sweet nothings

Spring Break Day 1

We had breakfast at Ronnie Mac's (Nora's choice). Maddie's 3rd breakdown of the morning by not wanting to share her sausage biscuit with Nora. 

After a quick rinse at the carwash...

We then went to Joann's where we picked up a treat for the girls (craft for nora. plastic dogs for maddie). We also bought two pieces of Star Wars fabric that Miss Mads picked out.

(not pictured are the small dog toys she got at jo's. instead she has an empty clinique makeup case)

 

A quick stop into Garden Ridge...was looking for a pretty outdoor rug bug instead found the makings for funnel cakes. yes please!

A stop at a few thrift stores with no finds. A stop at the quilt shop and Hancock fabrics (another piece of star wars fabric)...then it was time for lunch at Chili's (girls picked it because they wanted a chocolate shake). Home for a nap...then back out again for Hobby Lobby (craft supplies) and World Market (rug for front porch). A little time on the swingset, bathtime...then we had spaghetti for dinner and then a little tv time. 

We were all asleep by midnight.

The girls and I have big plans for crafting tomorrow! Can't wait!

until next time...

S

 

Taylor Swift with my Nora

A few months ago when the tickets went on sale, I bought Nora and I tickets to see Taylor Swift. I didn't tell Nora at the time because I figured it'd be better mentally not to have her ask about it every other day and plus I thought it'd be a fun surprise.

The week of Nora's birthday (september) we were listening to the Speak Now cd in the car and Nora said "can we please listen to something else?" I was a little surprised because she loves TS. Well, I asked her why she wanted it turned off and she said it was just she wanted to listen to something else. I asked if she could go see TS in concert would she want to do that and she said...No.

oh. wow. well. alrighty then.

Total heartbreak for me and disappointment.

So I told her that I had tickets for us to go see TS in October and would she want to go...she said "um no find somebody else. maybe you could take miss emily"

awww. ok...sniff sniff.

I said that was fine and ok no problem i'd find somebody else to take with me.

As the weeks have passed we have talked about the concert and who I might take. Two weeks before the concert Nora started listening to her TS cds a lot. Like daily. That's when I decided to go ahead and ask one more time if she wanted to go...this time she said YES!

The day of the concert we went to Justice and bought Nora a new outfit. Picked up take out to eat with Tim and Maddie and then off we went to the concert. 

IT WAS AMAZING! Taylor Swift is awesome. Her band is awesome. Her dancers are great too! The opening bands/singers were good too. It was just a great show!!

We left home at 5:30. We were at Cowboys Stadium and in our seats by 6:40.  Her face was so cute when Taylor came on stage!

Towards the end of the show Nora's excitement started to slip.

She leaned her head against me and dozed off for a couple of songs. 

She woke up for another couple of songs and then she said her tummy was hurting. Might have something to do with her eating like 2 bags of skittles.

I gave her half of an immodium and her tummy was still hurting...so by the next to last song she was flat out crying so we left. I wanted to stay for the final song Love Story but oh well. :D

We did miss all the traffic by leaving a bit early. Nora was sound asleep within two minutes of buckling into her seat.

I look forward to many more concerts! Nora and I have gone to some great shows like Cirque de Soleil OVO and Mary Poppins (totally amazing!) and the Wiggles (with my mom) and Disney on Ice...but this was the most exciting so far...I think...

anyway, I can't wait until we go to another one! Wicked (tim and i must go see that) and the Lion King are coming next year for the Dallas Summer Musicals and I'm for sure taking Nora to the Lion King. Maybe even Maddie. We'll see.

until next time...Stacey

**Don't forget to vote for me in the kitchen contest...you can vote daily! GO HERE***

 

A day of firsts...

Today was the first day of school for Nora. First Grade. A new school. Yikes! Up until a few days ago Nora was not excited. Truthfully you could say she was downright negative and ugly about starting school. But after the principal took her for a little tour, meet the teacher and finding out some old friends were in her class...she seemed to change her mind and attitude. You might say she got a little excited about starting school. I have tried to remain calm and upbeat about school. I've talked positive about the new school, her old friends that will be there, yada yada. Nothing I did seemed to help. But I guess Mrs Mattingly said something right.

Nora walked right into school, gave Ms Hood some flowers (yeah i'm a brown noser...thanks David :D ) put her stuff in her locker and got right to business. She pushed me to the side and whispered "you can go now" I snapped a few more pictures and left. I really just wanted to hug my baby and tell her how much I love her and that if she hates it or if somebody is mean then she can just call me to come get her...but I walked out of the room and down the hall. The pledge of allegiance was being said. At that moment it hit we were really in big school. I started to cry. Luckily our friend and neighbor (a police officer) was at the door as I was leaving. He gave me a hug and let me cry for a minute. Standing in the hall in front of the office with people looking on probably thinking I am a total whacko. I don't care. My baby started first grade today and tomorrow she'll be going to her first prom and getting her driver's license and graduating from high school and I'll still just be looking on and crying because my baby is just not a baby any more. 

I had a breakdown the other day...it just hit me really hard that Nora was starting first grade. She's turning 7 in just a few weeks. Life is changing. She's growing and changing. Exploring who she is and the world around her. It's a good thing...a wonderful thing but it ain't easy for mama!

I think mostly my breakdown had to do with my mom. She would be so absolutely proud of Nora. Nora was mom's lifeline. Her "mini me". Another kindred spirit. They were two peas in a pod. Throughout the meetings with the teacher, school nurse and principal...I just kept thinking about my mom. How she would handle the situation with Nora's peanut allergy and how the school handles it. I wish she were here to give me words of wisdom or comfort or something...it's not easy dealing with a life threatening food allergy and letting your child walk into a school for 7 hours a day in somebody else's care. It freakin' sucks.

When the principal took Nora around the school last week, I walked into the school library and had an overwelming desire to just pull a stack of books off the shelf, sit in the middle of the room, read the books, and cry. Mom would probably have called Nora the night before school and asked if she was ready...give her a pep talk and tell her what an amazing little person she is and that she would do great. Luckily my sister took on that job and gave Nora a great pep talk! 

While I know this day was hard for me because I was letting my baby go to first grade...it was even harder because I would've given anything to have dialed my mom's number and hear her voice comfort me after leaving Nora at school. I needed my mama today. Most days I'm ok. Today I needed my mama. I know there are always going to be days like this. It doesn't make it any easier. Today I needed the reminder my friend Leah gave me this morning when I told her that I missed my mom and that I wished mom was here to see Nora...she is here. She's with us in spirit. There is a little bit of her in me and for sure in my nora. My mom is with us and I know she is so proud of our sweet girl.

Maddie and I met our friends Leah and Evelyn for breakfast. The girls had a good time being silly while Leah and drowned our first day of school boo hoos in pancakes and syrup. It was a great distraction! :D

As for another first...Maddie started dance today. She has been so excited. We bought new tap and ballet shoes for her and a special new tutu that Maddie picked out at the dance store. She has been non-stop telling everybody about dance.

She did awesome! My biggest fear was the Maddie might turn shy and be a bit timid in a new environment with new friends. But she got right in there and participated with the other girls. She is the youngest of the group but other than the paci in her mouth you couldn't tell. She even showed Nora tonight what she learned at dance. She also proudly told Tim when asked what she did today " i went to dance"

I did try to take the paci away before class started...but as you can see that didn't go over real well. she came out of the class dug in my purse and said i need my paci. she got it and went right back into class. super.

So that's it...a great day. We met some friends for ice cream and barnes and noble after school. That was so fun! I asked Nora about her day when she got in the car this afternoon. She seemed excited and had a lot to tell. She said that lunch was just ok. She doesn't like having to sit at a special peanut free table. She thinks it is stupid to go outside for recess when it is this hot because she sweats and it messes up her hair. PE is the dumbest thing she's ever had to do. She said that first grade is just ok. I asked her to describe her day in one word. She said "Fine Fantastic...well sort of". Hopefully tomorrow will be a great fantastic day!  She goes back to dance tomorrow night and here's hoping musical theater is exactly what she hopes it'll be!

until next time...S

Miss "whatever" sash project

Ever since watching the Miss USA pagent Nora has been asking for one of those "pretty ribbon things" I've put her off for awhile and she started up about it today. This was super easy and I'm sure I could've spent much more time cutting out some sating and making a really fancy sash but didn't have the energy for it today. Easy was the way to go! 

I found some wide ivory satin ribbon. I'd guess it's about inch and a half wide. I just draped it along each girl's chest and measured...no fancy calculations.

Then i cut each end of the ribbon to have a V edge. 

I did sew an angled edge at the should so that it would lay correctly but you don't have to do that I'm sure it'd be fine without that step but i'm a bit anal.

Next I dusted off my box of unused rubons. FOund a set of black letters that fit the ribbon. I also found some metal brads with a jewel in the center.

After getting the girls requests for their titles I went to work...

Just an FYI...rubons go on ribbon very easily and you can use a crochet hook to rub them :D it works when you can't find your special rubon tool lol

Maddie's you can't see...but she's Miss Texas. :D

Nora hasn't taken her's off and she's quite proud of her title.

Maddie on the other hand took it off as soon as I snapped a picture. figures.

Fun cheap project!

until next time...Stacey

 

Happy 4th of July!

This has been a pretty low key but fun weekend. Friday afternoon we met Tim at the movies for Nora's choice...Green Lantern. We had a little mexican food for dinner and then watched movies when we got home. While we watched movies I finished painting and distressing the hutch. Dining room should be back together this week! I can't wait!

Saturday we went to a mall for a little shopping...had cheesecake factory for dinner...yummy! Then we tried Sugar Queen Cupcakes...while I loved the icing on the red velvet cupcake and I really liked the chocolate icing...I didn't really care for any of the cupcakes and we tried three kinds! I'm just not a dense cake fan. I'm not even a Sprinkles fan! The girls road the carousel...which they seem to think they need to ride every time we hit that mall!

Sunday Nora and I were supposed to go on a date...but at the last minute Nora changed her mind and decided to go to the lake with Tim and Maddie. My feelings were a bit hurt at first...but Tim's gone a lot with work and the girls don't usually get to go to the lake and such with me (too dang hot!) so it was fun for the three of them to do something together. While they played I did a little shopping alone! Niiiiice!!

Today we did some swimming and at one point were planning to put a brisket on the grill but decided to skip that and just go to Chili's where the kids eat free today! While Nora and Tim swept the garage and worked in the yard. Maddie cut fabric at the table (she loves scissors) while I made the girls red/white/blue outfits. I made Nora a skirt and matching tank top. Maddie got a ruffle bottom romper. Both outfits turned out adorable even if I do say so myself.

 
I had great plans to take pics of the girls in their outfits...but the best laid plans and all that...Surprisingly both girls made it thru dinner with no food on their clothes. We decided to take the girls to Nestle for cookies/ice cream and to Barnes and Noble. Nora has a a BN giftcard and she wanted to buy herself a book light. Tim said we should run into BN first...so we did. That's where M's outfit with to the crapper...Yep, she had a blowout. I didn't have any wipes or diapers in my purse because I had my child-free purse from my day of shopping. So while Nora and I checked out Tim took Maddie to the car to change her because we ALWAYS have diapers in the car...

 
We met Tim and Maddie outside to find Maddie in new clothes and going commando. Yep, no diaper. Since we had promised them ice cream we had to walk down to Nestle before we went home. So far so good...no accidents. Maddie even asked to go potty while we were in Nestle (not that she did anything but at least she asked)

 

 

So smart people would've eaten their treat and gone home...but we evidently aren't smart. Because after we walked out of Nestle the girls started begging for the fountains. Ok...5 minutes. This is where Nora's outfit went to the crapper...well she got soaked! Yep...5 minutes and we were on our way home. Sheesh!

 

 
 

My crazy life...I truly wouldn't change it at all! Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Happy 4th!

until next time...S

 

DCC Camp

Nora has asked previous summers if she cold go to Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Camp. Up until now she hasn't been old enough. But this summer...she was able to go to her first camp! She had a blast. I thought for certain she'd be nervous but she walked right in, put her bad down, waved at the girls and said Hi I'm Nora. yeah, pride and sadness rolling thru mama as she watched.

 
 

 

 

 

It was a three day camp and on the last day the girls performed as did the 4 cheerleaders that had instructed their camp. Nora said after it was over that she would probably want to do it again next year! So fun! She said her favorite part was learning to do high kicks. She might just follow in aunt patty's footsteps and go for drill team one day :D

 

 
 

 

 

I had tried to get a picture of the girls together inside. Maddie would have no part of it. Sometimes it's better to let it go than to force that child to do something. So before we got in the car, I tried again...as you can see it didn't work. oh well.

Anyway, I highly recommend the DCC camp. Nora loved it!

until next time...S

 

I've been very MIA.

Oh my goodness. I knew it had been quite awhile since I had blogged, but I hadn't realized it had almost been 2 months! Yikes!

Since Mother's Day (the last time I blogged) much has happened!

Our sweet friends E and N had a baby girl Elise. They asked me to be a part of that day and take pictures...it was almost as amazing as the day my girls were born. Sharing in that day and all the special people surrounding them was just wonderful! We are so blessed to have such sweet friends and it truly meant the world to me to be a part of Elise's birth day. Here are a few of my favorites from the day.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It was just an amazing day and I feel so blessed to have been a part of it!

My oldest child graduated from kindergarten...big cry! Really, she's going to be a first grader??? I don't like the sound of that. But I am so very proud of her. She's an excellent reader, smart and funny. I'm so blessed to call her mine!

 

 
 
 
This is a picture of Nora and her best friend Jack with their teachers. They met their first year of preschool. They stayed in the same classes thru kindergarten. They are both not happy with the fact that they will be at different schools for first grade :(

Also Nora performed in her fourth dance recital. This was her first recital to have numerous costume changes! It was exciting and a lot of fun. I'm so proud of her. She is just an amazing girl!

 
 
 
 
 
Ok...I think that just got us through May...I'll blog again soon with June! :D

until next time...S

 

Tuesday!!

I don't have anything in particular to blog about. I'm working on orders, birthday party  stuff, and veils and bowties for the Q/U wedding on Friday...

It's a satin headband with an 18 inch double layer veil and the flower is a removable clip. That way they can wear the flower at another time! 

I bought 5in black felt hats...I have some ideas and something in the works for the party but I'll only share it if it turns out cute! If the first one is a bust...to the trash it goes and nobody will be the wiser :D

I mentioned I ordered flamingos for the party, right? Note to self: read the fine print. The flamingos arrived yesterday but...

 

They are a bit small...thinking they may go on the table decor. I'm debating whether to order some larger ones or just forget it!

And for my Maddie and Rose customers who have been emailing me since January asking when I'm going to have the spring stuff listed...soon! I promise. Life has gotten so crazy (ok crazier than usual) and I just haven't been able to get things going for M&R like I want to. Trust me as soon as this birthday party is behind us...I'll be devoting my time to M&R.

Saturday would've been my mom's 59th birthday. I usually write her a letter but I didn't have it in me this year. Two and a half years since her death and this year seemed harder for some reason. I miss her so so very much. My cousin Molly said in an email to me on Saturday, "She would be so proud of the mommy you have become and boy would she love miss maddie! Just her kind of spit fire."  She is so right. My mom would just think Maddie hung the moon. And it would probably stick in Nora's craw something fierce! But they would've made it work. I wish mom was here so she could celebrate Maddie's 2nd birthday in a couple of weeks. She would be just as involved as I am trying to get everything together for an Alice in Wonderland/Mad Hatter tea party! She's with us in spirit and she lives through my girls!

Tim, the girls and I have made a tradition of going to dinner and a movie on mom's birthday. This year was no different...last year it was alice in wonderland and this year we saw rango. Thank you Johnny Depp for putting a movie out on mom's birthday :D Keep 'em coming! Maddie didn't care about the movie...she was having to much time testing out the empty chairs in our row. Nora loved it! She thought it was hilarious. Tim and I both were a bit disappointed. We thought it would be funnier. If you have a problem with the words damn and hell...they are used numerous times in the movie. Just an FYI. I don't think Nora even noticed.

Oh...I did a digi layout for Scrap Chicks It was a sample layout for the March Class that is going on.

My layout...

 

I used this template/sketch

 

 

Ok well, I've spent too much time at this pc and not enough time utilizing maddie's naptime! Have a super day! until next time...S

 

The tooth fairy is coming to our house...

It's official.

Nora lost had not one but two teeth pulled today. *sigh*

 

It was all such a blur and happened so fast! My baby is growing up! The other day she was complaining about a tooth hurting or feeling weird. Took a good look and guess what we found...not one but two of her permanent teeth coming in on the bottom. Great. Needless to say, none of her baby teeth were loose or even close to being loose.

 
 

Today she went to the dentist and they did a panoramic xray. all of her permenant teeth are there...and it looks like only the bottom teeth are the ones that aren't in the right spot. Her upper teeth look to be where they should be and so she should lose those on their own. We will probably have to pull at least two more of her bottom teeth. But we'll see how it goes!

 

So there you have it...Miss Nora has lost her first two teeth! We weren't prepared! I'm going to have a make her a tooth fairy pillow tonight before we go to bed!

until next time...Stacey

 

Super Bowl Sunday

We woke up this morning to a very nasty diaper and a fever from Miss Madelynn. She's not been herself all day. It must be a little stomach bug but hopefully it'll only last 24 hours and go away! Nora actually went to bed tonight saying her tummy hurts but nothing else...

We got Maddie under control and then we all snuggled in bed until oh...11-ish! It was awesome!

Then we all crawled on the couch and watched the super bowl pre-show!!

 

Great way to start the day! Nora and I had to miss out of the super bowl because we had tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's OVO. OHG...It was awesome!! You couldn't take pictures inside, but we asked the man sitting next to us to snap a pic of Nora and I at intermission. He did and before I could even get my camera back in my purse an usher was telling me to put away the camera!! Craziness! But we had a great time. I love doing fun things like that with Nora!

 

Nora absolutely loved the show. She was entranced. She has informed me that we need to go to Vegas so she can see Believe, Elvis and Beatles Love...(not sure if those are the exact names but you get the idea!) She's also thinking she wants to do some tumbling this summer! Oh and she thinks she and madelynn need to be characters from OVO for Halloween. Super.

We made it home in time for the final quater of the super bowl. Congrats to the Packers! I'm truly glad you won and in my opion...the best team won!

Crazy thing...on the way to the house we saw a coyote walking down our street heading into the park with a wooded area. I turned and shined my car lights on him in the park and he stood there for the longest time...I realized then that I had my camera and as soon as I got the camera out he took off. Realized tonight we are going to have to be careful letting Edwina out at night because there is a panel down in our fence...dangerous!

Anyway. I picked up the rest of the storage stuff I need for my craftroom and my desktop. If all is well around here tomorrow (M feeling better) I will hopefully finish putting it all back together. Will it be finished once it's back together...nope but it will be nice to have all of the mess out of my living and dining room! Wish me luck!

Hope you all have a great Monday! So glad the snow and ice has melted!!

until next time...