Family Reunion

We had a gorgeous day on the Gulf to be surrounded by family! Unfortunately not all of my cousins and siblings could come, but we had a great time nonetheless, and my Great-Aunt, still going strong in her 90s, managed to come for a short time! Planning for the day, and compiling the family history, was almost as memorable as the day itself! I am anxiously waiting to see the professional photos from the day!

Graffiti Dye Shirts - Disney

   We will be making a day trip to the Magic Kingdom in the near future and I figured I would make shirts for us all.  John did opt out of this, but he does already have a Mickey shirt, so I guess it is excusable.
   This is actually very simple, I have done shirts using this method for breast cancer awareness and also for a bowling team.

- I stick with white shirts, so no matter what color paint you use the color will be true, it won't be changed. I have done yellow shirts before, but the paint colors were black,  red, and hunter green.
- I buy the $1 bottles of fabric paint and dilute with A LOT of water in the 2oz travel size spray bottles that are 50 cents in most stores. Literally, the amount of paint won't be the width of your thumb in the bottom of the spray bottle. You can save yourself and buy the fabric paint in spray bottles, the ones I have seen are about $7 a bottle.
- Cut out whichever silhouette you want to use on cardstock paper or cardboard (you can even find an image online and trace the outline on regular computer paper off your screen if you don't trust yourself freehand. Then you will use that cut out to trace onto heavier paper/cardboard and cut again.)
- Place folded newspaper inside the shirt where you will be spraying. This will prevent the paint from seeping through to the back of the shirt.
- Tape the silhouette's onto the shirt and spray away. A little goes a long way, and you can layer colors. I do put the shirts on cardboard, so in case I am too enthusiastic with spraying it doesn't go on anything else. I also did these outside, but I have done others right on my kitchen floor.

I will post a photo of myself and the boys in our shirts at Disney later this summer!

Rhea's Family Photos

One of my very close friends came for a visit and I had the pleasure to take some pics of them all at a gorgeous park nearby. I am so pleased with how happy she was with just the pics off the camera, but I still did a little fine tuning this morning.

Chocolate FILLED strawberries

I have always dipped strawberries, but I saw this and figured it had to be easier! Perfect with 2 kids running around, seriously do not need to add in the messiness of chocolate to the mix!

I used a 2lb container of strawberries (with a few eaten along the way, I had help from T on that.) When cleaning and cutting the leaves off, cut a little extra out of the middle, leaving it hallow. Arrange in a plate, hole up, and fill with melted chocolate. I prefer chocolate chips to baker morsels since they melt quicker. I used a full 11.5oz bag of chips, melting half each time in a sandwich bag, 30 seconds then squeezing bag, then an additional 30 seconds, then all you have to do is cut a bottom corner off the bag and squeeze! Refrigerate to chocolate hardens.

So easy and yummy!

(Use small strawberries, otherwise the larger strawberries will have so much chocolate that hardens inside it is more difficult to bit into.)

More Ryan - B&W Collage

I love framing my photos in squares, just to be a little different, and I have always felt black and white photos seem to have more emotional depth.
What a cute way to capture more aspects of a moment than in a collage. I almost wish I had done something like this with my boys to do a wall of collages like this to easily see the changes that happen all to quickly! I say almost because hubby already teases me about hanging photos, even though we have more space and I haven't hung half of what we had in the old house!

A Mother's Day surprise - Ryan

I was lucky enough to get newborn pics of a friend's new baby, and I realize newborn pics are MUCH harder than any other age! Definitely need more practice!

Where's mom......

.... behind the camera. My kids are seriously going to get tired of seeing me pull out the camera, but I can't resist, not only for practice, but also bc they are so stinking cute!

Season of change

Our family has seen a number of changes in the past year, but the most exciting has to be that we moved back to my home area! This puts us closer to hubby's work and my family from my mom's side, in a larger home (we felt on top of each other in our other home.) We are blessed to be in this place, literally and figuratively. I cannot wait for all of the new memories we will make here! 

Enjoying our new backyard.

New camera

I am blessed to have a hubby that backs and believes in me. He recently bought me a DSLR camera so I can do more with my hobby of taking pictures. I got a couple of the boys last week while just familiarizing myself with everything. Other than lighting, which I knew would be an issue, I love the pics! Can't wait to practice on more than just my own kids.

Red 40 Stains on Carpet

   We have been dealing with red stains on our carpets for years from drinks. Yes, some from the little ones, but honestly hubby has been the main culprit. I tried everything imaginable I have could find for the past decade that was supposed to work, and when those all inevitably failed I even tried bleach. I have  since bought large area rugs and swore to do the same once we had new carpeting, on top of never getting light carpet again.
   Then, I find this http://pinterest.com/pin/212302569906270885/ on Pinterest and figure it is worth a shot..... AND IT WORKS!

   I used the blue glass cleaner with ammonia (the blue did not leave any color in my case), spray A LOT on the stain, cover with a white towel, and iron with a regular clothes iron (I had on the highest setting, so I moved the whole time.) There is still some left, so I will treat again, I just wanted to try on the one area.
   Now, if I continue to have the same results it looks like we can just have our carpets cleaned instead of replacing them! I also plan to try with straight ammonia, maybe since it is stronger it will work even better, and of course it is cheaper.

Family Reunion

5 years ago we had a reunion of my mom's side of the family. I didn't get a copy of the picture below until a cousin posted on Facebook. This was only a fraction of the remaining 15 siblings (originally 21) but still a large group!

It makes me anticipate the family reunion this summer for my dad's side of the family! I will have to find a large double frame for this photo and the group one planned by the professional photographer.

J, always good for a laugh.....

There is no doubt that J has no filter, and is quite unique in his view of the world. The other day someone (in a professional capacity) asked Shy what her plans for the future were. J pipes in and says how Shy says Justin Bieber is going to be her future husband. And no, he didn't think that "aspiration" was serious, that was why he said it!

The night before I had dinner delivered, which J had to help by opening the door. No biggie there, except he was wearing a princess dress (and no, we don't care about his variety of play, it means nothing, even if it did mean something it means nothing to us.) I guess the delivery guy gave J a funny look because J tells him "worry about yourself, don't worry about me."

Someone told me he will be fine, he will either conform to fit into what other people expect, or he won't conform because he just doesn't care. I have to say, I hope it is the latter. I am glad he is unique and not scared of what others think! I would rather he have the step ahead, because face it, eventually we all reach the point where we live for ourselves, no longer worrying about pleasing everyone else or what they might think of us. I want him to have that step ahead and be himself forever!

The Governor and my oldest

   There are many times I know I am missing out by not being able to follow Day around (some things I am better off not knowing haha.) Last year it was when he spoke to foster parents and social workers at a day long meeting - a friend who attended told me about it. Around that same time he also spoke to social workers, and one texted me that he had her in tears. Today he and his Youth Advisory group meet with our Governor to request change to benefit other foster kids. Many might think it is just a fluff meeting, but these kids do push along change! I have seen many of their requests change policy since Day came to us over 3 years ago!
   Day is nervous, and probably uncomfortable in his suit (but I'm glad to know it is going to good use!) But, as I reminded him, he has already been in the Governor's home for an awards ceremony we attended a few years ago, and met his wife, which we have the photograph from. He is just as much a person like the rest of us. And I have seen him speak to prospective foster parents, so I do know how well he handles himself!
   Even though I can't be there, I am so proud of him!

The by-product of Martin Luther King JR's dream

   Most have heard the "I Have a Dream" speech and others have had the privilege to stand on the spot in front of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. King spoke those now famous words (I know we have.) But it has not touched the lives of most as it has mine, and that of my family, something which I take for granted most times, but J, at 7 years old, brought it to the forefront thanks to a lesson plan in school.

   Schools can only gloss over our history in the early grades, it's a wonder J even came home with the question as to why he was killed. And while it was oh SO hard to explain to him that sometimes people don't like others based on their skin color, it is also still unavoidable because there are still people out there who feel this way. So while he grasped that "tan and brown" people were kept apart because some felt brown people weren't as good, and some didn't like Dr. King's fight for equality, I was mainly able to bring home the point that if that fight had not been fought, he would not have the siblings that he does, and quite frankly he would not even be here himself.

Because a few people spoke up, it changed our country. While it didn't change who my parents were, neither grew up racist (and as I was a late baby, they were in their 20's during desegregation), so it didn't lead them to raise me that way, it did give me many blessings in the form of my children and my marriage, that I never would have experienced. So, while anyone else out there will still have their own opinions, I know they are the ones missing out on so much, even just one friendship that could enrich their lives beyond their imagination.

Thank you Dr. King, I can't imagine you expected my family as part of your dream, but it is more than I could have dreamed for when I first heard your speech as a child!

 *As a side note, we do not use the colors black and white to describe people, those are the colors of crayons, not people. In reality, we are all different shades of brown anyway.*

from my belly, or my heart

J is at the age where sibling rivalry has kicked in, especially in regards to T. J pronounces quite proudly that he is the only child to come out of my belly. I tell him yes, and he is just as special as my other kids, and while he did grow in my belly, they grew in my heart. T has been quietly listening, and yesterday told me "J came out of your belly mommy, but I came out of your heart."
I can't help but remember the story from my own childhood of a little boy trying to belittle a little girl who was adopted. The retort from the child was her parents chose her, but the other kid's parents were stuck with him.
Hopefully my kids all know each way is as special and valued as the other for entering our family!