My exciting morning

I am sitting here eating some Easy Cheese on tortilla chips resting from my busy morning... Yeah, I know, so healthy... Anyway I borrowed Bobby's truck today, he took the van to work, so I could help my parents move some furniture. Ok, Bobby's truck is just plain scary. I've never driven it before because I haven't wanted to. I've heard the horror stories he has told me about it, like sometimes it won't go into reverse or it will get stuck in reverse and you can't get it to go forward. You have to crawl under there and mess with the shift linkage... or something like that, which he has never informed me how to do. The muffler fell off yesterday, so yeah... I was really dreading driving it today! The carseat went with the van so mom had to come pick up Tad. We drive up to her house, thankfully the truck worked just fine, and as I step out and onto the carport, my dad comes running out of the house yelling "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" He throws something on the ground in front of me, then runs back into the house. What in the world I think... I look down and realize it's a blackened cover to the electrical box. I look in the house, smoke is everywhere and you can smell that horrible electrical fire smell! Mom comes up the driveway, Tad in her arms asking, what's wrong? I calmly tell her that I believe the electrical box has caught on fire and her house might be on fire as well. She handled it really well... I was proud of her. Fortunately the fire didn't really spread, Daddy caught it in time but her laundry room shelf got burned and the electrical box is just totally destroyed. Who knows how long they will have to be without power. The fire department came, so Tad got to enjoy seeing the big truck, and I got to enjoy looking at some firemen... :) We had to stay outside forever! I wasn't about to take Tad in the house with all the fumes. I kept trying to leave but Daddy wouldn't let me... He still wanted to move the furniture!!! We made two trips in the scary truck... it did fine except for not wanting to start once. As soon as we got there it started raining. Luckily we were under the carport and didn't get wet. Now, I'm just chilling out here waiting to go pick up Lexie from her Dad... wondering what Mom and Dad are going to do. I offered for them to come stay here, but Mom said they would be fine. They have a generator to keep the refrigerator running, so that's good, but it's going to be rough for them the next few days. The fire department said it looked like some very extensive damage. It even blew the transformer up on the pole outside! They are pretty stressed out and upset so please keep them in your prayers!

Bobby got a job!!!

I should have posted this earlier, but Bobby got a job on Wednesday! He went in to the union hall and was able to get the job he wanted! When he left out that morning he was very excited hoping to get this job that was close to home... Well when he arrived home Wendsday night at around 6:20... he wasn't so excited anymore. He got it, but he hates it! He was in a terrible mood! I was so dissapointed for him. It is not as close to the house as he originally thought. It's close to 45 minutes away! And it's working 6 days a week, 10 hours a day! Don't get me wrong, of course he's excited about the extra money, but I know he hates having to give up his Saturdays! I hate it too! The kids and I are going to really miss him. They have such crazy rules at this place... he's not even allowed to bring his own tools home with him. He has to leave them there at work. They even make him remove his hard hat before he leaves, to make sure he hasn't stuck something under it, and they inspect his lunch box too! They obviously have a bad problem with stealing! How crazy is that! Anyway, as long as he can stick it out... which I know he can, we'll be making a lot more money each paycheck. That's wonderful! The only problem is that this job will be over probably in October or late September... So, we'll be back to the whole out of work thing again!

Thank you everyone for your prayers! It meant so much to me!!!

Good weekend

Well, we have had a pretty productive weekend... I've been trying to keep my mind off of the possible impending doom, all of the horrible things that could happen if he doesn't find work soon. And I mean soon! Ok... so he got a window for the van finally. Yes, we shouldn't have spent the money right now, but he found one for $19, so we couldn't really pass that up! It's been busted out for as long as I can remember now, and I've been riding around with plastic and duct tape for way too long! Getting a window was going to be $500, so we had been putting it off. Thank God we found one for so cheap. I can't tell you how good I will feel driving up to her school tomorrow with a real window instead of the duct tape flapping all around, sitting there in the carpool line. I've been pretty embarrassed about it lately. It was fine over the summer... I didn't mind so much, but actually having to go to the school like that, was just too much, especially when the tape wasn't sticking and it was flapping all around and I was terrified it was going to fly off on the interstate and cause someone to wreck. Yeah, it was kind of nervewracking! Plus I was embarrassed for Lexie to have to drive up to school like that. I know when I was a kid, that would have just killed me. I remember my Mom's car used to backfire all of the time, and it was so embarrassing when it would happen right there in line and everyone would hear it! I would stand there and cringe when she would pull up, hoping that it wouldn't go off! Gosh, I always hated that, and I don't want Lexie to feel the same way about my car... So, yeah, got that done... and we've been working on getting the patio finally finished that we started months ago! That took us all day, but thank goodness the weather was nice. I actually enjoyed being outside for a change! We grilled turkey burgers, I made Asian slaw, and it's just been a really good night! Of course I'm dreading the upcoming week, but thankfully I was able to keep my mind off of all the yucky stuff today. So, as Scarlett O'hara would say... "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow. "

Oh Lord... Bobby lost his job...

The scene starts as I am changing a poopy diaper... I hear a loud rumbling outside and say to myself... No, no that can't be Bobby's truck! It's only 1:30! ...Finish up the dirty job, and head to the bathroom window. CRAP! (no pun intended) I see his truck! ... go unlock the door and proceed to put clothes back on my antsy, wanting to run around toddler who does not want clothes on. Be cool, I tell myself. Don't freak out... just be calm. He walks in and all I could say was "No... you're not really here. I don't see you! You Are Not Here! ... "Yep" he says, "They layed me off" Ok guys, I have tried so hard to remain calm. I am trying so hard to not freak out. He's in a bad mood, one of his REALLY quiet moods, and that just makes it worse! I did really good driving to the bus stop. I cried, but not so much, that tears actually ran down my face. I'm trying to hold it together. I'm holding on to hope that Monday when he goes to the Union Hall they will have a job for him, but apparently he is #87 on the list to be hired, so who knows how long that could be. I hate to say it... but I'm gonna do it anyway... I hate this Union Crap! They're just a bunch of...... Ok, nevermind! I'll just say, even though he didn't want to go Union in the first place, the pay was better and benefits are payed for, so we really had no choice financially. I won't even get into all of that... it doesn't matter anyway! I am so scared because I know that jobs are so hard to get nowadays, his brother has been out of work for months! They are in the same field... they are electricians. Even though his brother is not in the Union, it still just goes to show that there is not that much work out there. Freakin' economy!

Ok, guys... please pray that he will find work soon. That Monday at the Union hall, all of the guys number 1-86 won't show up and he will get a job!

Our Fanciful Creations on Etsy Minimakers Blog

I did a blog post on Etsy Minimakers Team Blog about my newest fairy house... come check it out!

http://etsyminimakers.blogspot.com/

Tad said Mama!... finally

Well, Tad is finally saying Mama! He's been calling me "Baba" for quite some time now. He'd pat me on the chest... or where ever and say Baba. The other night we were all over at my mom and dads. I was outside on the almost-to-be-soon finished deck they are building and he was blowing me kisses through the window. Mom starts smiling and yelling... "He said it! He said Mama"! I was so excited, but I missed it! I didn't get to hear it 'cause I was outside, dangit! I of course went running in and he said it again! Yay! He's doing pretty good about saying it now, only every once in a while does he revert back to "Baba." You have no idea how good it did my heart to hear my little baby say Mama!

He's playing peek a boo... He loves that game.

Just a blog post...

Ok, so I'm still working on the pea pod necklaces... Taking pictures is gruelsome! I feel like I have been doing it all day, and I still can't seem to get it right. I went ahead and listed the little pink and blue one. I know none of you voted on that one, but it was my favorite... so... I did it anyway. Everyone seemed to like the silver one, but that is one of the ones I'm having the hardest time getting the color right in the pictures! I want the pics to be as accurate as possible to match the product. Very frusterating. I need to hire a professional, just don't have the money. Oh Cindy, why don't you live here in Alabama!!! Anyway, hopefully I'll get them up soon.

Our weekend has been pretty normal I suppose... Eddie is getting fleas again and so is Moo! My goodness, I spend $40 dollars a month on flea medicine for these animals and it just doesn't work! It usually works well on Eddie, lasts a month like it's supposed to, but the cat Moo... It usually only lasts a week or so! I don't understand it! I've never had a cat so prone to getting fleas! He never goes outside, we bathe him and have put Advantage and Frontline on him and they never last more than 2 weeks. This last time it only worked for a week and the vet says we can't retreat him until the month is up!!! What am I supposed to do? I've been spraying the house, but I don't feel comfortable putting off a bomb because of Tad. He's still going around putting everything in his mouth, so I just can't do that. It's not like we are getting over run with fleas, it's poor Moo that's getting all of them!! Poor kitty... what should I do?

Tad broke my glasses this week... yeah that really stunk. He broke them a few weeks ago, but I managed to super glue them back together. This time, no such luck... They are really, really broke. So, I am wearing them with one of the arms (or whatever you call them) off... They sit really crooked on my face and make me terribly dizzy. I have been forced to wear my contacts, and that drives me nuts after about 6 hrs, but it's better than being dizzy I suppose. Luckily my insurance covers a new pair of glasses every year, so I went yesterday and picked out a new pair. Boy, that was hard to do! I just hate picking out new glasses... It would be better if I could afford several, so I could pick and choose which pair to wear, but no... I can only pick out one pair and have to stand there looking in the mirror trying to imagine me wearing these frames with every color and every hairstyle... make up or no make up. It was not an easy task! The girl that worked there helped me out a lot and I basically went on what she said looked the best. Hopefully I made the right decision! I'm so nervous about it... I know that's silly, but I really do wear my glasses a lot and if they look bad... I'm stuck with them!

If you didn't vote on one of the pea pods... please do! I really want your opinions!!!

Also I did start a Facebook fan page for Our Fanciful Creations! Yea me!!! I somehow doubt it will bring in any buisness because I don't have that many facebook friends. If you are already a member... I have 19 already! and you feel like helping me out :) send out a few invites for me... You don't have to... but I sure would appreciate it!

Pea Pod Necklaces

Ok, I decided to try my hand at some jewelry... I really thought these pea pods were so cute... and I kind of went a little crazy making them. I have tons of them now... spent most of the day yesterday making peas! Ok, so here's what I'm thinking. I want to put them in my Etsy shop. I'm thinking $10 each. They will be custom made per order... that way people can look at the examples and they can choose what color and how many peas they want. I've already sold one to a friend who's buying it for a someone who did her baby shower theme in sweet peas! So my question to you is... which ones do you think look the best and do you think the price is reasonable? I've made so many different ones, I don't want to list them all in the shop. It costs .20 each item to list them, and even though that may not sound like a lot... it does add up. So let me know what you think. Even if you think they are crap. I want to know!

Yes, I am having problems with the white balance on my camera, I'm sure you can tell. I just don't have the best setup and lighting for taking upclose photo's like this...

Silver pea pod with pearl peas

Pink pea for girl and blue for a boy. People could custom order what color and how many peas...

These are silver vines, but they look kind of purpleish on my screen...






Believe me I will take better pictures for the Etsy listing.

My how things change...

I just got to have a girls night out Wednesday night with my friend Jasmin. We used to be good friends about 5 years ago and have recently reunited. We were little club rats. We lived for the weekends so we could go out and dance! On my way there, driving in my mini van, blaring some Backstreet Boys (yeah, don't laugh... I was reminiscing) ... I got to thinking, Wow! things sure have changed. I'm driving a mini van! My girls night outs definitely different. For one... I don't have them near as often as I used to. They have gone from Friday and Saturday nights, to a Wednesday night! I used to get started going out around no earlier than 10 pm. I left the house on Wednesday night at 6pm! And we went and played Bingo! Ha! What a difference. Of course this wasn't your typical bingo... There was a band, a lot of people and it was really fun! A far cry from our dance club nights though! I remember back in those days saying to her... we're 23... we're getting so old! We can't keep going out like this much longer, so we might as well enjoy it while we can! Pretty funny... I said that the next year and then the next... Got married, and settled back down again. I hit my wild phase at about 23, unlike most people who go through theirs in their teens. Mine hit me a little later, and it's a shame it did... I did a lot of stupid things! (but we won't go into all of that) ...So yeah, as I was saying. It just cracked me up thinking about it that night. Conversations have changed... last time I went out with her on a girls night... I sat there and talked for I don't know how long about breast feeding! We talked about kids and her school (she's in nursing school), recipes, the woes of cooking for our men... I don't think we even once asked each other "how do I look?" something we never could have gotten by without asking at least once every 30 minutes or so! Our clothing has changed... dramatically. We are definitely more conservative in our dress than we used to be. My goodness, the things we used to wear! I wouldn't be caught dead wearing some of that stuff now! And now in the bathroom, instead of fussing with my hair and make up like I used to... I stood there on the phone and talked to Bobby and Tad. (I missed them...) Having a girls night out did me a lot of good though. Even though I got sad when I left them, it was nice to have some social activity outside of the house. Don't get me wrong. I love being a housewife! It's just good for me every now and again to get dressed up, get in the car by myself... crank up the radio and not worry about it being too loud for the kids, get out with some girls, laugh and not worry about money and bills, the laundry, the dishes that never stop piling up in my sink... I did however have the constant thought throughout the night "I have to get up at 4:45, wake Bobby up and make a tuna fish sandwich!" Oh, how I hate tuna...

The Hawaiian dolls

Here they are! These are the two little dolls I made as a custom order for a lady on Etsy. She is having a party for her mom and dad, and these dolls are going to be taken to a cake designer to have the cake designed around them. (I know I've posted that before, but it's too exciting for me to not say it again!) She said her mom has already recieved them and loved them!

It sure was nerve wracking making these little dolls... knowing they were being made for someone. I kept having problems, the skirt kept breaking, his lai kept breaking... I had a multitude of problems! I was so glad when they were finished! It makes me even more happier to know that she really loved them! Hopefully now, I'll get some more orders in my shop!!! I need to figure out a way to promote it better... How do I get buisness to my shop without spending money on advertising? If anyone has any ideas... I'm open to any suggestions!

The Yard Sale

Well... Our yard sale didn't go as well as we had hoped. Friday morning, the little guy that works for the city brought 3 of my signs back, telling me there is a city ordinance against putting signs on poles. Boy, I was ticked! They apparently have to be staked in the ground... I didn't know. I've always done it before and never had a problem. So, I'm guessing we didn't get much traffic because there was only one sign left (the one I had staked in the ground) We didn't even break a hundred dollars that first day! Mom and I have always done really well on our yard sales and always make way more than a hundred on our first day, so we were pretty bummed... Saturday, went better, I suppose... but the traffic started dieing off and then out of nowhere came a storm. Not just sprinkles, these were huge gigantic rain drops! Just right out of the blue! We had no idea it was supposed to rain! All of our stuff was getting drenched. We were running around, totally soaked trying to save the books and things that would get ruined. Luckily two of my neighbors brought over tarps and helped us cover the stuff. My house is still muddy (I should be mopping right now, actually the broom is laying across my lap, as I sit here and blog...) and we had to throw away quite a bit of stuff. So yeah, that was our last yard sale. We are now retiring from yard sales... never, ever again! It's just not worth it! (we say this EVERY year, and we have been having yard sales probably every year since the late '90's) We ended up taking two truck loads to the thrift store... and part of me says Man, I could have held on to that stuff and had another one next year! What is wrong with me?!!!

I must go clean the floors now... I've got a lot to get done. Lexie's open house at school is tonight, so i've got to get the house clean, wash my hair, figure out what to wear, make sure she washes her hair, pick out her clothes, etc... you get the idea... I've got to get off the computer!

Yard Sale

I am up way too early getting ready for our yard sale! Oh, my, am I dreading it!!! This is going to be a long day.... Wish me luck! It's not so much that I hate having yard sales, it's just the getting stuff out in the morning and putting it back up part that I can't stand! Hopefully I'll make lots and lots of money! :)

Le Creuset

My mother and I are in the process of cleaning out a storage building full of stuff that belonged to my grandmother. Oh, my goodness the heat! I see now why people pay extra to have one of the climate controlled ones! It is so stifiling hot in there. We literally thought several times we were going to pass out! One of the bad things is that I had to take the kids with me! We set up the playpen in the hallway for Tad, and Lexie was sitting there absolutely miserable. After a little while of this we realized there was a plug right outside of our little cubicle... So I went home to get a fan... it didn't help very much by the way. Lexie was the brilliant one who thought of bringing along a squirt bottle, and thank goodness she did! She was in charge of the squirting and yes... there was a lot of squirting... that did help some... Tad was turning pink, he was so hot, so I made sure she squirted him plenty and he loved it! We have to go back today... I am dreading it sooooo much...

The exciting news is.... I found a set of Le Creuset pots!!!!!!! Oh the excitement! You have no idea!!!These things are so dang expensive! And from what I've read online, I think they have a lifetime warranty. I was looking them up online this morning and the pot in the far right of the picture (if it's the one I think it is on the web site) goes for $184.00. That is if it's the 3.5 quart. I'm not sure... I'm having a hard time getting details on the sizes of any of these. They just have a number on the bottom and when you Google it... it's still not very helpful. So if anyone knows anything about these... I would love to know. I don't even think she used them... they still had the paperwork inside. Maybe today I will find some more!!!

New change holder? (it's just terrible)

Oh, my goodness... Ok, we are having a yard sale this coming weekend and I asked Bobby if we could get rid of his plastic 2 1/2 foot tall Miller Genuine Draft bottle. (Can you say tacky!) Oh yeah, what do you think?... of course he wants to keep it! I had it tucked away in the closet, but now he has brought it out and taken all of the change from my "pretty" change jars and holders and filled up his ugly bottle with it! Now where am I gonna put this lovely thing (now heavy with change)? I shouldn't complain too much, he really didn't bring much with him from his single life into the marriage. But oh my gosh! It's just terrible! Any suggestions where I can put it? Should I secretly construct an accident?... Oops, the baby was playing with your plastic bottle and broke it? Oops... I didn't mean to, but I accidentally put it close too the oven and it melted? Oh... I don't know, maybe it's not that bad... right?