in the fact that I have a ton of shapes, words, sayings available to me to download at the push of a button with more added every single week- I signed up for a years worth of unlimited downloads at the Silhouette Online Store.

THEN, to make it even better they have come out with a new Rhinestone kit and of course I HAD to have it...it arrived last week...

In the store there are a ton of different templates - I perused them with TW and we found one that really "spoke" to TW...and then I was off...super easy to feed the template material into the machine...and then adhere on the backing board...getting the Rhinestones in the proper place took a little bit of time - BUT it was my first one and I figure the more I do the faster and easier it will become...

We used a plain black Old Navy shirt that was in her drawer and the final result...

Looks pretty good - IRL it is quite blingy...I have even already run it through a wash cycle and all those rhinestones are still stuck quite well - one of my fears was doing all this and then having them fall off once washed...but that was unfounded.

As I said the store adds new images every week - last week they added some wonderful designs by Loni Stevens. She designed words to fit on an adorable ornament box she also designed...well I loved all of them and immediately downloaded a bunch...

But...I didn't make ornaments (yet...) I took one of the designs and decided to add some Peace to my house this holiday season...It involved taking the orginal design and making it larger - I used my good old standby this holiday season - white contact paper - this is over the entry way into my family room...

of course now that I look at it I see my fancy swirls on each end aren't exactly perfect - one is higher than the other...oh well...such is life

It's the little things

I am by nature a naturally frugal person (well except when it comes to $85 face cream from Philosophy)


So in decorating my home for the holidays I tend to go pretty low key – no over the top decorations – just little things here and there and my style tends to be a more “comfy casual” then traditional…and our family is soooo a colored lights family…no offense to those who only bask in the glow of white lights…sure they are pretty…but colored lights are like sprinkles on a cake…sure the cake tastes good and is beautiful…but sprinkles make it fun and festive.

A few years ago I picked up a canister of brightly colored Christmas balls from Target in one of the after holiday sales. They were full of some pretty “non-tradtional” colors – purple, pink, lime green, turquoise – I loved them and had to have them…

But what to do with them…

The next year when I got out my garland to wrap around my banister I figured it needed a little punching up and out came the balls…

Some hot glue and some string to tie it to my banister and it looks pretty darn good – don’t you think…

I still had over half the bucket left and it sat with all the holiday stuff for the past few Holidays – I didn’t need anymore Garland…I toyed with the idea of making a very large wreath…but didn’t follow through…

This year I decided I need to display them – to give a pop of color somewhere - to coordinate with my banister…

So I loaded them up in a glass vase – a glass vase I managed to score for a whopping .99 cents. So I put them in and while they looked pretty it needed something else…

So away I went to my fabulous Silhouette machine and used some of that wonderful faux stainless steel contact paper and made the vase a bit more festive…

I love this – but I especially love the fact that after the holidays are over I can just peel the words away and have a nice blank slate….I am thinking it may need to be decorated for each holiday…lets see – a nice Valentines saying with it filled with cut out paper hearts…maybe a picture of the Easter bunny while filled with decorated eggs….

Now what would the holidays be without the trimming of the tree…

The first year TC and I were together – living in a small cheap apartment we bought this HUGE tree from Wallyworld – I cost us all of $16 – which to us was a HUGE sum of money as we struggled each month to pay the bills – but it was Christmas and we HAD to have a tree – we bought a box of colored lights and a box of glass plain colored bulbs…we decided right then and there we would start a tradition – every year we would buy each other an ornament and only those would go on the tree…now over the years we have had to modify what goes on the tree – as we have received ornaments as gifts – they go on the tree and of course having small children we have numerous ornament designed by them now hanging. But, the thing is each and every one of them has a special meaning to us – there is a story behind each one…when we hang the ones we have given each other over the years there is a story to go with each of them…when we hang the ones given lovingly give to us by others we think of them…when we hang the ones our children have made us I get teary over how fast they are growing from little girls into big girls.

This year TC got me this



Yes it is a piece of pumpkin pie…I have an obsession with Pumpkin Pie…I only really eat it one time a year at Thanksgiving…but it is my Moms Pumpkin Pie – piled high with homemade vanilla whipped cream – ohhh so yummy – in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving I talk somewhat obsessively about having pumpkin pie…good choice TC

This is what I got TC


It is a lady T-Rex…there is a running joke in my family – I being the shortest one – also have the shortest arms – so it isn’t as easy for me to reach certain things in high cabinets…or say reach across the table to collect all the Apples to Apples cards…One day it was blurted out I was built like a T-Rex with tiny arms…and that has been a running joke in my family – a few days before I bought the ornament I was trying to get something down and TC said to me “Here let me help you T-rex” – so when I saw the ornament I knew I had to give it to him…as a holiday reminder of me…

And at the top of our tree goes our star


Looks a little sad doesn’t it…but it contains the best story – one we told our girls this year…see back at that first Christmas we bought lights and bulbs and there were two ornaments but no topper…we just couldn’t afford to spend any more…so I took a piece of cardboard and some tin foil and fashioned us a star…That was 14 years ago and every year it sits proudly on top of our tree – it reminds my husband and I how far we have come together and how lucky we are to have a nice roof over our head, how blessed we are to have two happy healthy kids and the resources to surround the tree with gifts to each other.

So does your family have any holiday traditions??? I would love to hear some, cause you know it is NEVER to late to start a new tradition :)

On a Contact High...

So the other day I showed you how I used Contact paper and my new Silhouette to decorate a window at my workplace...

oh so much more...

So here is the orginal window with more snowflakes

then I had to decorate up the door to my section - BE is I think Brittanic Bold?? and Merry is Two Peas Arizona font - I was able to weld the words so the "erry" cut as one piece

and our display case...I used an Ornament shape downloaded from Silhouette and flipped one before cutting. The "Joy to the World" is also a download.

and finally what I absolutely adore - our Ornament window - complete with all my co-workers names...I found faux stainless steal contact paper (made by Duck I found it at Lowes) - {swoon} - I used a Silhouette plain ornament shape to cut the ornaments out of the faux stainless steel and then used some Deliha Red and Olive Oracle vinyl to cut out the names in different fonts...

I simply ran ribbon (Micheals $1 bin) down the window at various lengths and put the ornament on - I then created corresponding bows and used my beloved Craft glue Dots (if you do not own Craft glue dots in the red box...you must get some - these can make anything stick) to adhere them to the top of the ornaments - here is a closeup of my ornament...

I used the "Mele Kalikimaka" download from the Silhouette digital store - mainly to try to be PC...around here gosh forbid you say "Merry Christmas"... and our orginal idea of "Happy/Merry Whatever" might have gotten us in a bit of trouble...so we used a roundabout way to say "Merry Christmas"

The snowmen on the bottom is also a digital download - I placed four on one page and flipped every other one so the ends would match up (one is slightly higher then the other) as I was putting it along the bottom of the window...I also had a few trees cut out from an earlier project - so those got added as well...

I adore, adore, adore, adore my new Silhouette....

Oh, before I forget you are probably wondering what became of the all the things in the sneak peek I gave you yesterday...

Well that turned into this..

Isn't it lovely...I used a simple Styrofoam Cone shape - some T-pins and a few bags of candy...along the way I did a very bad thing and introduced my daughters to Lindor truffles...now they are clamoring for Lindor...

This was very quick and easy to put together - the girls put the pins through the top of each piece of candy and I pinned them on. The star on top - I simply cut some nesting star shapes from my Silhouette (did I happen to mention I adore my new toy??) - used a toothpick and a Craft Glue Dot (did I mention I adore these as well??) to put them back to back and then sunk the toothpick on top.

This makes a wonderful gift - in fact this one is going to a neighbor this weekend - she holds an open house before the annual parade for our town (lucky us the parade goes right through our neighborhood - prime seats only a block away) - I figure this would make a nice little hostess gift that everyone at the Open House can enjoy...This would be great to place on a neighbors doorstep - just ring the bell and run...a much better treat than flaming dog poo, dontcha' think?

Channeling her inner Soprano

So with the start of December in our house the Santa Elf appears…

See isn’t he cute…

He was sent by Santa to keep an eye on PWG and TW and report back to Santa if they are being Naughty or Nice…

He is also in charge of our Advent Calendar – which hangs and has small mittens for each day leading up to Christmas – just big enough to slip 2 small pieces of candy in…

So if the girls behave they are awoken to the joy of being able to have a piece of candy first thing in the morning…

The other day PWG told me it doesn’t matter if she is good or not because there will be candy everyday…I called her bluff and said it was all up to the Elf – to which she informed me she had a contract with the Elf and showed me this…


Ummm yeah…more like an extortion letter than a contract…and see those numbers – when I asked what they were I was told “The Elf gave me his digits” . I told her that the Elf's handwritting looked alot like hers...her response "Prove it" - I asked why she signed it "ME" instead of her name...her response "The Elf knows who he is signing a contract with - no names needed"

Question is - if one day there aren’t any pieces of candy will the Elf find himself in the woods digging his own shallow grave?

And I leave you with a little taste

What to take a guess as to what I used these for????

You will just have to wait until tomorrow…

Oh So Easy...

So what did this become....

It became this

Simply Fabulous don'tcha think??

And so super simple and easy to do...

One day I was perusing the web and came across a great blog - We Are That Family - one of the things I love is the Do It Yourself Projects - simply divine and most of the items used come from the Dollar Store...so easy on the wallet as well...I came across THIS post (go down to about the 5th picture) - well...I HAD to do that so...

My wreath uses

1 white wreath shape - $1 @ Dollar Tree

1/2 roll of wire edged ribbon - $1 @ Dollar Tree

1 20 yard Snow Garland - $2.99 @ Target

I would have used Garland from the Dollar Tree but sadly this year it was a little lacking and quite frankly a bit too gaudy for me - and for me to say something is too gaudy - the woman who bought a holiday flying pig for her front yard - it must have been bad...


The 20 yards was just perfect for this wreath - I used a dab of hot glue to attach the garland to the wreath and then simply wrapped it all around and used another dab of hot glue to glue the end down. - tied 1/2 of the roll of ribbon in a loop and strung it through the wreath.


Simply beautiful and for $4.50 - a steal - would have been even cheaper had my Dollar Tree had some better Garland...but oh well...the Snow Garland is beautiful - hard to see in the picture but the Garland is mainly white with some sprinkles of silver and shimmer throughout...

a sneek peek of Christmas....

So I saw THIS beautiful binded book over at Danielle's site Fat Cat Stamper - (go check out her work - FAB-U-LOUS)

Anyway I loved the look of her book and said hummm....I would love to do something similar - so here is my version....

Paper - Dashing (SU-retired), Vanilla (SU) Real Red (SU) Old Olive (SU)
Main Stamps- Season of Joy (SU), Merry and Bright (SU) Joy stamp (unknown)
Accessories - Binding Machine Scallop Punch (SU), Round Tab Punch (SU), flower stickers, Rhinestones

I spent the weekend getting my crafting area back into shape - so I can actually find stuff and not having to spend half my time looking for things to complete projects...

Coach Jenni - NOT

In another note...I am NOT the coach - upon arriving at the field on Saturday morning and being called "Coach Jenni" I was overtaken by about 6-7 dads...who fluttered around the field like a moth to a flame helping thier daughters to catch and hit and throw...I attempted to help TW with the catching and throwing, to th ebest of my ability with a bum shoulder, and was told I was throwing "too girly" - yes my 8 year old thinks I throw too girly...

and lastly I leave you with this conversation

TW: Can I have some dark Chocolate M&M's
ME: Yes you can have 5 or 6 of them
TW: can I have 10?
ME: NO
TW:Come on, I know you are a better mommy than that...

Really pitting my esteem as a mommy for a few extra M&M's...just for that I told her she could have none...suddenly 5-6 M&M's seemed like the perfect amount...