Hello There!

I almost feel like I need to reintroduce myself or something.  We have been so busy with an assortment of things that it seems many things have been neglected, one being the blog.  Now, I won't use the word chaos as I seem to use that word quite often in regards to my family, which is a of course an exaggeration, but surely at this point some of you expect a little exaggeration from me.  It comes from the Henderson side of the family I do believe.  I'm not kidding, you should hear my Grandfather tell stories.  They are fabulously entertaining, but you know there is a little exaggeration in there.  My goodness, it makes the story even better if you embellish just a little.

So today, I won't use the word chaos.  However, I will use busy.  Grab a cup of joe or a glass of wine (depends on the time of day that you are reading this post), this could take a while.  That is another reason I have put off posting.  I am so far behind that I don't even know where to start.  I guess I'll just start, period.  

Mark has been busy with work and school.  I'm so incredibly proud of him.  I remember taking graduate glasses while working, it was a lot, but I didn't have a family.  Heck, I asked to work part-time when I was taking two classes.  Then again, I needed all of the extra time for my social life.  I had my priorities after all.  Anyway, here he is working full-time, supporting his family, taking two graduate classes AND making 99 on exams.  Seriously, that brain of his.  I'm not sure how it fits in that head of his sometimes.  He was having a fit the other day when the professor announced the highest score, but hadn't released them to the individual students yet.  I knew with almost 100% certainly that he was in fact the one that made THE grade (he always does), and I'm quite certain he did too, but he wasn't saying.  When he sent me a message that he was again Mr. Brainiac (I say that sweetly), I just kind of laughed.  I asked him later if he knew all along it was him and he said, "no, I didn't," but he kind of grinned while saying it.

I have been busy with a litany of things.  I commented the other day that it seems there is no time to sit at the new house.  There always seems to be something to do.  Mark reminded me it is because I have started my various craft projects, have been busy with photography and we have two very active bohemians.  Maybe, I should quit using the word "bohemian," my father-in-law told the story once about how "bohemian," is a derogatory term to a Czech person.  It makes me think of free-spirited, fun loving individuals.  Maybe I should ask him about that.  You know a little refresher course and all.  I'm sure later in life my children will ask why I used such a derogatory name when referring to them most of their life.  Goodness gracious, I need to lay off the word "maybe" now too.  That and the word, "sure."  I use that one a lot too.  

I have had four shoots, three of them at a local pumpkin patch and one in the most fabulous downtown location.  I will go back again.  It has been a really exciting time for me photography wise and while that has certainly added to the busyness, I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  It is incredibly exciting to have a shoot, but the most exciting part for me is when I get back to the computer and can see the images that I created.  I love it!  

The kids and I have been busy, busy, busy with Halloween crafts and projects.  We have made bats with the shape of their hands.  The little lady's bat has quite a large nose, but hey it is hers so who am I to judge her creativity.  I really try to let them decorate the way that they want, without too much interference.  Sometimes I do better than others.  This bat is hilarious though.  No fangs, just a huge nose.  We also made Frankenstein out of an old box, colored paper, felt and a few nuts and bolts.  This turned out to be super cute.  We made a mummy with styrofoam and gauze.  We tried some kind of crazy yarn at first, but quite honestly I think I might still be sitting there wrapping that thing if we hadn't decided to try something else.  The end product turned out cute as well.  I am considering making lanterns with glass jars and tissue paper, but we haven't gotten to that yet.  We made these little topiary type decorations for the mantel that have eyeballs (my gosh I love these).  Jack and I even sewed a tabletop runner with Halloween fabric.  Our latest creation?   Skeletons out of old socks.  This, like most of our projects, turned into more than I had bargain for, but these two kids have been carrying these around since Friday.  The little lady grinned from ear to ear when she awoke from her nap to find her finished skeleton laying there with her.  Now THAT is the reason I do these things.   

Don't you love how she is channeling her inner Oliva Newton John?

this is what we started with

...and this is what we ended up with.

What else....

I started baking for the holidays.  Why?  Well, I entered a contest and this week is all about baking.  Well, you know I am not a baker.  I really try, but there is a true art to baking.  I baked my usual delicious zucchini-pineapple bread (no fail), but I also tried a new cranberry bread recipe.  Let me just say it is as heavy as a brick.  I don't know how I do it really.  How does it come out weighing more than it did going in?  Quite strange to me really.  I won't be serving this one to anyone except my family of four.  Why?  Well, when I picked it up and realized how heavy it was, I decided I would pinch a big chunk out of the center to see how it tasted.  This would be so strange to bring homemade bread to a function with a finger shaped chunk out of the center.  Hey, maybe I will slice it up and no one will know.  Well, no one, but those of you reading anyway.  I guess, if you see me between now and the holidays and I serve you cranberry bread you might question the loaf.  Seriously.  I made blueberry muffins and oatmeal pancakes (yeah, that is a new one for me too).  Both were delicious.  The family actually ate blueberry muffins for dessert.  They had several, so I take it they liked them.  Finally, a winner.

The whole idea behind all of this is to prepare all of these breakfast foods and then when the holidays get here and you are running around like a mad person trying to shop, plan and attend parties (you know our calendar is full people),  you have things that are ready and easy to grab.  Hey, whatever the excuse, the kids really like to cook so it has been a good opportunity for us to do something together.  My kids will at least go off to school someday and actually be able to cook for themselves.  It is strange to me that so many young people today do not know how to cook.  How is that possible really?

Oh, speaking of going off to school.  The other day we were driving down the road and Jack asked a question that made me a little sad for him.  In a weak little voice he said, "mommy, when I go off to college will I ever see you again?"  Oh for heaven sakes!  The poor kid is only four and he was crying over the thought that he might never see his mother again after he turns 18.  I'm telling you this is a sensitive little kid.  So we had a little conversation about when it was actually time, a long time from now (although not really), he will be more than ready to go off to school.  He sat there in silence for a few moments and still with a weak little voice, trying to fight back tears he said, "I'm not so sure I will want to do that."  Bless his sweet soul.  This is also the same boy that has told us on multiple occasions that he will not be going to school because he will miss us too much and that he and his wife and children will be living with us because he is never moving out.  Funny.  Although, he really isn't trying to be funny.  He is dead serious.  Oh, all I hope is that he doesn't move so far away from me that we can't visit often and that he still likes me enough to visit with me.

Ok, let's see.  Just catching up here.  What else have we done?  Oh, here are a few:

I was scammed out of $20 on my doorstep because I really wanted this kid to go away.  After he asked too many personal questions, one being whether or not I was having marital problems (WTH) I decided $20 was ok with me as long as he would leave.

I took my daughter to the store the other day only to watch her get sick 3 times down one isle (yes, Mother of the Year)

We had family over and prepared my SECOND Thanksgiving type meal of the year.  See Mark, two ovens really did pay for itself.  Well not that my oven is generating any income, but it was at least worth the very small expense.

I have been busy taking defensive driving, from home no less, but I must say this is the best way to take it, so I won't complain too much.  Well, I will complain about the fact that I was given this ticket the day that I had to say goodbye to Scout.  I mean, I was speeding, but have people forgotten how to have compassion for another human being?  I mean seriously, Dallas constable....shame on you.

My phobia of spiders is growing more and more by the day.  I had a dream last night that the outside of my house was covered with giant, hairy spiders.  Eventually, I won't even be able to go outside of my house.

Oh, I was so paralyzed by fear of a wasp the other day that I fell to the ground and curled up in a ball.  You know how you were told to curl up with your back to the wall in case of a tornado?  Well, that was me the other day when another wasp came right toward my face.  I had the little lady in the car and I was sitting on the ground outside of the car.  For crying out loud.  What the heck has happened to me?  And no, in this case I am really not exaggerating.

I saved the very best for last.  This was also one of my finer moments.  I made a phallic looking pumpkin shirt for my daughter.  Again, please add that to my Mother of the Year application.  I think I am a shoe in.  Sadly, I didn't even realize it until my sweet husband came home and pointed it out.  Funny thing is, he noticed it the moment he looked at it.

Well, I think we have caught up enough for now.  Hopefully, we can get back on track now. 

Love to all.