Actually said no

I didn't think I would be able to do it, but I said no to DSS. They asked me to take a teen boy, only for a respite weekend. But it happens to be a weekend where it would just be me with the kids. Every scenario ran through my head and I am just not comfortable taking a kid I don't know, not knowing how personalities will mesh. I have been so busy as is, I don't want to add to my responsibilities. But I still hate to say no, and I feel guilty, but I have to think about this household first.

Support Day in his senior year

Day's senior class is planning a trip to Williamsburg to go to Busch Gardens. They have a bake sale planned for this coming Wednesday, they are requesting coins to go towards the trip (and they will do a "penny throw" for fun) and lastly on March 3rd they will be serving an AYCE pancake breakfast at Applebees. If anyone is interested please get up with me for info, donations, or to buy breakfast tickets!

Thanks!

JJ turned 6 digi page

It took me almost 2 months to do JJ's 6 year old page, but I just couldn't find a digital scrapbook design/layout that I liked. In fact, I never did. Instead I did as a collage of many pics from this year. I'm happy with how it turned out, now to place an order of pages!

Memory Stubs

I have a memory box full of cards, bracelets, ticket stubs, and many other things we did together, John and myself, or as a family. I saw this idea on Pinterest and decided to get them out of a box under the bed. This is a composite of what seems as our first five years together. I'm happy with it, even though it seems I'm missing some memories, but I couldn't fit everything I had on hand anyway. I will paint the frame and put it in our bedroom.

Shamless request

Please like my wall post on the FB page of Many Hearts One Beat:
https://www.facebook.com/ManyHeartsOneBeat

I submitted my "quote" I posted here earlier in a contest of theirs.

Thank you in advance.

Side of the bed...

When we moved into this house a little over a decade ago my husband wanted to change sides of the bed, he wanted the side closest to the bathroom. My argument was once we had kids we would have to switch again since I'd be getting up. Now I want to switch, because when they tip-toe in to our room in the middle of the night he would be the first form for them to bother. But you know, they would still just inch over to my side. Oh, well, this to shall pass and I will wish I had these days, and nights, back.

Can you see it?

My children may not look like me, they may not have my nose, my eyes, or my smile, but the resemblance is there, you just may not see it, THEY HAVE MY HEART! - me ;)

I have sometimes been questioned about my kids, be it because of ages or ethnicity. My usual flip response is that I don't have to birth a child for them to be mine, and I leave it at that. But I think what came to me earlier, the above, might fit in better.

http://www.fosterparents.com/articles/index22burr.html

Weather balance

Yes, the weather has been too cold to take, but what a glorious sunset, it makes up for it, and the picture doesn't do it justice!

Button rings

These are so easy to make/wrap! And with the selection of buttons out now plus colors of wire, there are so many choices! These are for childhood friends, on of which was the first friend I had when we moved here, the other has always had one of the sweetest personalities.

Easy Earrings

Beading is really quite simple, much easier than people think. These earrings came in kits, everything included, just put the beads in order on the pins, turn the top into a loop and before closing completely attach the bottom loop of the earring hook. Yes, I do use wire cutters and a set of needle nose pliers, but when I was little a new pair of nail clippers would not only cut the metal but also could hold it so you could turn it.

What are your holiday traditions?

What do you do for the holidays that you consider a tradition over and over? What is a big deal to you for the holidays to create, and relive, memories?

Growing up we used to go to certain parts of "town" and look at houses all lit up. One night a week I have to be out and about so this year I drive around looking for houses lit up so the kids can see. I hope to keep this up with the boys in the future, we all seem to enjoy it.

A couple years ago we started opening one present Christmas Eve night, always pajamas, so we have nice, new pjs for Christmas morning pictures.

The kids have always gotten a new ornament each year. My tree is more than a little full now, which is fine by me, we will keep on adding. I missed my mom's theme trees she began doing once I was older, so we have a smaller tree that is color-themed. I have decided that is our "Giving Tree" and the presents under it are for someone we feel needs a little more cheer.

On that note of our smaller tree, we give each year. We don't do "charity" because that denotes feeling sorry for someone. We give because we care for someone, be it someone we know or strangers. I was raised with parents who always did for others, I want my kids to grow up with the same core values.

Last year we started reading "The Night Before Christmas" before going to bed, waiting for Santa. This is something I also hope to continue in years to come. We have quite a collection of other Christmas books and movies that I keep adding to. I feel it helps build the spirit as Christmas gets closer.

We have been baking. I am sticking to easy things that little hands can help me with and we will graduate to more complex things as they get older. This I actually did with a friend's mom growing up, each and every year.

I haven't put my mom's Nativity out the past couple of years, or the gingerbread village my mom bought me when I was pregnant with JJ. Little hands make it harder. I can't wait to start putting those out again. They mean a lot to me.

I also loved making ornaments. I remember the foam ornaments covered in silky threads that were perfect for beads poked through on pins. I haven't seen them in stores in years. Now JJ makes Melty beads ornaments and I have plans for a couple others to do with him and I have already posted a couple here that I have done myself.

I'm interested in what others do because some of what we do are not things I grew up with, but things that I felt would fit our family. Please share!

Digi-Scrap page done with shadows

I just wanted to share what I did with the shadow profiles, mainly because I loved the quote so much.

Stationery card - for JJ's teachers

Wrapped In Stripes Christmas Card

Don't send boring Christmas cards , personalize them at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

My wish list

Dear Santa ~
Honestly, my husband spoils me, so I am not going to send you a list of material things to bring me. And honestly, what he would miss would not be a hardship. Really, I need nothing!
But, what I do ask for is a tall order and I understand if you have trouble checking off my items, no matter how good I (might) have been.

Bring our soldiers home safe for the holidays and watch over those that are having to be away from their families. Please send them my gratitude!
Help this be a better year for my friends! There has been SO much loss that those I care for have had to endure, it seems unnaturally high!
Direct my oldest to his future path, be it college or the military. This is such an exciting year for him and we are happy to share it with him.
Point us in the location that bests suits our family. This is another exciting thing for our upcoming year!
Bless those families struggling financially in our economy. I hope you can stop at as many childrens' houses as possible in a couple weeks!
I'm sure there are those that would say we have enough, but one more child for our family would be a blessing, though we are eternally gratefully for those we have.

There are so many things I wish I could put into words, but the saying "Peace on Earth, goodwill to all men" would encompass just about everything. But if I had to sum it up, please help to make things easier on our "brothers" this coming year.

Thank you! Don't over-work yourself!

Sincerely,
Kat

Old Fashioned profile shadow

I have seen instructions on doing this with taping paper to a wall and tracing your child's shadow, but I took the easy way - I took JJ's profile picture against a white wall (any plain color wall would do) and opened in my photo editing software. I layered plain black beneath it and then using my wand took and highlighted the white, applying to all layers, then hit delete. I did have to do some erasing, with my eraser tool in the program. But I'm happy with the final product. I think I will print after I do JT's and find a cute frame. I'm just in the air if I will leave the background white, or do I leave the shadow black, or maybe add just a mat in red for a pop of color.