Smellyann Strikes Again

Christmas Continues With Crafts And...Stuff.

I took advantage of a few after-Christmas sales and picked the kids up some small things at AC Moore last week. All three picked out their own colors of plastic canvas and some embroidery floss for some crafty-time fun. The girls wanted to use theirs before I was ready, so I gave them the needles and thread and go crazy. It's hard to tell here, but Chloë made a face and a flower on hers; later, since it was New Year's Eve, she stitched "Happy New Year" on hers, too. I neglected to get Sophia's project, because her floss knotted up and she threw it down in frustration. (Hey, she's her mother's child.) I'm going to check out this site soon to see what we can do together with the rest of it.

 

I also snagged some Learn-to-Draw books for the kids, and Sophia's was horses and ponies. She started sketching right away, and this is one from the next day. I'm not sure where the others ended up, but they were equally impressive, for a six-year-old to whip out, in my mind!

Mindware had several cool items on crazy clearance, too, so I grabbed a few things from there for the kids, too. Jack wanted to start painting his car bank inmediatamente!

Chloë at least waited until after dinner to paint her scooter bank. Look, she even painted a little road on the paper. Silly girl.

For Christmas, the Littles each got a three-month subscription to Kiwi Crate from a Plum District deal, and they've been eager to break into their first boxes and see what goodness was contained within. I worried it would be a little young for them, but so far, they've had a blast with what we've done. Here they are decorating and putting stickers on special dates in the calendars therein. (The scissors came with the crates; they have everything you need to do the crafts and activities, which I like, even though we obviously own scissors and tape and stuff. They loved getting them.

 

The next activity was to make these super-simple but nifty "rockets," receiving enough supplies for about a dozen, each.

Jack was oh-so-careful making his. I mean, rockets! Right up a boy's alley!

The first launch was directed at his mother. It really flew, too! Good job, Bud!

When Sophia's first one was finished, the two of them were in competition to see whose could go the fastest, the farthest, the whatever-est, and they had an absolute BALL. I mean, days later, they are still making and playing with these things. Even Chloë made one or two of them, and they've been running all over the house, up and down the stairs, launching these rockets. WIN!

Finally, the kids each got gift cards from both sets of grandpas, and they opted to spend them entirely at Books-A-Million. (If you'd like the pictures individually, just let me know. Figured a collage was in order for this one.) Chloë shopped frugally and ended up with four books and a Gordian's Knot; Jack got two Legos packages, and Sophia bought a book and a Barbie DVD. Plus, all three of them bought Angry Birds stuffies; they are huge fans of the game app on my iPhone! Thanks, Grandpas!

Whew. So, I think I'm done blogging for the night. And now... back to my hexipuffs. At least one more before I turn in for the night. Have a great week!

Fin.

Eleven Years Out Of My Life

OMG. I never blogged that it was our 11th anniversary?! Thufferin' thuccotash! That was a week ago tomorrow, now. Sophia took this picture of us on that day. The sun was in our eyes, and my hair is in a very awkward-growing out phase, so it's not ideal, but hey, she's six and we're not Brangelina, here.  I made a super-awesome video for him (15 minutes long, I might add) that made the man-person tear up a little (shh, don't say I told), but I can't upload it to YouTube or Vimeo 'cause of copyright reasons. But I could email it to you if you wanna see it. Just ask. It's cute and stuff.

Anyway. Eleven. Have we had our share of problems? You bet. Are we still madly in love with each other? You better believe it.

Here's to eleven more!

Fin.

A Few Things With Which To Bug You

This picture can only mean one thing, and that's that it's Cookie Sale time again for the Scouts o' Girls. Chloë and I beat the street today for a wee while, but we were largely unsuccessful because (a) we returned home quickly after discovering it was deceptively chilly outside, (2) no one was home, and (x) practically everyone else had a "NO SOLICITING" sign on their door, which IMHO should not pertain to Girl Scout Cookies because I said so. So we'll go out on our next opportunity, which should be Tuesday, but in the meantime, if you want some, they're $3.50/box and I'm willing to go halvsies on shipping with you if you're not local to us. If you are local, pretty please won't you buy some yummy delicious cookies from my little Scouties? *blink blink blink*

The second order of business is that I still have two or three local (Hampton Roads) 2012 Entertainment Books to sell for our big homeschooling trip to Baltimore/DC later this year, and I need to know whether you want one by, like, right now. So get 'em while they're hot - and they are hot, because the price has dropped to 25 smackers!

Thirdlish, have you joined the Superpoints Network yet? It's a lot like Swagbucks, in that you get points and redeem them for prizes. I joined less than a week ago and already have 288 points, and I only need 500 to get my first $5 Amazon.com gift card - my reward of choice! Click here for your invite; only the FIRST person can use that link, so if you want to join, just comment and leave your email so I can invite you. Woot!

 

And lastable, speaking of Swagbucks, click here to join, because you want free money, too. I mean, if you don't like free Amazon money (and who doesn't? I've racked up $325 in free Amazon.com gift cards - no lie - with just five more to go before I cash in for yet another $5 GC), you can spend a few more points to get free Paypal money and bunches of other swag. So. Yeah.

'Kay, that's it. I'm done buggin' y'all. For the moment.

Fin.

The Only Puffing Going On Here

Life has been hectic and crazy and chaotic and unruly and all that usual gar-bazh, but I'm still hexipuffing away in between moments of crazy and... all that. The Bob just took this picture of me knittering away on the latest puff, which I just now finished. That's how current this post is. I know. I'm so up-to-the-minute like that. I'm freakin' CNN.

In fact, this morning, I finished my 100th puff! 'Twas brillig, because I was all excited to tell Chloë that when she woke up, and she instantly got to counting them, saying, "There's no way there are 100 in that bag already!" And she was right, dammit. There were 98. So my 10-year-old bursted my bubblage, which was fine, because that meant I couldn't do anything until I had finished two more puffs, right? And so here they are, in all their glory. 100 hexipuffs. (I'm a few past that by now, but I don't know how many. I'm sure Chlo will tell me tomorrow. She's constantly counting and rearranging them, the little Rainwoman.)

What the dickens is a hexipuff, you ask? You don't remember my linkage? Go here to see what shall be made of all these glorious little works of knitting art. Go now, do it, see for yourself. Then come back.

Cool, right? And no, I'm not selling it. I'm keeping this hard work all to my - well, our - selves. I don't know how many more I'm going to make. I'll just know when I'm done. I'm not there by a long shot, though.

I looked up after the knitting-in-action shot just in time for The Bob to take this librarianesque photo of me. Yes, I have a lot of freckles. No, I can't stand wearing these glasses, because they slide down my nose like they belong in my mouth, and that drives me crazy, which you all know is so short a trip we don't even have to get in the car.

Anyway. That's the latest knitting news. Now let me go through the pictures and see what else I can share with you, m'kay? 'Kay.

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: The Never-Ending Meme, Parte Uno

Link up here if you're meme-crazy like me, too!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Song that always makes you sad?

"To Where You Are" by Josh Groban, and "Tears in Heaven" by E.C.

2. Last thing you bought?

Canned foods for our donation to the Food Bank, part of our entrance fee to last night's Girl Scout Cookie Rally  

3. Last person you argued with?

Rob and I had it OUT the other day about where we're going to live after he retires in 1½ years from the US Navy, but I'm going to keep mum this time, until we actually make things happen. Sorreh.

4. Do you put butter before putting the peanut butter on?

Huh? Butter with peanut butter? Huh? Is you crazy?

5. One of your stuffed animals’ names as a kid?

My Cabbage Patch Kids were Aubrey Lenora, Tiffany Jacqueline, and Andrea Jeanine.

6. Did you ever at one time own a Barenaked Ladies CD?

Well, of course. "If I had a million dollars" is one of "our" songs...

7. Favorite day of the week?

Any day that Rob is home with me, sap sap, mush mush, gag.

8. Favorite sundae topping?

I can't eat it anymore, but if it's going to be a sundae, it better have nuts, hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry. Good stuff, there. Mmm.

9. Did you take piano lessons?

Yes. Well, my mom played the organ, so when she died, I took organ lessons to honor her. When the piano teacher came to my house, I played the organ. When I went to her house, I played her piano. So, kinda.

10. Most frequent song played?

Right now I'm overplaying "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5. There are boobs in the explicit version on YouTube, you know. I discovered this the other day. Who doesn't like boobs? I was told recently that even gay guys like 'em. Who knew?

11. TV show you secretly enjoy?

I enjoy Phineas and Ferb, which we stream on Netflix, since we don't have 'real' TV. Rob and I laugh more than the children do, I swear.

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?

Hockey. I can whack the shit out of some puck, dude.

13. Date someone older or younger?

I prefer them older. I don't want to teach you new tricks. I want you to know the tricks. Kwim?

14. One place you could travel right now?

Could, or would like to? I mean, I could travel to Williamsburg or the Outer Banks. I would like to travel to Japan or Australia. Say what you mean, and mean what you say, dammit.

15. Do you use umbrellas?

We have a Britto umbrella, which I bought for Rob as a gift during a trip to Charleston, that mostly sits unused. I prefer to just get wet, unless my hair and make-up are done, and then I'm using that mofo. I like getting rained on.

16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?

Yeah, I know all the words to all the national anthems, dude. Duh. :\

17. Favorite cheese?

Velveeta. Sike! (Although I admit, I'll use it when it suits.) Hmm... I do like my Muenster.

18. The Smiths or The Cure?

Depends on the mood. Whatever, I like it all but country.

19. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?

I really don't give a rat's ass. I like arm muscles, though. Not that you asked that.

20. Best job you ever had?

You should expect me to say the current one, mothering my three bebes. Which I do love, of course. But aside from that, I'd say it's a toss-up between my internship in Fisheries Biology at Mote Marine Lab and my stint working at the dive shop Diver's Paradise on Key Biscayne. Times of my life, both.

Well, that wasn't exactly never-ending. Twenty questions, really? I was prepared for fourscore. Ah well. More fun next week. Ciao, thieving peeps.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Nobody Told Me

Link up here if you're playing along with Crazy Sam this weekend!

1. When you grew up were you ever told how to deal with problems?

As in, was I taught coping mechanisms? Oh, God, no... which is why I'm a maestra flipper-outer when things don't go well! But that's one thing I'm hoping therapy, yoga, and a nice drug cocktail will do for me! ;)

2. What was your first apartment like?

It was awesome. Two bedrooms, one of which I subletted to a newfound friend I later burned bridges with, and then my BF moved in. That part sucked, but the apartment itself, and the complex, were sweet! Plenty of room, clean, and mine. First time living on my own, and it was fantabulous.

3. What was the first car you owned?

In September of 1993, I spent all my money on a '91 Ford Escort wagon that was supposed to have belonged to a little old lady, but when you looked at it just right in the sunlight, you could see the Coca-Cola logo on the side doors. Hmmm.... There's more to that story, but it's not the right time to tell it now.

4. Tell us about a crush or relationship that you had at high school.

Benji, my first major boyfriend, and I, were together for a year and seven months. It was a great relationship. (TMI: I lost my virginity to him 20 years ago ... and a week. I'll never forget the date or the fact that afterward, he looked me in the eyes and said, "Tonight was special.") In fact, it was, as was the whole relationship, until I sabotaged it. Because I'm stupid. But, it would've ended eventually anyway, as those things do.

5. Have you ever had an “enemy” in your life?

That's like asking if dogs like to smell peoples' butts.

6. What were you doing the first night that you got drunk?

I was 17. I was with my friends from work, all of whom were 25 or older. We went to one of their houses, and they gave me, like, 2-4 shots of Goldschläger to get me nice and plastered. It worked; I could barely stand up! Then we went bowling, where we bowled, played darts, and drank beer until someone caught on to my drinking. That happened a lot my senior year, second semester. I got drunk every weekend, almost, with that gang, and I also got the best grades of my pre-college life. Go figure.

7. Ten years ago, what was your job and did you like it?

Ten years ago, I was doing the same thing I am now. Well, kind of. I was a stay-home mom of a four-month-old baby, instead of a homeschooling mom of three youngsters, but you get the idea. I loved it. Chloë and I had a powerful bond, as a nurseling with her mama, and I took her to so many things she's no longer aware of. That kid got more culture in her first year of life than some people ever get! Ha. I was supermom then, or so I thought.

8. What movie had the biggest impact on you as a child and why?

Children of the Corn, of all things. My mom died when I was 7, and within a month, my dad was watching it on HBO or something with my 8yo sister and I. Hello, nightmares! I still shudder when I think of that movie. Really not appropriate viewing fare for children, but then, we had access to Skinemax for the next several years and took full advantage of that, too...

9. What are your plans for this weekend?

Well, Hubs has to go to work in the morning, but when he gets home, the girls and I are going to beat the streets selling Girl Scout cookies. The sale started an hour ago and already we've sold 8 boxes. Yay! Anyone need cookies? We need to kick boo-tay this year after slacking last year. =D

Have a great weekend, y'all 9ers!

Fin.

Bzz, Bzz: Kroger Private Selection Foods

Disclosure: I am a BzzAgent, which means that I was provided with coupons for free products to sample this brand, in exchange for sharing my opinions with all of you. My opinions are, as always, my own. No monetary exchange took place for this campaign.

So... once again, I'm late on reporting for a Bzz Campaign, since it officially ended yesterday. Whoops! But we just redeemed the coupons I received earlier this week, so technically my report isn't coming that long after we actually tried the food.  Anyhoo...

The first item for which we received a coupon was any Private Selection - an exclusive Kroger brand - pizza. Little did we know how hifalutin this brand actually was, and "cheese" was not an option. We worried: would the kids eat it? Would they like it?

 

We opted for the Fire Roasted Vegetable pizza, and it turned out to be really delicious. Even the kids thought so, except for the peppers. But c'mon, peppers. I'm 35 years old and am still iffy on them, so it wasn't surprising they picked them off (I didn't, go me). In all, the pizza was delicious, and I would definitely buy this item again if it went on special.

We also received a coupon for a free Private Selection appetizer, and we chose this Petite Quiche collection. Those were gobbled down fast, as we all had a favorite or two of the three different kinds included in the collection. Delicious!

For dessert, we opted to go for the Belgian Chocolate Lava Cakes. I didn't get one, because it would make me sick to eat (more on that later!), so there were enough for Rob and each of the kids (four per box). They engulfed them enthusiastically, and all had raves about the cakes. Another win for Private Selection!

We had a few more $2 off coupons to share, but we ended up just using them ourselves before they expired. So we opted for these Chocolate Croissants. You were supposed to do all kinds of prep to cook these properly, but we just microwaved them out of impatience. Now, I'm sure they would have been fabulous if we'd cooked them correctly, but they were pretty darn good that way, too!

Another dessert, which only came with two, so the kids shared those, were the Apple Cobbler bowls. They gobbled those down like they were going out of style. Really, can Private Selection make a mis-step? I'm starting to think not.

This set of appetizers came with triangular mushroom-stuffed goodness for Rob, and I ate the feta-and-spinach thingies and the cylindrical other thingies. I don't remember what they were called, but all of them were so yum! If you find these in a Kroger-brand store, you can rest assured that they, too, will be delicioso.

Finally, we tried a flan-like dessert with berries and, I think, peaches in it - one each for Rob and for me. I ate my entire thing and threatened to eat his, too, which was a big mistake, gastric bypass-ly speaking, because I ended up rolfing it up four times. That was not fun, but you know what? Even that darn thing was worth the pain and hassle! I can't find a picture of that on Google and had camnesia while we were eating all our Private Selection-y goodness this week.

The bottom line is, you can find these items and more at your local Kroger, Gerbes, and other Kroger-branded stores, and each one was better than the last, in our collective opinion. Should you try it? Absolutely. Especially if/when they go on sale! Let me know what you think if you do!

Fin.

Aloha Friday

Link up here if you've got questions for Kailani today!

My question for you this week, as our Council begins its Cookie Sale tomorrow, is:

Do you buy Girl Scout cookies? If so, what's your favorite kind?

I have two GS daughters, so we buy way too many, and Samoas are my faves!

Have a great weekend! Don't forget it's Mega Swagbucks Day, so you can earn lots of 'Bucks today! I just cashed in for a free $25 Amazon.com gift card, woohoo!

Fin.

Wordless Wednesday: Chloë's Hair Turban

(She was attempting to take her ponytail out, and this was the result.)

Link up here if you're (semi?) Wordless today!

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: 2011 Wrap-Up Meme

I almost forgot about SS today! Link up here if you're playing along.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Gosh, I gotta think. A year's a long time... let's see.  Oh, I know, I drove in Manhattan! That was scary but exciting, because I didn't kill us. Whew.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I honestly don't even remember what they were, so probably not. I've made some for 2012, yes. I want to be a better housekeeper and be more organized, and I want to start the Couch-2-5K program that I've been thinking about for a number of years but never actually started. I need to be more active.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my Turtle-friend Saritah had baby T, and a few other friends had babies as well. It's been a baby-heavy year!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yeah, my beloved grandpa. I miss him so much. It's been since last February, and I still think about picking up the phone to call him when things remind me of him.

5. What countries did you visit?

We didn't leave the country, but we visited several states outside our own Virginia. The only one I'd never been to before was Connecticut, where we stayed for Grandpa's funeral, even though that was in NJ. Appropriate, though, because he was from there.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

More financial stability and freedom. 2011 was tiiiiiiight.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Well, 9/11/11, because it was the 10th anniversary of that momentous tragedy. Also 9/7/11 and 9/8/11, because my oldest turned 10 and then I turned 35, which seems to me like the age of growed-up-ness. That's a word.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I think probably teaching the three cooking classes at our homeschoolng co-op. I really went out of my comfort zone to do that, and I got lots of positive feedback. It turned out great, and I'm proud of it.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Tackling the laundry monster. That has been a BIG FAIL for me this year. I will not let 2012 be the same!

10. What was the best thing you bought?

Rob's wedding ring! I just gave it to him yesterday or the day before. He lost his original wedding ring while we were at an amusement park this past summer, and he's been "un-wed" for months now. I bought him one and it just arrived, though we still need to get it in engraved. He's married again, yay! I was going to save it and give it to him for our 11th anniversary, which is tomorrow, but ... I wanted that finger ringed!

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Jack's. Ohhh, you meant a celebrity? Well, I'm picking my son. He's really shown himself to be a hard worker when he applies himself, this year. It's been a switch from years past, when he was more of a lazybones.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?

No one I can think of, that I got really worked up about.

13. What song will always remind you of 2011?

"Someone Like You" and "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. Love her, love her voice, love her songs...

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Drudgery. I've been pretty lazy this year (well, last year). I've been slacking.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?

That slacking I mentioned? Kind of obvious answer, though, right?

16. Did you fall in love in 2011?

I fall in love with my husband again all the time, so yes. He repeatedly shows me why I should love him so much. ♥

17. What was your favorite new TV program?

N/A. No TV for us.

18. What was the best book you read?

Bah. I don't think I read a single non-child book this year. I should put that on my "must" list as well. I barely read my magazines, of which I get a TON of free subscriptions, and I have a huge stack to go through and donate to the libe.

19. What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?

Hm. Finishing out December with a BANG! like I planned. Instead, I got sick for nearly three weeks, just getting better as of yesterday, and had to take it extreeeeeeemely easy. Ah, well, the best-laid plans...

20. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

I'm still trying to sort that out. When I was very fat, it was "whatever fits." I don't want that to be my style now, but I don't know what is. I like lots of different things, but I don't have the budget to go out and shop for a whole new wardrobe. It's pretty much, "Whatever was on mega-clearance at Old Navy... that fits." haha

21. What kept you sane?

The hubs, Rob, and my crafting and knitting. When I get crazy-stressed, I've gotta pick up my needles. Stabbing at yarn makes me not want to jab the needles at a person. Or cat. Those rascally cats...!

22. Who did you miss?

Well. Everyone. We're a military family, so all our family and many of our friends are distant. Along with that, as always, my mother and son, and my grandparents, who are waiting for me in Heaven.

23. Who was the best new person you met?

Jenny From the Block! She's my girl. Love her! Oh, and my new therapist. She rocks the kasbah.

24. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2011?

Count your blessings, and appreciate them always. Life is precious, and short. Be in the moment. Share special one-on-one time with each of the kids, every day, even for just a few minutes. It makes such a huge difference to them. 

25. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Everybody wang chung tonight!" What? I want to wang chung tonight, don't you?

Enjoy your year. May it be filled with love, laughter, and chocolate. If you like that sort of thing.

Fin.

I Don't Give A Crap

First order of business for this first post of January:

We watched the ball drop via online streaming, did our annual husband-and-wife-new-year-smooch, went outside with the kidlets to bang pots and pans and ensure the neighbors' hatred (not really) (gosh, I hope not), eat some snackies, and that was our annual tradition.

So... I have good news! I've spent the last, oh, 19 days something like this:

Hehe. That makes me laff. But as of TODAY, it seems, I can proclaim myself well. As in, completely, 100%, all entirely much better!! Whatever was amiss, is now, um, miss? Unamiss?

Woot!!! Way to ring in 2012!! Like you wanted to know, but I haven't gone ONCE all day (Saturday), let alone unintentionally in my bloomers. *ahem* (Did I just say that out loud? What can I say? I was sick, y'all.)

And also, Rob was in the backyard and found these carrots in our garden, and we ate them, and they tasted so sweet and delicious! At the end of December! Crazysauce!

So I spent much of the day hexipuffing away and racking up Swagbucks "watching" videos, but tomorrow, New Years Day (okay, so like, today), I'm going to finally get off my arse and CLEAN and un-wreck this house. Oh, the hexipuffs:

There are 64 there, but I've just cast on for #66... and lots more to go! I love the total randomness of the color scheme. Never did done that before, nope nope nope!

So. 2012. More tomorrow, I've got a hexipuff on the needles and it's begging for finishing. I resolve to do that before I sleep!

Happy New Year to you all, and to all a good night. Righty-oh!

Fin.