mommy and me swap package......

Olivia and I got our aprons from Shawnee who hosted the Mommy and Me apron swap....They are so sweet and Olivia is beyond thrilled. I mentioned that we bake as a family for Christmas so for some extra goodies she sent baking supplies for Liv. A rolling pin, cookie cutters, Christmas bags, plates and napkins and a kids activity book and a cookbook. Andrew and Daniel were right there every time she unwrapped one of these goodies and they all were ready to go bake Christmas cookies...and I mean that second. I have some antique red handled rolling pins, so I let them all roll out slices of bread and then use the cookie cutters on the pieces. They made a huge mess but it was pretty fun to watch. The aprons are really fun with all the trim and flounces and they are pinafore style which I love. I am pretty sure that they were a whole lot of work to make but they are loved, so thank you so much Shawnee and little Miss T. Tonight I also put together my own pink charm bracelet. Something I have never done...I added some silver balls to make it really full. I came upstairs and there was Liv with her eyes glittering and they were right on my bracelet. If you look in the rolling pin picture it is on her wrist. She is planning on wearing it on Thanksgiving to show to her Aunt Cinda. I was looking at my favorite quilting blogs today and I really miss quilting. I don't have any swaps anymore so I need to go down and dig thru some bins and make some blocks and finish a couple of quilts whose tops are done. Quilting is still my favorite crafty thing but you wouldn't know it lately...One funny story about Andrew...He got a new box of crayons from a friend of mine, and he was thrilled. He knows to only use paper to draw or color on so I expected him to ask for paper. He sat down on the rug , took each color crayon out and made a pile on the floor and opened all the flaps on the box. The box then went on his forearm and has been there every since. He has had it on his arm since yesterday morning. It is his robot arm. At one point it ripped and I taped it all up. I love that the three kids have good imaginations and dont rely on video games to be entertained.....

Where the heck have I been?

That is the big question in my emails from friends lately...Ok, to tell the truth it has been one big pity party around here and I have been the only celebrant....I have spent a lot of time in pajamas with unbrushed hair, played the yahoo game Big Kahuna until I beat every level twice (andrew calls it the tupid (stupid) fishy game, he heard this from auntie) and generally just moped about. And dang it , I feel entitled to do so every once in a while but I think I am over it now. It may have something to do with the fact that I am tired of sleeping and playing a video game, who knows? Life is hard right now, and the word hard probably does not do it justice and I am trying to learn to cope and move on but it is a long process I think. I pray a lot for God to show me the way to go from here and for courage to start over and occasionally, I throw a tantrum just in case he isn't feeling me that day. I appreciate all of your kind thoughts and prayers and I know they help and keep em' coming!!!!!!!! So what has been going on around here other than that? The kids enjoyed Halloween and Andrew loved trick or treating...Every morning he carries around his plastic pumpkin and asks me to take him "tomorrow"....I think to him tomorrow means today....I try to explain that it is only once a year but he doesn't get it. He also sings "happy birthday to Andrew " every day and asks if he is having a cake...you guessed it, ....tomorrow. Olivia's school had a feast day in honor of Thanksgiving on Monday and I went to that. She is always so proud to have me there, it melts my heart. We have been doing alot of cooking together and she always wears her apron and I wear mine. Andrew wants to help so I scoot a chair over to the sink and run a trickle of water and give him a sponge and he washes spoons until he loses interest. Oh yeah, and he stuck a rock up his nose...way up. I convinced him to blow it out and hopefully that is the last of the up the nose incidents. Daniel sold a bunch of popcorn for his cub scout troop...The little bugger waited till the last minute and then went out and hustled up some business...Sales runs in his blood you know....He was pretty proud of how well he did and he has had fun delivering it to customers. As far as making things, I have been , but I cant show a lot cause it is gift type stuff...I am showing one flower pin that I made that has a nice sparkle to it...I also made up an apron pattern and it is sooooo cute and soooo easy and I am going to market it. it is based on my friend Laura's mothers apron...Something she whipped up in the 40's. When it is made up, it looks great and like it took a lot of work but it has FOUR pieces....It cant get much easier. I also got an award from Sanna at http://sannasartmind.blogspot.com/. it is the I love your blog award and she also tagged me earlier for 7 random things about myself... So here goes.....

1. I can think of a zillion stories or things to write about, but I hate to type so I don't put them down.

2. I always like the book better than the movie...ALWAYS

3.I know from what part of my life I knew someone by what they call me....childhood, family, high school it's Mindy and from adulthood on it is Melinda...My real name is Melinda by the way. My dad picked it out and at the time it was unusual. I asked and he cant remember how he thought of it. I asked him why Melinda and he said, mmmm, "well so we could call you Mindy.." Well, here is a thought, why not just name me freakin MINDY? go figure....parents.

4. Bill Clinton makes me puke in my mouth...he is a lech plain and simple and it grosses me out, and that is about all I will ever say on my blog about politics. He and old Ted Kennedy should hook up.

5.I laugh really loud and sometimes I snort when I laugh which is better that saying sometimes I pee when I laugh...in my book anyway.

6. When I am mad, out comes the broom and mop and for heavens sake , don't talk to me or get in my way.

7. The most excited about a Christmas present I ever got was when I was seven and I got a hula hoop....My mom wrapped it just like it was and I would wait till they left the room and I would hula hoop with the wrapping on it...I loved the sound it made. We used to beg my dad to do it in our living room in Tillamook and we would laugh hysterically when he tried. of course when I opened it, I was surprised and amazed.....

Ok, Cinda, I am back on here..........you can rest easy now!