Poor Mistreated Little Blog

I know, I know...I always say I'm going to post more often but never do. I truly mean it, and I really want to. I actually miss it. But for some reason, other things just keep popping up. Like life. And school. And doctor's appointments. And just plain sleepiness. And the biggest obstacle of all...finding the camera and/or the USB cord to upload the pictures I have taken of things I have done.

Well little blog, my New Year's Resolution (and I don't usually make them) is too keep better track of my projects and post them here.

Since I last posted here, Thanksgiving has come and gone, as well as Christmas. (Christmas was wonderful, by the way...nice and quiet. I made sure it was much less stressful than in years past.) Our big family gift from Santa was a trampoline!

*Photo by Allison

This December I also knitted two scarves...and I use that term loosely! One is made with a very bulky yarn and even though I used 2 balls of it, it is still a little short. The other is made from a thinner cotton yarn, and is very long and skinny. I only cast on 10 stitches, and it reminds me of those skinny knit ties from the 80's. But Claire loves it, and it's perfect to her.

On December 12, I participated in a project that took place all over the World-a project called 'Help-Portrait'. It involved photographers from, literally, all areas of the World, getting together and doing photo shoots/family portraits for people who would not otherwise be able to afford them. This was one of the best and most fun things I have ever done, and I truly hope it is being planned again for next year!

This is a picture of the group here in San Antonio.

I've also been doing a lot of embroidery. Not sure why, but it just seems to be the thing I do right now. I think I turn to that a lot when I need to just "veg-out" and not have to really think.

We tried something new this year...we went to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels. In the Summer it is a huge waterpark. The last couple of Winters, they have turned it into a Winter Park, full of winter activities such as bobsledding, individual little parks with snow machines (that was so much fun!) and an outdoor ice skating rink! Now, I'm not new to ice skating but it has been awhile, and I am also used to ice skating on figure skates...not hockey skates like this place was renting out. The blades on hockey skates are MUCH longer than on figure skates and your center of gravity is completely different. Therefore, I didn't make it very far before I ended up in the air completely parrellel to the ice and landed smack on the crown of my head! Everything was blurry and double and moving in and out of focus just like you would see on TV, and when the paramedic asked me who the President is, I replied, "Richard Nixon". Hmmmm...this seemed to present a problem and it was decided I needed to take a little trip to the ER. So off we went, and many hours later it was determined that I did not have a skull fracture nor did I have any brain bleeds; just a really nice concussion! Which was a good thing, because it was a couple of hours before we got that news. However, the hospital did do a great job getting me in and doing the CT scan right away...it was just waiting for the doctor to come back with the results that took so long. I think it took so long because I was ok, and 3 ambulances came in with people who probably needed to be dealt with immediately. After about 20 minutes of waiting for the doctor to come in after the scan, I figured that everything was good or else they would have been back immediately. There was a 'Law & Order' marathon on TV, so I just decided to relax and enjoy my quiet time. Allison had texted her friend Laura about what was going on, and her mother immediately came up to the hospital, picked up the kids and took them home! I will never be able to express my appreciation to her for doing this...we have never had the luxury of being able to just drop the kids with a neighbor or have someone come over in an emergency (except for my parents) because of Ethan's issues/Autism. For some reason it worked out in this case: 1) because Ethan was so tired and falling asleep in the waiting room and he just wanted to get home to bed; and 2) because this was Laura's mom, who is a nurse and probably just instinctively knows how to deal with people. And who knows...maybe Ethan is maturing a little bit. That sure would be nice!

Before I go I do want to share a couple of pictures. These were taken in Gruene, TX at the town lighting that we go to every December.

This is one of my most favorite pictures ever...Allison and Claire.


This one is also from Gruene, and includes Laura (Allison's friend), Claire, Allison and Ethan.


I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and has a very safe New Year's Eve! Goodbye 2009! Here's for a better 2010!

Live and Learn...

I've been playing with headers and names...decided to drop the 'ArtSmith' name because: 1) I don't get as much art done as I want too; and 2) it's too hard for me to separate the art and the daily life, so this has become a daily life blog, that I can use to show things that I've done. And most of the things I do have to do with sewing and not the mixed media that I intended. Things change, people come and go and life moves on...along with your muse, sometimes. My muse has been gone for a long time.

As of now, I am officially changing the name of the blog to "Live and Learn". Not sure what to do with my Flickr account/name. I don't even know if I can change my name without starting a whole new account. I'll have to check that out, but for now it is still the same.

And check out that new and oh, so cool banner! I should probably have just gone ahead and put a regular everyday one up there but I just love this one. I got it for free at "The Cutest Blog on the Block", the same place I had gotten the cherry one. Hopefully, I will remember to change it after Halloween!

There was a HUGE adventure for us last weekend...it was Valero Family Day at Fiesta Texas. And we went! Valero hosts this every year but we have never gone. I just have not been brave enough to take Ethan out to a place like that. But this past year he has made a lot of progress and I felt like I could handle the multiple meltdowns we were sure to have. I can't believe this myself, but, there was only ONE! He wanted to play a game and win a stuffed Bugs Bunny, and things just weren't working out for him. I finally convinced him to let me try one. So I walked around and took a look at all the games, finally found one I thought I could win-it was the one where you pop balloons with darts. I even studied it for a while to see how the darts were weighted to make it harder for you to win. lol! So I finally decided to go for it, and just a few pops later, all three kids had stuffed toys!

I'm going to go ahead and brag here for a bit...I handed them my three tickets for 3 tries, and you had to pop one balloon for a small, two for a medium and three for a large. *Oh-side note...Ethan didn't trust me and thought Steven was a better shot. So, Steven played for Ethan and I was playing for the girls.* My very first 3 tries I won a medium Bugs Bunny for Claire! Steven tried 3 times and missed every single one. hee-hee-hee! I was now in charge of all of the tickets. Took 3 more tries and won a medium Tweety Bird for Allison, and used the last 3 to get something for Ethan. I only hit 1 balloon. That was it-no more tickets. So Ethan chose the small Bugs Bunny, and I thought for sure Meltdown City was upon us! But, nope. He liked the small one, because it looks more like a baby! Yee-haaaaawwww! Everyone was happy. Of course, Steven will never live down his complete and total loss to my incredibly amazing score! The new rule around here is that the girls have to say "my MEDIUM sized Bugs Bunny/Tweety that MOMMY won".


So, here is a shot of the two big guys in one of those teeny tiny cars...


They managed to do ok in the end though...


And one of the girls on the swings.


I had to go on one of the rollercoasters with Claire. The Roadrunner, I think. It wasn't the biggest one, but the next one down. Still to big for Claire, I think, but she just had to ride it. That girl has no fear! She wanted to go over and over but I thought that one heart attack that day was enough.

Long update, so I'll stop now. I have been working on some Halloween decorations and some things for a Day of the Dead Shrine; so someone please remind me to take pictures of it all before I take it down!

I can't believe it's April 3!

And I really can't believe I haven't posted since February 25! Guess the brain really was numb. Plus we had Spring Break in there...like it was really 'Spring'...I took the kids to Houston to visit my mom and dad, and that was the week that Houston decided to have Winter. It rained the entire time we were there, LITERALLY, and it got really cold! Down into the 30's at night and high's were only in the 40's during the day. Of course, we only had flip-flops and shorts and t-shirts. Except Ethan, who actually left our house without shoes, so I had to stop on the way and get him a pair. (I know, that seems to happen a lot around here.)

Since then, hmmmm...it's all a blur really. Seems like everything goes nonstop. Plus, I got a really bad cold and took ONE dose of NyQuil which completely knocked me out for an ENTIRE weekend. No lie. Then I had that sexy Marge Simpson voice going for a few days. Got my regular voice back yesterday but then had to take Ethan to the doctor because he has an ear infection. Or, as he described it, "I think a hornet AND a yellow jacket both got in my ear and stung me!" Poor thing, but he always has a great discription.

And today is actually Steven's 40th Birthday! Now that he is 40, I can no longer deny being in my 40's. Which I really never do, but I seem so much younger in my head...like 22! lol! Anyway, back to Steven's birthday...I have NO IDEA what to get him. So yesterday I asked him if he wanted me to cook anything special for dinner. When he was finished laughing and choking and falling on the floor, he said, "Well, I had never really considered that option. I just thought we'd go out for Mexican food." Good decision, hun! But I'm feeling just a little sorta Betty-ish, like maybe I want to make a cake or something. I don't know...it's a whole new feeling so I'm not sure what it is, but that might be it. Or cupcakes maybe. Ooooo! Cupcakes mean I could go to Michael's and get some cute accessories! Cupcakes it is, then!

And after living in this house for almost 4 years, I actually have curtains on almost every window now, because my mom was here for a few days. Of course, I still gotta get pictures of that.

I also have a funny 'Conversation with Claire' from Sunday...

*Claire was playing at a friend's house, and called home to ask a question*

Telephone ringing...

Me: Hello?

Claire: Mom. Is it ok if I go to Jenna's church with her? Don't worry, I won't pray or anything! She just has to pick up her soccer uniform.

Me: (in Old Jewish Lady from New York City Voice, like I really teach my kids NOT to pray!) Gawd fa-bid tha pray-ing!

Claire: Huh?

Me: (laughing) Yes, you can go, it's fine with me.

Claire: (to Jenna) She said Yes!!! (little girls screaming in backround)
But Mom! Don't worry, I won't pray or anything!

She hangs up the phone, and leaves me wondering what the hell Jenna's mom is thinking right about then....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEVEN! WE LOVE YOU!