Oh How...

I've missed thee. This has been my worst blog year and I'm not sure why. Lots of great things happened during the year.

For starters, I completed year one on my job as an Family Community Outreach Coordinator, which was a blessing from above. I had many run-ins with my boss and often considered walking away BUT I didn't and I am prettier glad I didn't. I really do love all of the kids I work with. My goal for the start of the school year was to purposely reach out to the Family part of my title. To date, more families are involved just not as many as I would like.

I spent the summer moving in with the Mr., getting settled in, and enjoying my children. This was the rainiest summer ever. Every time we wanted to go to the beach it was raining or we didn't have gas in the car or money to spend. We made it a few times but not many. On one of the visits, the seagulls owned the beach and I was ready to go right after we settled in. The kids enjoyed themselves.

In September, the Mr finally proposed (after 8 year...lol). I was surprised and very excited. He did a great job not telling me when it was going to happen which is hard because I'm one of those need to know everything type of females. I'm glad I didn't know. :)

On the crafting front, I have been a busy bee. I have loads of pictures of completed projects and will most likely post some while enjoying Christmas Break (4 days away). I can say I am truly looking forward to spending some time with my family (both sides). Good times ahead.

Looking forward to catching up with all of my blog favs...

Happy Holidays to you all!!!

WOW

It sure has been a long time since my last post. Now that I am making time for my crafting, I will make time for my very sorry blog. Not to worry, I've been crocheting like a crazy woman. Plenty of pictures to come. :)

I have lots of updates, however I can't do that now...I must fix this layout! Let's see how fast I can do that...

Enjoy your day or night.

Happy Hooking

2011...

Happy New Year!!!

After all the ups and downs in 2010, I am excited to start 2011. I brought in the year with my children, the Mr and the MIL. It was nothing special, just some tv, conversation, and then the toss to the new year. Z thought she was really special because we gave her sparkling cider in a champagne glass...too cute.

I awoke to the headache from hell...too much partying the night before. Oh well. Then Nana called and guilt tripped us into coming over. Don't get me wrong, I was planning on taking the lil ones over to exchange gifts but I guess I was taking too long. Found out she had cooked all this food and felt really bad. I made up for our slow arrival by gifting her some very special gifts.

Z gave her a handmade stocking (Nana has the one J made her in 2005 on the tree to this day) and a reindeer.

My niece and nephew (really me) gifted her a framed picture. The frame said "Grandchildren...the sunshine of the day." She loved it. The quote is pretty funny seeing that we sing "You Are My Sunshine" to my brother all the time...

I gifted her red velvet cupcakes (only 6, she can't eat more than that...LOL)

The gift from all of us...drum roll here....tickets to a black-tie dinner and Shirley Ceasar concert. She was overjoyed. Man I love making her smile.

We ate dinner, talked and let Z color, J complain, and then we came home. I forgot to mention that Nana gifted Z a FULL kitchen set (we don't have any space for such things but Z loved it).

Once we arrived home, I began my research on American Girl. I have been looking forward to Z's 5th birthday for a long time and I really want it to be very special. I thought about hosting a tea for her...not enough lil girls around her to have a real tea party. Then there was the party at The Children's Museum (needed to book a month in advance and never did). So after talking to my favorite aunties, who told me about the American Girl store in Natick, MA, I had to do some research.
OMG!!! I LOVE IT!!! This is perfect and I can't wait. I choose the Bitty Baby (after all, she's only turning 5 and would ruin a big doll). Reservations have been made (for 4 at 2 pm). Who knows how else we might celebrate her birthday but this is pretty exciting.

SN...I already bookmarked a bunch of patterns for crochet doll clothes. If you have any, please send my way. Hehehe... :)

Good Riddance 2010 (photos)

January 2010 Dance Recital

One of many made this year...

January Birthday Party @ PreschoolValentine's Day 2010 5th Grade Graduation

Miami, FL 2010

First Day of Kindergarden

Ghostface/Sheek Concert J's 12th Birthday Party

Nicola's Scarf and Hat Set

Z as an angelChristmas 2010

Good Riddance 2010 (text version)

After reflecting on 2010 this week, I am ready to bring in 2011!!!

2010 in review...high/low

January - Celebrated Z's 4th birthday, signed her up for school while saying come on K1...daycare is killing us

February - Had the best Valentine's Day on record (maybe this year will top last year...maybe. LOL)/Arguement with best friend of 15+ years (gone forever...so sad)

March - Can't remember...

April - Celebrated D's 32nd birthday, re-enrolled in school (Northeastern University)/Sent said bestfriend a very happy birthday text, had a bad car accident (while working),

May - Celebrated my 32nd birthday. Taught my sister to crochet (she ran out of yarn and never finished the project. Laid off from the job I loved

June - Watched J bid elementary school adieu (yup middle schooler now), mastered the Daisy Square (finally). Said good-bye to co-workers, wished bestfriend well on her wedding day (didn't attend)

July - Began my summer vacation, started walking, got some much needed rest, received word that I was hired for the Burke position.

August - More rest, walking, and relaxation. Traveled to Miami, FL with D for the first time. I had so much fun. (Just realized i never posted pics - sorry). Started work and made a couple of friends

September - School started for all of us (college, 6th grade, kindergarden), lots of PD for the new job. Celebrated sister's birthday. Realized I was totally out of my league at work, asked for assistance

October - Gave J a huge birthday party, noticed J is a very talented artist, did the Halloween custome thing (still hate it). Still uncomfortable at work

November - Celebrated Nana's birthday, Shopped the day after Thanksgiving (great deals!!!). Admitted to self that it was time to start looking for a new job

December - Counted down the days to Winter Break from work (yup I hate this job), baked like a crazy woman, attempted to make some handmade gifts. Failed at making handmade (project is still in progress)

With all that said...bring on the new year.

Happy New Year to you all!!!

MIA no more

I'm back for good this time!!! Remember when I started this blog? I wrote every week then it dwindled down to once in a while and then I made it a point to blog every Monday and Friday. The last few months, have been crazy busy and now I am making my blog a priority again.

I am not ready to post all the craftiness that has been completed just yet -- I will do that tomorrow, must organize photos and such.

For now I wanted to say hey to all of you my fellow bloggers. I've missed my hooks and yarn and man have we been reaquinted over the last two weeks.

I also asked Santa for knitting classes, hoping to add that skill to my belt in the coming year.

Fall My Favorite...

but oh so busy... I know it's been awhile since I last wrote a real blog entry so today I am taking some time to do just that.

In September, everyone in my home had some sort of life change.
1. J started 6th grade
2. I started my new job and then my second quarter at NEU
3. Z started K1

As you can imagine, lots of schedule changes have occurred due to all the new beginnings. We are still working on all of them. LOL. J gets on his bus at 6:39 am, Z can arrive at school by 7:30 and I need to be at work by 8. Needless to say, mornings in my household are crazed. As a result of the crazed mornings, I began drinking lots more coffee (from a medium to a large) in the morning. While I love my new job, there has been a lot of stress related to it. A co-worker told me to get some tension tea because it really does work and guess what...he was right. I end most evening with a cup. School for me hasn't been too bad. I am still struggling with meeting deadlines for papers but all work is getting done. This quarter it's Intro to Liberal Studies and College Math 1001. I'm in school two nights a week. Not bad.

We celebrated J's 12th birthday earlier this month and can you believe he asked to have a party??? How could I say no? He hasn't had a party in 3/4 years. So a party he wants, a party he gets. The theme was Family Guy. Well at least those were the directions and cake. The party had nothing to do with it. He drew his own banner (4 characters) and chose who to invite. I was so stressed out and aggravated until I just let go and let him do what he wanted to do. All he needed me to do was cook and spend my money. Gotta love him. The party was great and he was happy at the end. That's all that mattered.

As for me and my crafting...it's been very slow. I just can't find the time to do anything. I started a few "quickie" projects and those also fell to the side. I wish I had some motivation to finish something. It's been cold already and people are requesting scarves and hats so maybe this week I will find the time to work on those things. BTW...Christmas most likely will be store brought this year. Sorry to anyone who was looking forward to something handmade. Unless Z makes it...it won't happen.

While I haven't had lots of time on my hands, I have made time to go out with my friends. I partied with my cousin for her 30th and I went to a Ghostface concert (I didn't meet Ghost but I did meet Sheek Louch from the LOX. Very exciting!!!)

Of course there aren't any pics of completed projects but I will update pics of the lil ones soon.

Keep crafting (or studying in my case)...