Spot of Tea

National Scrapbook Day, Photography and Tea

Tons of NSD stuff going on tomorrow.  I'm teaching a scrapbooking class tomorrow and would have been working at an awesome PJ party crop too but we didn't have enough people sign up for it.  Would have been a great time with loads of food, prizes, make-n-takes and scrappin' getting done at OTU.  But will only have the one class.  I'll be spending some of the day checking out all the great online stuff going on - check out the list at Scrapbook Update for plenty of sites.  I do have some projects I plan on working on too.  Need to finish up my Week in the Life project.  Would also like to get some of DD's dance photos done and possibly a mini album mostly done, except for this years dances, for her dance instructor.

 

Met with an amazing photographer today - Deborah Besanson.  She owns Hilton Photography and is just such a bubbly, wonderful person.  Had a great time chatting with her and talking about Old Town Saginaw, photography, creativity, events in the area, and tea.  Such fun meeting people in and around the area.  I learn about all kinds of activities, events and stuff to do.  I also find it is a small world and that there is often people we know in common, since I grew up in the area and still have many family members in there too.

I am ready for warm weather and lots of tea.  Need to get the back patio ready so I can enjoy a pot of tea with toast in the morning.  And I miss having tea parties out there too.  Lots to do before it is ready but I don't mind getting dirty to get the job done.  I'd like to have a tea party when the roses come into bloom.  Such a great place and time to have a lazy afternoon tea with friends among the roses.  I'm waiting, none too patiently, for an order of Pu-erh Tao Cha to come in.  I finished my last little nest the other day and it was so satisfying that I'm really craving it now.  Soon, soon, soon.  I've also been enjoying some Dragonwell Jasmine Pearls too.  Lovely hot in the morning and iced in the afternoon.  Yum.

Finishing Up Week in the Life

Life has been busy ... Chaos abounds, insanity reigns supreme.  Seems like I've been spending all my time running between work and kids stuff.  Still trying to finish up my "Week in the Life" album/journal.  Got some great photos, some interesting pieces of daily 'stuff' and good stories to tell.

I was busy doing some baking last week.  Gingersnaps, Brownies, Rumpledoodles, Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp, Home-made Granola.  Lots of yummy stuff to eat.  A bunch of rhubarb stuff too - Cinnamon-Rhubarb Syrup, Pineapple-Rhubarb Cake, Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie.  This week I've got to replenish my baking supplies.  We've still got a ton of rhubarb to deal with and I'm out of ideas, ugh.

Getting ready for DD's dance recital.  It'll be the last one at this dance studio.  The owner/instructor has moved out of town for her hubby's job.  So the studio is closing.  DD says she doesn't want to take any dance classes next year.  She said possibly singing lessons ... or guitar lessons ... or cheer leading ... or more gymnastics ... OR ...  Oh to be seven years old with endless possibilities.

Daily Life and Other Stuff

I love that participating in Ali Edwards "Week In The Life" project reminds me how great it is to capture all the little details of daily life.  I usually cruise through the daily routine and all the little stuff that goes on but this helps me pay attention.  Watching my DD learning to cook.  DS's crazy collection of cars and how they are everywhere in the house.  How much the kids love to play outside.  Baking snacks for the family.  How much laundry I do and how many dishes we get dirty.  Yikes.

I've got a painting class to teach at JoAnn's tomorrow.  I really like teaching, whether its scrapbooking, engineering, painting or something else.  I thought about being a teacher when I was 9 or so, an English teacher or ballet teacher.  But I really wanted to be an engineer, and that is what I did for 20 years.  Now I'm having such fun teaching that it makes me wonder.  Then again, I loved what I did as an electrical engineer so it was a good thing and now I get to do something else.

DD, DS and I made Gingersnaps today.  I was planning on making RumpleDoodles (from Winnie-the-Pooh's Heffalump adventure) but we didn't have enough coconut.  Then the kids said to make brownies, but we didn't have enough butter.  So DD solved the issue by getting out her Strawberry Shortcake Cook Book and finding something we did have the ingredients for, GingerSnap's Gingersnaps.  And they did turn out very well.  Kids enjoyed them with hot coco and I sipped some of Upton's Pu-erh-tao-cha.  Yum.

Week in the Life @ My House

Yep, I'm documenting my life this week, along with countless others that follow Ali Edwards' blog.  I have tried this before and had such fun.  Took some interesting photos, found out how many routines I have in my life, and saw that life is full of wonderful surprises.  So I will tackle the next week with great expectations.  I already have some fun photos that capture my cute kids in their daily activities.

 

DD had gymnastics this evening.  Loves it but says she is going to take next year off from it and all of her dance classes.  The dance studio she currently goes to is closing after this season so we would have to find another one if she does decide she'd like to continue taking classes.  I would like her to keep taking ballet or gymnastics but won't push her.  She says she'd like to play more sports next year then maybe she'll go back to dance.  We'll see what happens.

I had a great time creating a cute mini-album for a class at OTU.  Used the Silhouette to cut out the pages, the butterflies and the vine.  I also made a "Mother" layout for display, which turned out well.  Love getting creative and I still have to finish Mother Day card samples and a mini album.  Fun, fun, fun.  I have a painting class at JoAnn's on Thursday this week too.  Need to get ready for that.  Have some other fun painting classes coming up for July and August also at JoAnn's.  Will also be teaching the SDU classes there starting in May, which is just around the corner.  Time is just flying by faster than I thought possible.  It is already past the mid-way point of April.  Yikes, I've got to get moving on all those projects I want to get done before summer arrives.

Checked out Stacy Julian's blog today too and found her "purse dump" challenge.  So, of course, I just had to take the challenge.  My purse dump photo is missing two items - a Tootsie Roll (DS decided he needed it more than mommy's purse did) and my camera.  I didn't realize that my purse actually holds so much stuff and pretty neatly too.  I did clear out a few things after I was done but not much.  Here's the list of "stuff" in my purse - wallet (crammed with stuff too), letter stamps, postcard stamps, sticky notes, hand-painted cards, a postcard for friends art show, lab slip, journaling notepad, checking deposit slips, 3 sets of keys, a princess sticker, a "box top", reward punch cards for various vendors, 3 pens, a tiny pencil, a pink eraser, two zip-top bags of tea bags, a zip-top bag of baby wipes, 2 of DD's barrets, face powder, mini-tin of mini-Altoids, hand lotion, lip gloss, lipstick, powder brush, camera USB cable, iPod, my business cards, ticket stub, business cards, my MaryKay business card holder, MaryKay name badge, 2 lip gloss samples, DD's purple bracelet, MaryKay pin, heart pendant, and a foam roller.

 

Sunshine and Mud Soup

The last two days have been filled with sunshine and warm temperatures.  The kids have been loving it, of course.  Lots of time spent on bike rides, swinging on the swing set, running around the yard.  Now I've just got to get around to sprucing up said yard.  Weeds have invaded and so have the Tiger Lilies.  Trying to make a spot for a little veggie and herb garden.  Think the kids will have a great time helping with it.  This weekend is our "green" day so the city has compost available at a specific site that you can shovel into your own containers.  I'm hoping to get a bit for my little garden.  Should be fun.

We had a few wet days recently too.  Always makes me smile that the kids can find fun outside no matter what the weather is.  With the wet they made "mud soup" using dirt, twigs, water, rocks, grass, and basically anything in the front yard they could pick up.  I, of course, had to "sample" the, um ... yummy soups.  Great imaginations these kids have.  We then had to come in and have hot coco, grilled cheese sandwiches and, yep you guessed it, soup.  Thank goodness it was chicken noodle soup and not mud soup.  It not only looked better but certainly smelled better and I assume it tasted better too.

My Little Man, House Work and Rest

Yet more haircuts around here.  DH and DS got hair cuts and look so handsome.  My baby boy is starting to look not so baby-ish anymore.  Still has the adorably sweet baby face but is looking more and more like a "boy".  I had those moments with DD when she would suddenly surprise me with a glimpse into who she's becoming - still does this to me.  Now I'm having similar moments with DS.  A tiny glimpse of the young man he will one day become.  One of those moments that takes your breath away, reminding you that one day you will have helped to shape a free-thinking, independent adult who will go their own way.  DS can be such a silly, sweet, rambunctious, shy little boy but there are those times when he suddenly shows that he is becoming a generous, caring, thoughtful young man.  Yikes, glad I've got plenty of time to adjust and get ready.

Now if I could only get the youngsters and other adult to help around the house I'd be all set.  Dishes, laundry, clutter, stuff, junk, sweep, mop, dust.  It is a never ending round of stuff to do.  Oh well, I'm trying to train them all.  Hopefully by the time the kids leave home they will be capable of picking up for themselves.  Maybe.

Took some time with weekend to get in a little rest and relaxation.  I actually finished, yes finished, a novel that I started a bit ago.  Not bad for the most part.  Beginning took a bit to get into, middle was fast paced and kept my interest, end ... almost glad it was over.  Now it's time to take another book off of my "to be read" pile.  Hmmm ... what will I pick next?